Penske purchases Indianapolis Motor Speedway and racing series

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

I'm amazed at some of the vitriol that people still hold over this. The split was in 1996. CART ended operations in 2003. It's been all Indycar for the last 16 years. It's ok to move on. Unless Tony George personally harmed you it seems crazy to be so hung up on a racing series issue from 25 years ago.

Tom_Spangler said:

• It sounds like this is the end of the Hulman company as a family-owned business. Tony is pretty emotional about it.

I wonder who will do the "Start your engines" announcement next May.

STM317 said:

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

I'm amazed at some of the vitriol that people still hold over this. The split was in 1996. CART ended operations in 2003. It's been all Indycar for the last 16 years. It's ok to move on. Unless Tony George personally harmed you it seems crazy to be so hung up on a racing series issue from 25 years ago.

It's not even that CART went away, it's that he split the American open-wheel racing audience at a time when NASCAR was ascendant. That permanently damaged the entire sport. To this day, it's a second-tier sport in most people's eyes. I have mostly moved on, I'm a big fan of the current incarnation of Indycar. I attend races and watch regularly on TV. But I'm not going to forget what Tony did, either.

That said, you could see by the emotion he showed at the press conference that he has a love for it. Maybe if he had it to do over again, things would have been different?

I wonder what the purchase price was. 

a King among fools. 

STM317 said:

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

I'm amazed at some of the vitriol that people still hold over this. The split was in 1996. CART ended operations in 2003. It's been all Indycar for the last 16 years. It's ok to move on. Unless Tony George personally harmed you it seems crazy to be so hung up on a racing series issue from 25 years ago.

2008,cart became champ car in 2004

stuart in mn said:

Tom_Spangler said:

• It sounds like this is the end of the Hulman company as a family-owned business. Tony is pretty emotional about it.

I wonder who will do the "Start your engines" announcement next May.

If not roger my guess tony will continue doing it. Roger alluded to the family still having some involvement and the possibility of a minority ownership during the press conference.

In reply to _ :

In 1983 I spent two days at the race; Saturday and Sunday. I "kinda" didn't see much of the race since it was the only year I bought a General Admission ticket.  
 

I wasn't the only attendee that "missed" the race that year.  The horn was a lot of fun on Saturday night.  It even got a cool Indy 500 sticker.  
 

STM317 said:

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

I'm amazed at some of the vitriol that people still hold over this. The split was in 1996. CART ended operations in 2003. It's been all Indycar for the last 16 years. It's ok to move on. Unless Tony George personally harmed you it seems crazy to be so hung up on a racing series issue from 25 years ago.

Because Tony George all but killed open wheel racing with the split.  There are some who still believe Indy car should be all ovals with all American (preferably mid western) drivers.CART/Champcar died as they didn't have IMS.  If the IRL had tried to set itself up as a new competing series without IMS then it wouldn't have lasted a year.  On a human level I feel for the guy getting chocked up.  No matter how well meaning his intentions (and they weren't) he all but killed a series that was frightening Bernie Eccleston and threatening F1 in the quality of the field and it was going global popularity hand over fist at the time of the split.  As far as I'm concerned I hope the door hits TG in the ass hard on the way out.

Best comment I've read all day 'Does this mean CART won the split'  To me, yes it does.  Here's to a bright future with a leader who can take it there.

And for those worried about RP's age.  He's head of a massive corporation and you better believe he has succession plans for all parts of his business.  He's one hell of a smart guy who knows how to surround himself with others of similar caliber.  

Adrian_Thompson said:

STM317 said:

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

I'm amazed at some of the vitriol that people still hold over this. The split was in 1996. CART ended operations in 2003. It's been all Indycar for the last 16 years. It's ok to move on. Unless Tony George personally harmed you it seems crazy to be so hung up on a racing series issue from 25 years ago.

 

Because Tony George all but killed open wheel racing with the split.  There are some who still believe Indy car should be all ovals with all American (preferably mid western) drivers.CART/Champcar died as they didn't have IMS.  If the IRL had tried to set itself up as a new competing series without IMS then it wouldn't have lasted a year.  On a human level I feel for the guy getting chocked up.  No matter how well meaning his intentions (and they weren't) he all but killed a series that was frightening Bernie Eccleston and threatening F1 in the quality of the field and it was going global popularity hand over fist at the time of the split.  As far as I'm concerned I hope the door hits TG in the ass hard on the way out.

Best comment I've read all day 'Does this mean CART won the split'  To me, yes it does.  Here's to a bright future with a leader who can take it there.

And for those worried about RP's age.  He's head of a massive corporation and you better believe he has succession plans for all parts of his business.  He's one hell of a smart guy who knows how to surround himself with others of similar caliber.  

https://www.autonews.com/world-congress/penske-succession-plan-includes-sons

greg was in charge of Penske speedways before they merged/sold out to Isc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Penske

I can't wait to hear Robin Millers view on this.  I really really want him to be an ass and throw in some sort of 'I told you so'.  He can be divisive, but there's no doubt Miller loves American open wheel racing and his support of CART really cost him in Indianapolis.  

Tom, you watched the live cast, I couldn't.  Did wither Robin Miller or Marshall Pruett get to ask any questions, if so what?

I'm gonna be the third guy to hold Tony's nuts to the fire.  IRL was a vanity project for him, and he murdered pavement open wheel racing in North America.  It's corpse is showing a bit of life these days, although they are still as dumb as a box of rocks, and egotistical as hell if they think I'm gonna pay $30 a month to be able to watch their processions live in Canada.  With Hinchcliff fired, ain't no Canucks left to follow.

And- make the Pocono race go away, Roger.

ddavidv said:

Tony George killed open wheel racing for me with the CART/IRL debacle. I haven't paid attention since.

It would be nice if Roger & family could bring us back to that wonderfully competitive era with a nice balance of oval and road courses, multiple manufacturers and great drivers.

QFTx1000

Adrian_Thompson said:

Because Tony George all but killed open wheel racing with the split.  There are some who still believe Indy car should be all ovals with all American (preferably mid western) drivers.CART/Champcar died as they didn't have IMS.  If the IRL had tried to set itself up as a new competing series without IMS then it wouldn't have lasted a year.  On a human level I feel for the guy getting chocked up.  No matter how well meaning his intentions (and they weren't) he all but killed a series that was frightening Bernie Eccleston and threatening F1 in the quality of the field and it was going global popularity hand over fist at the time of the split.  As far as I'm concerned I hope the door hits TG in the ass hard on the way out.

Best comment I've read all day 'Does this mean CART won the split'  To me, yes it does.  Here's to a bright future with a leader who can take it there.

And for those worried about RP's age.  He's head of a massive corporation and you better believe he has succession plans for all parts of his business.  He's one hell of a smart guy who knows how to surround himself with others of similar caliber.  

Also QFT x 1000...

I'm so happy I can now actually watch CARTII.  C'mon, Rog, find some way for Indy Racing to use cast off F1 powerplants and show them how it's done.

Either that or do F5000 Part Deux!  :)

Streetwiseguy said:

And- make the Pocono race go away, Roger.

Already gone! Replaced with Richmond.

Also screw Tony George.

The CART / IRL split was such a load of crap. Penske ending up with the keys to the Speedway seems a fitting end, albeit about 15 or 20 years too late.

Adrian_Thompson said:

I can't wait to hear Robin Millers view on this.

Here you go... "Champ" :)

https://racer.com/2019/11/04/miller-the-biggest-and-best-story-in-50-years/

b13990 said:

Adrian_Thompson said:

I can't wait to hear Robin Millers view on this.

Here you go... "Champ" :)

https://racer.com/2019/11/04/miller-the-biggest-and-best-story-in-50-years/

That might be the most positive, upbeat article I've ever read by Robin!

b13990 said:

Adrian_Thompson said:

I can't wait to hear Robin Millers view on this.

Here you go... "Champ" :)

https://racer.com/2019/11/04/miller-the-biggest-and-best-story-in-50-years/

Excellent. Perfect Robin. He didn't have to say 'I told you so' as Mario did it for him:

“When moribund USAC was dying on the vine, Roger formed CART with a vision. He brought IndyCar to the glory days until it was fractured. He’s got a beautiful history of having been successful. And that’s why I’m so giddy about today’s news.”

I think it is a good outcome. Penke has the legit passion, resources and ability to make the race and series successful.

I wonder if anyone has told Tony George how much money he'd have if he hadn't started the IRL yet...

This is indeed great news, while putting on some great races, the series has just sort of stagnated.

I've read many interviews with Penske over the years and I come away with something every time. I've found his approach to day to day business very useful in my professional life.  

If anyone can take the Speedway and Indycar to a higher level it's Penske.

pinchvalve said:

Indy is important to Roger Penske and no one else. He's already made it so no one cares what's going on there anymore, pretty soon it will be one big private box for him to sit and watch his own cars go around. A billionaires' version of a slot-car track in the basement. Its a shame because I used to love Memorial Day weekend, my Birthday and watching the Indy Car Race. I haven't seen it in years, and with cars this ugly, I don't have much interest in tuning back in.

 

As if Roger didn’t own a team when he helped form CART?  BTW, Tony owned a team when he owned the IRL.

Tony George should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell.

So, so, so happy to hear about this.  For anyone worried about his age, don't. Penske has an amazing, unique ability to find the best people to do a job, give them the tools they need to do it, and step back and let them succeed.

Penske's method is so successful it has been analyzed to death and people try and duplicate it in almost every business, because it's just that good.

This is the best thing to happen to racing in the US in a long, long time.