By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com
February 21, 2008
Friday could be "Unification Day" for open-wheel racing, a moment longed for since the Indy Racing League began in 1996.
Barring an 11th-hour snag in negotiations between IRL founder Tony George and Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, who planned to meet Thursday night, the two Indianapolis-based sanctioning bodies are expected to officially become one, potentially as soon as a 11:45 a.m. news conference Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Danica Patrick, the most recognizable driver in the IRL, said unification is long overdue as many fans and sponsors have been soured by the often-contentious split.
"I'm probably speaking for many people when we say it's about time," she said. "You know, it's been a tough process for everybody; it's been disappointing for a lot of people."
A unified series would be officiated by the IRL. Champ Car, or CART as it was known at its inception in 1979, is expected to be eliminated.
The key to the deal is the absorption by the IRL of Champ Car's top participants and events. The IndyCar Series, which currently has 15 confirmed car-and-driver combinations and 16 races, is expected to swell in both categories for the upcoming season.
It is expected that between six and 10 drivers and their crews will migrate from Champ Car to the IRL, led by Paul Tracy and his team owned by Gerald Forsythe, one of four CCWS owners.
Champ Car's other marquee driver is Graham Rahal, the son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, who owns an IRL team.
The younger Rahal, 19, drives for the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team that has won the last four Champ Car titles with Sebastien Bourdais, who has moved to Formula One. Rahal is expected to be joined in the IRL by his new teammate Justin Wilson.
Only three Champ Car events are expected to be added to the IRL's 2008 schedule: Long Beach, Calif.; Edmonton, Alberta; and Surfers Paradise, Australia.
The Long Beach race was one of the final issues to be addressed by George and Kalkhoven. Champ Car is to race there April 20, one day after the IRL is to compete in Motegi, Japan. Several options were considered, but the principals could stage both events. In that scenario, which would include each series' respective entries, IRL points would be awarded equally.
Jim Michaelian, the Long Beach Grand Prix president, acknowledged that was not an ideal situation, but he, like the rest of the open-wheel community, wanted to hear about the plan laid out by George and Kalkhoven.
"We've all got to wait to find out on that one," he said.
The Edmonton race, set for July 20, requires an adjustment because that is the same day the IRL is scheduled to race in Lexington, Ohio, an event key to Honda, the league's engine supplier and partner.
The IRL could offer Edmonton officials the July 27 or Aug. 3 dates.
The Australia race is set for Oct. 26, which is an open date for the IRL. But the IRL is under contract to crown its season champion at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 7. That means a deal with Chicagoland's owner (International Speedway Corp.) must be struck or the Australian promoter would have to accept that race as an exhibition.