IRL-CART talks in serious trouble

Mike Harris

Sunday, Sept. 26, 1999 | 2:29 a.m.

HOUSTON - Little hope remained Sunday for a possibile unification of the Indy Racing League and Championship Auto Racing Teams open-wheel series following negative comments by IRL founder Tony George.

After months of negotiations, George told The Indianpolis Star he sees no reason to unite his all-oval series, which has struggled for a major sponsorship since its formation in 1996, with 21-year-old CART.

George, who also is president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said, "The IRL doesn't need to compromise. We're happy with what we have. We don't have to change. We won't change. There is nothing imminent that's going to happen."

CART team owners Barry Green, Bobby Rahal and Derrick Walker, as well as CART president and CEO Andrew Craig, have met with George several times since May to try and unite the two series. Green said George's current stance was another step backward for open-wheel racing.

"I guess negotiations have come to a screaming halt," Green said Sunday in Houston, where his team was competing in a CART street race. "I think Tony is confused about what he wants.

"It's very disappointing. I told Tony in one of our early meetings that we owe it to open-wheel racing to put this thing together. A few weeks ago, it looked like we had this worked out. I don't know what happened, but the only way I'd do this again is if you convince me he's (George) really interested."

The IRL has 11 races at eight tracks, all ovals, this year, while CART has a 20-race schedule divided among ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits.

CART, which hasn't competed in the Indianapolis 500 since 1995, has been well-funded by sponsors and draws well at road and street circuits, but it has watched most of its oval-track crowds steadily diminish.

Most of the IRL's events have been poorly attended, with the Indy 500, which draws about 400,000 specatators, a major exception.

But George said that doesn't warrant the compromises that CART has suggested.

"We're not the ones that feel an urgency to get back together," said George, who was attending the IRL's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "They're the ones who need Indy."

Craig said he spoke by telephone with George on Saturday and that nothing related to George's later comments was mentioned.

"We were just touching base," said Craig, who has been intimately involved in the mediation talks.

"I haven't got a whole lot to say. I think it's sensible that everybody keep an open mind and an open door. It's not so much an issue on the Indy 500 as it is an issue of one (unified) sport."

Asked if George's remarks have signaled an end to the reconciliation attempt, Craig said, "I don't know. At some point, I'm sure we'll talk."

George has made similar remarks in public forums twice before - in May, prior to the Indy 500, and in July, before the IRL race at Dover, Del. In both cases, the talks continued.

Roger Penske, one of CART's founders and Indy's all-time winner with 10 trips to victory lane, doesn't deny that the series needs to be in Indianapolis.

"All sponsors are interested in seeing Indianapolis be a key part of the total racing program," Penske said. "We all know we have to be in one series, so what I want to know is, where's Tony going with this?"

A major obstacle dividing the two groups is the different engines they use. The IRL runs normally aspirated engines produced by Oldsmobile and Nissan, and has a cheaper fixed price on cars than CART, which uses turbocharged engines and cars that are three times more expensive.

General Motors has won every IRL race since 1997 with its Oldsmobile Aurora engine.

Executives with General Motors, NASCAR president Bill France Jr. and Craig met last Tuesday in Detroit to discuss a potential reunion. George did not attend, citing previous commitments.

"That tells me all I need to know," Rahal said. "It was important enough for Bill France to be there, but not important enough for Tony."

But Rahal, a former Indy 500 winner, added, "Open-wheel racing needs us all back in Indianapolis. We'll all benefit froma consolidation and I'm not going to give up."