Season 2008 - IndyCar-ChampCar Merger Close

I just saw this posted on EuroSport:
They are talking about merging for 2009 and the real sticking point is in regadrs to the conflict between the Motegi IRL race and the Long Beach GP dates.

Under the terms of the agreement that the trio are trying to reach, any ChampCar team that agrees to compete full-time in IndyCar, will be given a free Dallara chassis and Honda engines to aid them in their transition for (sic) the Panoz-Cosworth package they currently run.
It seems likely that any merger would see ChampCar wound up, but with the street races of Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfers Paradise absorbed into the IndyCar schedule.
Despite constant growth for the IRL - which adopted the IndyCar tag in 2003 - both series' have suffered in popularity in recent years, thanks to the huge publicity machine that is NASCAR - leading to a desertion of drivers and fans.

I'll believe it when I see it. Although a free chassis and motor will inspire them to get into the life boats instead of going down with the ChampCar ship.

Why Oh Why Am I Not Surprised!

From: EuroSport

Talks between the IRL IndyCar and ChampCar World Series' have stalled, after details of plans to merge the two series' were leaked to the press.

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• IndyCar-ChampCar merger close

ChampCar bosses Kevin Kalkoven and Gerry Forsthe said that comments made by IndyCar president Tony George, who indicated that an end to a bitter 12-year separation was "closer than ever" were highly inaccurate.
"Unfortunately, leaks and media reports about a possible unification of ChampCar and the Indy Racing League have significantly hampered discussions," said Kalkoven and Forsythe.
George is in Japan to meet with Honda in a bid to negotiate a date change for the IndyCar race at Motegi in Japan and rubber-stamp a deal of free engines for any ChampCar teams wishing to switch to his series should a merger still go ahead.
If George, Forsythe and Kalkoven do manage to put their differences aside and go through with a merger, ChampCar, which has run since 1979 in it's various guises, will cease to be.

Since this thread was not about Danica and had absolutely no mention of her and I don't know anyone personally whose life revolves around her what in the heck is the purpose of bringing her into this or any of the other winless drivers.

Anyway saw this on indycar.com and felt much the same as they have control over who is in the meetings and you would think could control what was said outside of them.

If they're smart they will all meet in Japan and settle it because the schedule issue should be an easy fix with only two months of the IRL schedule somewhat busy.

GearHead:

Actually this move by TG to merge the IRL into ChampCar is a good one.  ChampCar is the greatest racing series in the world and without the IRL around to dilute the sport of American Open Wheel Racing it will only be a matter of time until the sport will be back up on top of the entire world of motorsports.