[Fish_Flake]

The Acceptable CART-IRL Merger Proposal

The concept of a complete CART-IRL merger into just one series into the other is almost unworkable at this point. You have to put into account the venues that host CART and IRL races, and that at least a dozen would have to be dropped to accomodate a single-series schedule, which would sent the new series into a legal quagmire that it would likely be unable to sustain.

Even more so, I enjoyed the way things were in 1996-99, where there was a distinct division in the missions of each series. However, since Chip Ganassi crossed over and dominated the 2000 Indy 500, the IRL has become a big-bucks series dominated by foriegn influence, since the sponsors of the rest of the CART field then demanded their teams to run at Indy, which led to the mass exodus to the IRL in the past few years. At this point, there is no reason that the two series should be separate, because neither are strong enough to go into direct competition without eliminating both in the process.

Therefore, I have concocted a proposal to unite the two series somewhat. Both series would still run different schedules and give out separate championships, but the regulations of the two series would be identical, and a higher combined championship would be handed out to an overall Indy Car champion for the year. These are the main outlines of the merger.

1. Changes in Schedules
The schedules of the two series should be altered to return to the original distinct missions of the rival series. CART would consist of fifteen road and street courses around the world, reflecting its status as a series with an international flavor. The IRL would become an all-oval, all-American series with a schedule of fifteen oval races, all of them in the United States with an exception of the ovals at Motegi and Lausitz. The Indianapolis 500 would be sanctioned by both series.

2. Extended Championship
The CART and IRL championships would only be a piece of the puzzle. In addition to the two, there would be a larger overall championship that uses the combined series results of both series. To be eligible for the overall championship, a team must participate in at least five events in each series, not including the Indy 500. The best 19 results of a team would be counted toward the overall championship. The next two points will explain how this will be workable.

3. Identical Technical Regulations
Engine and chassis specs will be identical for both series. Compromises would have to be made by both sides to set these regulations, because a CART car would likely be qualifying around 230 mph at Indianapolis, and an IRL road course setup would be a true pain in certain posterior areas of the anatomy.

4. A Superior Sanctioning Body
For all of this to work, of course, a higher governing body must be formed to enforce the rules, hand out the championship, and keep one series from beating up on the other. To do that, one of three things should happen.
A. Found an new organisation, some sort of Indycar Federation (hey, that's not a bad name) set up by a group of people impartial to either series,
B. Hand the powers back to USAC, or
C. Make Indycar racing a direct property of the FIA, with the combined title being accredited World Championship status, thus avoiding any dopey title sponsor scenario.

5. Sort Out the Feeder System
A main problem with open-wheel racing in America is that Indycar racing has alienated sprint and midget cars over the past 20 years. Much of this dilemma was caused by the schism of USAC and CART in 1979. To create an equalibrium in the development of future racers between those brought up in the sprint/midget ranks and those who grew up karting is essential. Somehow, young oval-track drivers have to be welcomed into a minor-league setting, and not be discriminated against in favor of kart drivers. Sprints and midgets have really suffered in recent years, so their inclusion into the CART-IRL feeder system is needed to put interest back into that side of racing.