2004 lineup

[Omega99]

If Manning doesn't get a ride next year, I'll cry.

[Tenoch]

servia is gone because the name of the team is visteon/patrick racing meaning they own part of that team, and unless they are expanding next uear why wopuld they have a test for that kid.

[jjspierx]

Actually Manning has done 3 oval races in CART, and he's also done oval racing in a European series.

[BootsOntheSide]

Right you are jj, I'd forgotten about Rockingham 2002 and ASCAR.

AFAIK Visteon don't own any of Patrick anymore than Marlboro own part of Marlboro Ferrari. The choice fo drivers has always come down to Pat Patrick and Jim McGee in the past, and I'm sure it still will. And I doubt he'd choose to run a rookie in a one-car team after the 2002 Bell debacle.

[Liz]

Why do you keep insisting that Monteiro is gone from FDR when he has a contract and the whole team have praised him after every race, and Fittipaldi is very high on him?

And because Seventh Grade posts a rumour does not make that rumour a fact.

[BootsOntheSide]

Liz, you have quoted a few 'Seventh grade' rumours as being near-fact in the past.

Montiero's ride is safe unless the team needs more sponsorship money. And they will, alas, have to replace Pookfare somehow.

I was pretty mad at reading sgw's post last night. I hadn't had a good day in general, and it contained some things I didn't want to read. But, in the cold light of day, a few points may well be true. I'm sure an 18 car field will be obtained though, even if it means additional funding from the new owners.

It also seems possible that IRL will have a much bigger field next year, as the second-hand chassis will be available. Is it possible that Conquest may swap back?

[PaulSands]

I can't see Darren Manning going anywhere else in 2004 ...didn't Walker say something to the effect that he "wished he had 10 Darren Mannings" ?

[Tenoch]

i did not mean that Visteon is out there pushing buttons on who the driver is going to be, but think about it Next year there will be no help for the teams right, and unless visteon is going to expand then why was there a test for Wirdheim. Most likely that team will stay a one car operation.

[BSchneiderFan]

The 'CART driver to IRL' thread says that Manning has signed for Ganassi.

[corkholio]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Why would you link Manning to Ganassi? I think that's even less likely than Frentzen signing with Cheever!

I remember reading an article (written by none other than Robin Miller, who was obviously wishing for CART's death since he was employed by them ) last year that Visteon's contract with Patrick would be up at the end of this season. You can make your own conclusion but I have seen far fewer Visteon stickers on cars across different racing series lately than I have a few years ago.

[Tenoch]

That exactly what I mean, if there was barely enough funding funding for one year why would there be enough for two next year.

[macdaddy]

I still think the Werdheim test was more of a favour to Lola.

[sgw2]

Liz,

since you don't like 7G as a source, try the press release from Grand-Am and Wayne Taylor himself

http://www.grand-am.com/news/news910.html

[BootsOntheSide]

Unfortunately the rumour mill is struggling to fill both grids this year - more evidence of the damage the IRL has done over the eyars.

[cos]

Michael Keohane is testing for Coyne at the end of next week. Presumably if he has the money he'll get the drive...

[BootsOntheSide]

mac, you shouldn't've edited my post. What I was saying was aimed to point out that enough positive-to-CART rumours are discussed on this site, no matter how ludicrous they sounded on reflection. I fell into that trap last year, rpedicting lots of new teams that didn't happen and completely failing to forecast any of those that did come in, other than Emmo's. The poster I was referring to posts a lot on here, and a lot of his or her posts seem very one-sided and ignorant. I wanted people to take his or her insulting derogatory words for what they are.

[macdaddy]

Firstly, Boots, what you've just said belongs in a PM, not in the forum. But since you've brought it up...
Your first paragraph did not lend anything to the topic "2004 Lineup". And, although it wasn't a bash, it singled out one member. I try to think of how I would feel if the post was about me, and if I would find it insulting, then it goes. When you say, "I wanted people to take his or her insulting derogatory words for what they are," I would counter that people on this forum are intelligent enough to come to their own conclusions.

If you'd like to discuss further, please feel free to PM me.

[macdaddy]

...And keep in mind that I'd do the same for you, or any other member.

[Liz]

I just realised I typed "Seventh Grade" instead of "Seventh Gear." That was a typo, not a gratuitous remark. I'm typing at work and not supposed to be. Sorry about that!

[corkholio]

EDIT:
Please don't test me.
-macdaddy

[BootsOntheSide]

Oh right, sorry about that Liz. I assumed that was a deliberate insult. I take back what I said. And I guess that is quite funny.

[Liz]

It's kind of like relying on Spell Check and getting Penguin instead of Penmanship.

[corkholio]

Do not dodge the autocensor. It is there for a reason.

Ben

[paul-collins]

[BootsOntheSide]

I think there are some poor spell checkers around on this site, we get a lot of 'Babble' on here.

Nice to see the Keohane test though, he's a talented driver who hasn't tended to have amny opportunities. I beleive he'd perform mroe impressively than most of the 2003 Coyne drivers, other than Yoong.