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3 Dec 2008, 06:40 (Ref:2346103) | #26 | ||
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Please bring road and rally racing to the VERSUS tv channel! |
4 Dec 2008, 15:45 (Ref:2347342) | #27 | ||
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Honda, as with the entire Japanese industry, is doing as well as can be expected in this global recession. So, more than likely Honda will honor its IRL contract.
The problem is other sponsors not being on board for 2009 and beyond. |
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Cuz trucks need love, too! |
5 Dec 2008, 07:10 (Ref:2347836) | #28 | ||
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It's gonna be interesting to see how Honda's retirement from F1 will affect it all.
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5 Dec 2008, 12:57 (Ref:2348109) | #29 | |
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A very ill timed comment Amar!
Could Honda justify running an IRL programme having just cut its employee numbers and scrapped its F1 team? |
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5 Dec 2008, 13:26 (Ref:2348138) | #30 | ||
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Honda's IRL programme is little more than badging Ilmor engines and sponsoring a number of races. HPD's developmental resources are all focussed on the Acura LMP programme.
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6 Dec 2008, 01:41 (Ref:2348579) | #31 | ||
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In this climate anything can happen, so don't be surprised if they yank the plug. I've heard from Honda people that the main interest they have in motorsport is technology and competition. Right now the irl is just a marketing exercise with diminishing value. Honda has some indy 500 wins under it's belt now and the series tv and crowd figures keep going down, so what is the point anymore? |
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6 Dec 2008, 21:49 (Ref:2349198) | #32 | |||
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Not that they have produced much of a car, imho. |
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9 Dec 2008, 07:33 (Ref:2350750) | #33 | |||
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http://italiaracing.net/notizia.asp?id=21588&cat=3 The problem is, Honda are making, not investing, money in the IRL. This should sound as a sufficient reason to keep in ... |
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You got to learn how to fall, before you learn to fly P.Simon |
9 Dec 2008, 09:55 (Ref:2350843) | #34 | ||
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Honda is committed to the IRL until at least 2013. And there still 3 different engine manufacturers still interested.
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10 Dec 2008, 03:19 (Ref:2351465) | #35 | ||
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I've heard they are considering pulling the plug. And no they don't make money on the irl engine program. What is paid for the lease doesn't cover all the costs of the engines and logistics, not to mention all the free tickets they buy and subsidizing of races they do. All that stuff about 2013, they can pull the plug anytime they want to. They just yanked it on the F1 team and nobody saw that coming. The irl is in europe this week panhandling to Audi and Alfa and others to try to get an engine program from them. Good luck. |
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10 Dec 2008, 03:53 (Ref:2351472) | #36 | |||
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Still, Honda needs to promote itself to sell something, so in that sense the IRL engine badging is a real bargain compared to an overinflated F1 budget. At least in the IRL, Honda can promote itself as a winning car company, even though it is highly dubious. |
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10 Dec 2008, 07:57 (Ref:2351582) | #37 | ||||||
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You got to learn how to fall, before you learn to fly P.Simon |
10 Dec 2008, 21:46 (Ref:2352085) | #38 | ||
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check http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...h-the-program/ |
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Please bring road and rally racing to the VERSUS tv channel! |
10 Dec 2008, 21:55 (Ref:2352094) | #39 | ||
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IndyCar unification brings strong commercial first half July 3, 2008 http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...963&FS=INDYCAR http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=11893 North American open wheel racing is currently being rebuilt. |
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Please bring road and rally racing to the VERSUS tv channel! |
11 Dec 2008, 03:35 (Ref:2352278) | #40 | ||
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Last I saw of the ratings they were pretty lame. |
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17 Dec 2008, 20:55 (Ref:2357224) | #41 | |||
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17 Dec 2008, 23:59 (Ref:2357338) | #42 | |
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Looks like Porsche has said no way to indycar.
Too bad. |
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18 Dec 2008, 01:16 (Ref:2357366) | #43 | |||
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18 Dec 2008, 07:43 (Ref:2357440) | #44 | |||
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You got to learn how to fall, before you learn to fly P.Simon |
18 Dec 2008, 17:08 (Ref:2357798) | #45 | ||
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Audi would get more benefit by going rallying again or running it's sportscar and dtm programs. |
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18 Dec 2008, 17:27 (Ref:2357809) | #46 | |||
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18 Dec 2008, 19:13 (Ref:2357861) | #47 | ||
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I cannot see any reason that Audi would join the IRL (certainly not given the current situation: both of the series' state of being, but also the overall global situation). What would they gain from it?
The IRL gets better ratings than the ALMS I guess, but the ALMS has much greater value brand image wise. Given they have pulled the plug on the LMS and ALMS, well, I just don't see why they'd ever want to go and get involved with an AOWS in a bad state during a global mince-fest. It just doesn't make sense. |
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18 Dec 2008, 19:43 (Ref:2357871) | #48 | |||
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18 Dec 2008, 20:59 (Ref:2357906) | #49 | ||
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The irl invited manufacturers at their cost to a meeting this summer of which most declined and others sent low level people to see what was up. It's in the irl's interest to make people believe manufacturers are gagging to get involved but they are not. You have to keep in mind, Indycar as a brand name means little compared to 15 years ago. Next year many races are on a minor cable network and tv ratings are poor compared to what is being asked for sponsorship. Attendances are inflated with free tickets from Marlboro, season ticket holders at Nascar tracks and other fluff which is going to vanish like a fart in the wind in this economy. The series has little recognition in the national media. I can tell you from what I know Honda does not make a profit off it's engines. Anyone that tells you Honda banks big bucks off it's engine program, has no idea what the hell they are talking about. In addition Honda has significant expenditures from tv air time costs, advertising, marketing and funding races like Motegi, St. Pete and Mid Ohio. At Mid Ohio alone they spent millions on tickets for employees from it's local factory and other promotions. These days with factories being idled and sales way down every manufacturer is reigning in costs quickly. In the good years when profits are in the billions, sure you can go out and blow millions on motorsport, but when people are losing jobs or soon to do so, it's hard to justify spending all that. If the irl lands Audi then good for them, but already they have gone to Germany to try to inflate the balloon and I don't think Audi is buying, especially with the increasing influence of Porsche who has already said NO. |
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18 Dec 2008, 21:09 (Ref:2357918) | #50 | ||
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Audi in 2007 sold 115,000 cars out of 16 million cars sold in the USA. Small beans. Looking at average demographics of the irl there are probably few audi owners that are fans and even fewer that would attend an irl race. You compare that to the ALMS. Numbers overall might be a little lower but it is more Audi's demographic. Assuming for a moment that the cost of the irl and the ALMS would be the same, Audi would likely reach more of it's potential customers in the ALMS. I think what Audi did for 2009 was just panic like every other manufacturer. That is what I guess based on first hand knowledge. They will be here for Sebring and the R8 GT3 is coming on line as well. I suspect they may be back in 2010 full bore if the economy goes out of panic mode. |
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