WK680 - 27 May 2008 12:56 PM

LoveAllRacing - 27 May 2008 11:14 AM

The reason PT is not in open wheel is his settlement with Forsythe means he can't race in open wheel this year.

Where did you hear that? The last I heard, they were still working on a settlement.

It's the internet.

You can post anything you want and people will believe it.

There has been a lots of weird rumors about PT that no one can back up. The only person I will listen to in all of this is PT himself.

Ahhh... if you only knew my sources you'd realize how good my intel is! Time will validate my words.

He's still got to have at least some sort of an interest or offer if he's going testing this late in the season with still having the possibility of a full time ride NEXT season in IRL if what you say is true.

Nothing's ever cast in stone but here's what the best scenario current plans are.

Forsythe will return to the series full time. No word on if it's with 1 or 2 cars, or who the drivers will be. It won't take them long to re-staff as they really haven't let too many long timers go. They are instead currently working with Forsythe's Atlantic program or are "on loan" to other teams in different series. (IRL, Indy Lights, Atlantic, etc) Of course if they don't get a sponsor next year may not happen. But between their marketing department and drivers that can bring money, I fully expect to see at least 1 car in '09.

As for PT he is a racer and just wants to drive. Since his exit strategy with Forsythe doesn't allow him to race an open wheel car this year, not sure about ALMS or Grand Am, he has decided to try NASCAR again. As much as PT would prefer to race an open wheeler next year it is unlikely he would do it if someone doesn't pay him so there's no guarantee he'll be in the IRL. Having said that I would be surprised is someone doesn't find a budget for him, especially for Indy and the Canadian races.

I hope he gets a ride in open wheel this year, but if not, I'd love to see his aggressiveness in Trucks, especially in Texas.

LoveAllRacing - 27 May 2008 08:43 PM

Nothing's ever cast in stone but here's what the best scenario current plans are.

Forsythe will return to the series full time. No word on if it's with 1 or 2 cars, or who the drivers will be. It won't take them long to re-staff as they really haven't let too many long timers go. They are instead currently working with Forsythe's Atlantic program or are "on loan" to other teams in different series. (IRL, Indy Lights, Atlantic, etc) Of course if they don't get a sponsor next year may not happen. But between their marketing department and drivers that can bring money, I fully expect to see at least 1 car in '09.

As for PT he is a racer and just wants to drive. Since his exit strategy with Forsythe doesn't allow him to race an open wheel car this year, not sure about ALMS or Grand Am, he has decided to try NASCAR again. As much as PT would prefer to race an open wheeler next year it is unlikely he would do it if someone doesn't pay him so there's no guarantee he'll be in the IRL. Having said that I would be surprised is someone doesn't find a budget for him, especially for Indy and the Canadian races.

So which is it, is he in it because he wants to drive or for the money?

Both ... he wants to drive but he won't do it unless he gets some assurances! He thinks, and rightly so I say, that he can have his cake and eat it too!

FerrariEnzo - 26 May 2008 04:07 PM

While this will be Tracy's first experience in a truck, he is known as one of the most cerebral wheelmen in the business and he will adapt quickly.

Paul Tracy is cerebral. I did not know that.

LoveAllRacing - 27 May 2008 10:42 PM

Both ... he wants to drive but he won't do it unless he gets some assurances! He thinks, and rightly so I say, that he can have his cake and eat it too!

I think he should be willing to take a lower base salary with performance incentives. I recall Nelson Piquet doing that with Benetton in the latter part of his career in 1990. Like Tracy, he had struggled in the two years prior to that (after having won his 3rd championship in the awesome Williams-Honda in '87).

Although PT is a true talent and would be a force to recon with, he does have the occasional brain fart.
He can get away with using the chrome horn while on a road coarse but that may be a bit more dangerous on an oval while traveling at 200+ mph. And even more so in an Indy car than a Craftsman truck.
I am just fearful that the results of one of his brain farts won’t allow him to say, “excuse me” and expect every thing to be okay after that. Someone could get hurt.

Besides you would think that he would want to make friends out there first to avoid having these truck drivers putting him out of the race on every outing. Me myself, I am a fan of racing not crashes. These trucks are another type of beast to tame and I don’t recall PT having driven anything other than an open wheel car. It might be more than he can swallow.

IMO he should go with Indy racing or ALMS. If he goes with Indy cars it will make next year something else to look foward to and even more interesting.