The key partners to cater to – Honda, Ford and Bridgestone, are already solved. Panoz and Dallara are minor players. If TG had any sense or balls, he’d lay down the law and pull out the checkbook if necessary. There are two other chassis manufacturers out there if these guys bolt, so what’s the problem?

Sad and frustrating, but that’s why we’re in this to begin with: Short-term thinking egomaniac rich boys. How many of these guys were self made from humble beginnings? Kalkhoven was educated in the best schools in England. Penske’s father was a corporate executive, Rahal came from a successful food business, and we all know about TG. It’s been all about them their entire lives. They know nothing different.

You have to wonder when these big IRL teams will simply run sports cars and do Indy 500 one-offs. It could possibly happen in ’07. Apart from friends’ employment, I hope the whole thing implodes on them.