Excuse Me For Being English But...

Can someone please explain the difference between Indycars, Cart Racing , And Champ Cars. Thanks Craig http://www.btinternet.com/~the.solicitors Great Song Lyrics, No2 Cheap Lovers Make Expensive Wives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>Can someone please explain the difference between >Indycars, Cart Racing , And Champ Cars. They are essentially the same cars but different names. They were called CART Indycars when they ran at Indy. After the split in 1994 (I believe) they just became CART. Then last year they were sponsored by FedEx and became CHAMP Cars. But they are essentially the same teams and drivers (Al Unser Jr, Michael Andretti, Bobby Rahal). -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com

Without going into the politics of Open Wheel Racing in the US, I will try to answer your question. Indycars are those that run under the banner of the Indy Racing League (IRL), a series formed 3 years ago by one Tony George, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IRL cars run normally aspirated, 4 liter (soon to be 3.5), 32 valve powerplants with rev limiters, based on production car engines. The dominent engine manufacturer is Oldsmobile (General Motors) with an Infiniti (Nissan) or two thrown in for variety. The IRL runs only on oval tracks and only in the US. CART, also known as Champ Cars (the history behind this name is better left to a seperate thread) , or Championship Auto Racing Teams, runs 3 liter turbocharged, V-8 engines from Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Honda with no set rev limits. The Cart championship is run on a mix of oval and natural road courses as well as street circuits in North and South America, Australia, Japan and possibly Europe in the very near future. -don

Don's explaination below is a good one, however it should be noted that people still say "Indycar" out of habit, even when they are referring to CART Champ cars. CART agreed not to use the term "Indycar" a couple of years ago, due to the confusion with the cars of the newly formed Indy Racing League, but old habits die hard and new terms like "Champ cars" are slow to be adopted. Add to this the American public's general lack of knowledge regarding open-wheeled racing (I'd wager that 98% of Americans could not name one track that CART or the IRL races on, aside from Indianapolis, and could not name more than two drivers from either series) and you can be sure that the generic use of "Indycar" will continue for a long time. Jim Getzen

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>>Can someone please explain the difference between >>Indycars, Cart Racing , And Champ Cars. >>Thanks >>Craig >Without going into the politics of Open Wheel Racing in the US, I will try

to >answer your question. >Indycars are those that run under the banner of the Indy Racing League (IRL), a >series formed 3 years ago by one Tony George, owner of the Indianapolis Motor >Speedway. IRL cars run normally aspirated, 4 liter (soon to be 3.5), 32 valve >powerplants with rev limiters, based on production car engines. The dominent >engine manufacturer is Oldsmobile (General Motors) with an Infiniti (Nissan) or >two thrown in for variety. The IRL runs only on oval tracks and only in the US. > CART, also known as Champ Cars (the history behind this name is better left to >a seperate thread) , or Championship Auto Racing Teams, runs 3 liter >turbocharged, V-8 engines from Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Honda with no >set rev limits. The Cart championship is run on a mix of oval and natural road >courses as well as street circuits in North and South America, Australia, Japan >and possibly Europe in the very near future. >-don

I thought it was at the end of '95? Although I could be wrong, I didn't follow US racing back then... Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 "Useless quote"

% Don's explaination below is a good one, however it should be noted that % people still say "Indycar" out of habit, even when they are referring to % CART Champ cars. CART agreed not to use the term "Indycar" a couple of years % ago, due to the confusion with the cars of the newly formed Indy Racing % League, but old habits die hard and new terms like "Champ cars" are slow to % be adopted. Add to this the American public's general lack of knowledge % regarding open-wheeled racing (I'd wager that 98% of Americans could not % name one track that CART or the IRL races on, aside from Indianapolis, and % could not name more than two drivers from either series) and you can be sure % that the generic use of "Indycar" will continue for a long time. Actually to muddy the waters, if I recall correctly there was a law suit between Tony George and CART. The ruling was that neither side could use the term IndyCar for a certain amount of time. That was when the term "Champ Cars" begin to show up. -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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> % Don's explaination below is a good one, however it should be noted that > % people still say "Indycar" out of habit, even when they are referring to > % CART Champ cars. CART agreed not to use the term "Indycar" a couple of years > % ago, due to the confusion with the cars of the newly formed Indy Racing > % League, but old habits die hard and new terms like "Champ cars" are slow to > % be adopted. Add to this the American public's general lack of knowledge > % regarding open-wheeled racing (I'd wager that 98% of Americans could not > % name one track that CART or the IRL races on, aside from Indianapolis, and > % could not name more than two drivers from either series) and you can be sure > % that the generic use of "Indycar" will continue for a long time.

Elkart Lake, Portland, Laguna Seca, etc.etc.. I won't bother with drivers... In reality, the term "Champ Cars" has been used since the 40's or so. it just fell out of favor for awhile. The whole split is a joke. CART/IRL are just killing themselves with all this constant fighting. They've done nothing but manage to make NASCAR the #1 race series in the US. What should be the end all and be all of motorsport in the US will fall by the wayside soon enough if they don't all just get along. Too bad really, it was a good series. Maybe though it will reopen the door for sports cars in the US again.

I read somewhere recently about IRL's new engine formula, with them going to 3.0 liters by 2000, using non-production-based motors. The article mentioned discussions with CART along the lines of convergence, the big holdup being engine-leasing as now practiced in CART, and I believe, F1. CART seemed inclined toward the 3 liter aspro setup. Lessee, the cars are getting more and more alike, and now Tony George has locked up the USGP F1 at Indy in 2000. (see map of course at http://www.dailyf1.com/) Wonder if they'll let Schuey, et al do a few hotlaps on the full oval just for kicks. Hmmmmm. Steve B. Steve Blankenship remove "nospam" from address for email

Well thanks for clearing that up guys :-) That's the longest thread I've ever started. Craig

Actually, wasn't (yech!) nascar the no. 1 racing series in Amerika well before the CART/IRL split? >> % Don's explaination below is a good one, however it should be noted that >> % people still say "Indycar" out of habit, even when they are referring to >> % CART Champ cars. CART agreed not to use the term "Indycar" a couple of years >> % ago, due to the confusion with the cars of the newly formed Indy Racing >> % League, but old habits die hard and new terms like "Champ cars" are slow to >> % be adopted. Add to this the American public's general lack of knowledge >> % regarding open-wheeled racing (I'd wager that 98% of Americans could not >> % name one track that CART or the IRL races on, aside from Indianapolis, and >> % could not name more than two drivers from either series) and you can be sure

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>> % that the generic use of "Indycar" will continue for a long time. >Elkart Lake, Portland, Laguna Seca, etc.etc.. I won't bother with >drivers... >> Actually to muddy the waters, if I recall correctly there was a law suit >> between Tony George and CART. The ruling was that neither side could >> use the term IndyCar for a certain amount of time. That was when the >> term "Champ Cars" begin to show up. >In reality, the term "Champ Cars" has been used since the 40's or so. it >just fell out of favor for awhile. >The whole split is a joke. CART/IRL are just killing themselves with all >this constant fighting. They've done nothing but manage to make NASCAR >the #1 race series in the US. What should be the end all and be all of >motorsport in the US will fall by the wayside soon enough if they don't >all just get along. Too bad really, it was a good series. Maybe though >it will reopen the door for sports cars in the US again.

Damn! I had a feeling I was wrong about the displacement, but at 5 AM or so I didn't feel like looking it up :-) I knew some kind soul would correct me! Thanks! -don

On Fri, 4 Dec 1998 17:39:03 -0600, "david karr" >Actually, wasn't (yech!) nascar the no. 1 racing series in Amerika well >before the CART/IRL split? Hey, now, don't let the facts get in the way of this guy trying to make his point! :) "But in a way, fear is a big part of racing, because if there was nothing to be frightened of, and no limit, any fool could get into a motor car and racing would not exist as a sport." -- Jim Clark

See to me being a short track fan Champ Cars refer to the USAC Silver Crown series. I guess it a matter of prespective You have got to be kidding!!! He would be scared to go that fast. Well...wait...Scheuy and Villenuve could do it and maybe some of the other big names(ie. Hakkinen, Hill etc.). But some of them guys would need a change of pants after a 210+ MPH lap. Think about it. They dont see 200MPH very often.