Shotgun wedding announcements

Still no definitive news, but still lots of words about the lack of news. Some words more dramatic than others.

"Champ Car series is on its deathbed". - Edmonton Sun

DUH-DUH-DUUUUUUUUUH!

"We are still trading drafts of a (possible) agreement," said Fred Nation, spokesman for IRL founder Tony George. "We are whittling away at the issues, but they have not been eliminated. We're optimistic these things can be resolved, but . . . it's always possible that (someone) will decide they don't want to (unify)."

Nation said the emphasis in negotiations has shifted from the April 19-20 weekend, where both series have a race scheduled, to finances. He would not elaborate.

"That could be anything from cash (exchanged) to what pieces and parts are on a chassis," he said. - IndyStar

I hope Mr Nation points out how much money they'll be saving in nose cones.

Larry Curry is the team manager at Vision Racing and will be in charge of not only preparing the cars that will be going to the new teams joining the IndyCar Series, but also his own effort for his drivers.

"I think certainly we've anticipated this was in the works and I want to say that we are prepared," Curry said. "If and when we get the final word that we need to get some of that stuff distributed we'll be able to answer the bell. It hasn't been totally defined exactly yet how all of that transpires if and when it becomes official to tell you the truth.

"If they announce this thing tomorrow, it's not too soon for me." - Sports Illustrated

Of note to AJ Foyt IV fans, Curry specifically states in the SI article "We're going to run two cars full time. Tony George needs to officially announce his driver lineup with that but what we would do beyond that is yet to be determined."

Champ Car has become a questionably viable racing series that essentially no one in North America cares about. It features a field of drivers that may be quite talented in their own right, but no one in North America cares about them, either.

The IRL's Indy Car Series, which has been in existence since 1996 and has yet to capture the hearts and minds of auto racing fans in the United States beyond the Indianapolis 500, isn't doing much better.

It has a marquee event in the Indy 500 and it does have a driver that also moonlights as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, but the rest of the field is sadly just as faceless as the starting lineup of a Major League Soccer club – and that might be an insult to a soccer club. - Yahoo! Sports

Bob Margolis, author of the above quote, must not watch very many dancing shows. I mean I've got co-workers who would instantly recognize Helio, and they wouldn't know Jimmie Johnson if he was standing in front of them in his firesuit.

The merger talks between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car were characterized Tuesday as “heating up” and an announcement that America’s two top-tier open wheel series are going to be one may be made later this week.

That sounds good, except, well...we’ve seen this movie before. And though the villains change, their motives never do.

Money and power. - HeraldNet

Villains? Money and Pow-wah? Friends, scribes like this for years have piled on these series owners for NOT getting together, and now that they finally are getting down to brass tacks this guy is saying "ah, they'll never merge". Sheesh, some of the people you can't please none of the time.

Oh, the drama. How's that humpy/lumpy song go? "No no drama. You don't want no drama." That song is truly annoying, but it's appropriate.