There are about 5,000 hardcore fans who think Tony George is a genius, and the rest think he's an idiot. And I think everybody else thinks he killed the golden goose.”
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Robin Miller



That pretty much sums it up. Around Indy there are maybe 4 or 5 Hulamanophiles, the propagandists who sing Tony George's praises. In Indianapolis Mr. George only hears what his amen corner tells him, and since his familiy, like Dan Quayle's is part of the Nap-town-Oligarchy no one dares criticize him too strongly. That has further empowered him to continue his obstinate and obnoxious course, despite the fact that sane people in the rest of the nation thought he was on the road to ####. Now it is a case of most people don't give a ####. And even some of the locally-based hardcore have given up on the IRL after it became Penskified.

And there are also die-hard fans, some who loved the 500, loved CART, and love road racing, who absolutely and completely despise Mr. George. He is seen as the ruin of the sport, and anything associated with him (except for the USGP) is garbage. All teams who abandoned CART are traitors and the #### with the drivers. No way are these fans going to go over to a George led IRL even if it races on road courses.

I used to have delusions that somehow a merger could be worked out, but a couple of weeks in Trackforum disabused me of that notion rather quickly. I got back on 'the Wagon' pretty darn quickly after that, if you know what I mean.

I do not want a series that in any way was affiliated with the management, sales, and marketing arms of the IRL. I believe they do not have the kind of long-term vision and international perspective that are necessary to lead an Open Wheel series in the North American continent. Their mentality is collectively stuck in the grimy pavement around the Taco Bell on 16th Street.
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