Ganassi signs Kyle Larson

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:10 PM

Another American (with Gordon and Stewart levels of talent) has fallen through the cracks and gone the way of taxi cabs. Kyle Larson won in his debut in a Super Late Model in Florida tonight in the Pete Orr Memorial 100. He had never raced that type of race car before.

I'm tired of seeing diverse drivers with this kind of talent go South. STEP UP Indycar owners and help bring this sport back to the level it was when we had names like Foyt, Unser, Rutherford, etc. I'm tired of the sub par talent level.

The Indycar champion was a guy who couldn't hack it in NASCAR (where they race primarily ovals which according to most here are supposed to be so much easier than road courses). Maybe its the other way around? Has anyone ever thought maybe it takes more than just outbreaking a guy to pass on an oval (dirt or pavement) hence the reason guys like Larson, Stewart, Gordon, Kahne, Newman, etc are so talented and can jump into just about any kind of race car and win? Look at how bad the Indycar guys looked in go-karts for crying out loud at the IMIS race at the Conseco fieldhouse or at Eldora during the Prelude in dirt late models. Go-karts are supposed to be THE place to learn the early skill of driving a formula car yet Stewart waxed the Indycar guys!!!

This ends my rant, of which I'm sure I'll get blasted for....oh well.

**martyrothrules** · 02-11-2012 10:15 PM

h

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:20 PM

whatever

**jcmark611** · 02-11-2012 10:26 PM

14 Americans are racing USF2000 in Sebring this weekend. What more do you want?

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by jcmark611

14 Americans are racing USF2000 in Sebring this weekend. What more do you want?

Thats a good start. However, what I want is more long term commitments to American talent. For instance, there is no reason a guy like Kyle Larson shouldn't be in Indycars (he comes from USAC and I want to see USAC drivers get a fair shot). Also, to show that I'm not saying USAC only talent needs to go to Indycars........there is no reason a guy like Joey Hand shouldn't be in Indycar as well. Both of those are drivers are much more talented than most of the Indycar drivers we have today.

**FlatOut** · 02-11-2012 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by jcmark611

14 Americans are racing USF2000 in Sebring this weekend. What more do you want?

What the hell does Kyle Larson and his depth of talent have a single thing to do with USF2000 league?

**Turn13** · 02-11-2012 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by rocket5612

Another American (with Gordon and Stewart levels of talent) has fallen through the cracks and gone the way of taxi cabs.

I can't believe we lost him again. That's like three times this year already.

**CorvetteFan** · 02-11-2012 10:36 PM

Well if he is as diverse talent wise lets see him try road racing aswell,he might aswell since if he can't be come a competent at road racing he will never do well in sprintcup or get a top ride in that series anyway either.

**jcmark611** · 02-11-2012 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by rocket5612

Thats a good start. However, what I want is more long term commitments to American talent. For instance, there is no reason a guy like Kyle Larson shouldn't be in Indycars (he comes from USAC and I want to see USAC drivers get a fair shot). Also, to show that I'm not saying USAC only talent needs to go to Indycars........there is no reason a guy like Joey Hand shouldn't be in Indycar as well. Both of those are drivers are much more talented than most of the Indycar drivers we have today.

There's a huge reason, they don't want to be here. Just because a driver starts out in USAC doesn't mean they dream of driving in IndyCar.

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by CorvetteFan

Well if he is as diverse talent wise lets see him try road racing aswell,he might aswell since if he can't be come a competent at road racing he will never do well in sprintcup or get a top ride in that series anyway either.

How many PAYING teams contacted him to put them through their development program? He was HIRED to drive in the K&N Pro Series this season due to his talent and will be brought up through the ranks and into the top levels of stock car racing in a matter of three years. Have any Indycar teams contacted him with a program?

**use2know** · 02-11-2012 10:43 PM

Losing kids....

These might help....:

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by jcmark611

There's a huge reason, they don't want to be here. Just because a driver starts out in USAC doesn't mean they dream of driving in IndyCar.

Larson said although NASCAR would offer a more lucrative career destination, he is interested in open wheel, especially with IndyCar's ladder system offering money to fund an IndyLights ride on ovals for the winner of the previous season's USAC national points title. Larson is in the top three in points in midget and Silver Crown, and 21st in sprint. Former NASCAR prospect Bryan Clauson earned an IndyLights scholarship this season by winning the 2010 USAC national points title.
"It doesn't really matter to me," Larson said of his career path. "NASCAR, I think would be great. I think I'd like to choose NASCAR over IndyCar just because it seems there's more exposure there and it's a more competitive series to run in. So it would just be more fun, I think, than IndyCar. But IndyCar is definitely cool. The cars are really cool. They can seem like they're trying to make their series better. Either one would be fine with me."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz1m8T6SaeE

He says here he would go either way. He does say NASCAR is probably a better way to go due to the exposure, but he doesn't say he would turn Indycar down!!

**martyrothrules** · 02-11-2012 10:49 PM

As an owner why would I hire someone who has no experience in Formula cars?

**rocket5612** · 02-11-2012 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by martyrothrules

As an owner why would I hire someone who has no experience in Formula cars?

Its been proven in years past that having formula car experience is not a necessity to be a successful Indycar driver. Ever heard of Gary Bettenhausen? how bout Johnny Rutherford? how bout Tony Stewart?

Danica Patrick had all the formula car experience in the world and look at how poor her career was in Indycar.

**martyrothrules** · 02-11-2012 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by rocket5612

Its been proven in years past that having formula car experience is not a necessity to be a successful Indycar driver. Ever heard of Gary Bettenhausen? how bout Johnny Rutherford? how bout Tony Stewart?

Danica Patrick had all the formula car experience in the world and look at how poor her career was in Indycar.

Gary Bettenhausen - 4 top tens in 27 Indy 500 attempts
Danica Patrick - 6 top tens in 7 Indy 500 attempts

**FlatOut** · 02-11-2012 11:29 PM

Rocket, quit comparing names to that of the past to Danica. And your comparing beasts of cars in that era, and drivers with balls that adapt. It isn't even the same thing.

**Racing Steward** · 02-12-2012 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by rocket5612

Another American (with Gordon and Stewart levels of talent) has fallen through the cracks and gone the way of taxi cabs. Kyle Larson won in his debut in a Super Late Model in Florida tonight in the Pete Orr Memorial 100. He had never raced that type of race car before.

I'm tired of seeing diverse drivers with this kind of talent go South. STEP UP Indycar owners and help bring this sport back to the level it was when we had names like Foyt, Unser, Rutherford, etc. I'm tired of the sub par talent level.

The Indycar champion was a guy who couldn't hack it in NASCAR (where they race primarily ovals which according to most here are supposed to be so much easier than road courses). Maybe its the other way around? Has anyone ever thought maybe it takes more than just outbreaking a guy to pass on an oval (dirt or pavement) hence the reason guys like Larson, Stewart, Gordon, Kahne, Newman, etc are so talented and can jump into just about any kind of race car and win? Look at how bad the Indycar guys looked in go-karts for crying out loud at the IMIS race at the Conseco fieldhouse or at Eldora during the Prelude in dirt late models. Go-karts are supposed to be THE place to learn the early skill of driving a formula car yet Stewart waxed the Indycar guys!!!

This ends my rant, of which I'm sure I'll get blasted for....oh well.

Asking IndyCar owners to step up? Good luck with that. I agree that Larson should be here, but we got too many lazy ass owners who dont do their jobs and just wait for a pay driver. Major problem. However I must correct you, Tony Stewart & Jeff Gordon (in their primes) are world class talents that I agree could win in anything. Kasey Kahne & Ryan Newman? Really? Two of the more overrated Nascar drivers.

Also yes, Hornish did bad. But many nascar-fanatics cover up truth and facts to justify what they are saying. And its hilarious how they all claim Tony Stewart as a Nascar guy. Its funny, an indyCar driver moves to Nascar and becomes a multiple-champion is all of sudden Nascars own, but one that does bad is always an indyCar guy. Come on now. There has not yet to date been ONE SINGLE Nascar driver who has gone over to indycar and won & been successful. not one. There have been open wheelers go over to nascar and win and be successful. Facts. Back to Hornish (thrown straight into a Cup car when he had NEVER driven a stock car in his life. It takes more time for some to learn. Same with Dario, straight to Cup. Stewart had some good seat time in Nationwide and was able to more easily adjust. Not to mention it was a Gibbs ride. Montoya, Dario, Hornish all got stuck with Ganassi/Penske both at the time mid pack teams at best. Throw Jimmie Johnson & Carl Edwards into a Dreyer & Reinbold IndyCar and see how bad they get whipped. And you know what the Nascar people will say? But they are on a bad team and have never driven IndyCars before. The excuses will fly. Its funny, if someone comes to Nascar and have a bad year, they suck. But if a Nascar driver goes somewhere else and does bad, there's excuses. Nascar drivers that win now in or came up in dirt racing is NO MORE Credible than Indycar guys who came up through Karting. Its the same concept.

Nascar drivers are criticized for being one dimensional and not racing other professional series to build their resumes. People actually consider Kyle Busch winning 15 nationwide races or Ryan Newman winning 10 modified races to count. I bet Dario could win 10 Indy Lights races and I bet Graham Rahal could go win some karting events. Its the same concept. Now lets talk about drivers like Dixon / Dario / Bourdais / Briscoe / Pagenaud / Rahal / Kanaan / Hunter Reay racing in ALMS, Grand Am, V8s (outside series that they have minimal to no experience at and cars they didnt drive coming up and THEY WIN!) Now Nascar drivers who have gone out of their comfort zone: Edwards (0 for 16 in ROC last year. 0 for 16! Couldnt win one) and JJ's yearly butt whippins at Rolex 24. Kyle Busch couldnt make it through one lap in a Grand Am race. Logano destroyed a car last year in Grand Am. Also with exception of the elites, Nascar drivers are terrible on road courses. They put almost no effort into it because its only 2 of 36 races. Besides they mostly use their bumpers to pass and less skill (But thats most nascar races).

Nascars elite talents are right up their with the best. Just like IndyCars are. Just like F1's are. Just like Sports cars are. Nascar-maniacs act like they are superior to all drivers & series and all 43 of theirs are the best. Ridiculous. Plenty of facts to shoot that BS down.

**Hitokiri** · 02-12-2012 12:26 AM

I think many of the Indycar teams are stepping up and are hiring more Americans. I think there's been more Americans hired in the last few years then many years before that combined! The thing is that the junior drivers or drivers like Larson have to pull on their end as well. Motorsports is money and sadly that often means the driver has to bring in a sponsor or at least some money. Indycar isn't what it was even though it is rising it's far from having every team hire a driver based solely on merit. I know it's sad but that's a fact. Even NASCAR is struggling on many levels and many drivers in stock car racing are finding that money does make the world go round.

**CorvetteFan** · 02-12-2012 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by Hitokiri

I think many of the Indycar teams are stepping up and are hiring more Americans. I think there's been more Americans hired in the last few years then many years before that combined! The thing is that the junior drivers or drivers like Larson have to pull on their end as well. Motorsports is money and sadly that often means the driver has to bring in a sponsor or at least some money. Indycar isn't what it was even though it is rising it's far from having every team hire a driver based solely on merit. I know it's sad but that's a fact. Even NASCAR is struggling on many levels and many drivers in stock car racing are finding that money does make the world go round.

And in reality thats no different than the short track racing or junior oval series. I mean if i had the $$$ i would be racing a wissota latemodel or 360 sprint car here in edmonton. Many of the young drivers in this stuff either have family paying for it or go out and gets sponsors to fund the racing.

**Racing Steward** · 02-12-2012 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Hitokiri

I think many of the Indycar teams are stepping up and are hiring more Americans. I think there's been more Americans hired in the last few years then many years before that combined! The thing is that the junior drivers or drivers like Larson have to pull on their end as well. Motorsports is money and sadly that often means the driver has to bring in a sponsor or at least some money. Indycar isn't what it was even though it is rising it's far from having every team hire a driver based solely on merit. I know it's sad but that's a fact. Even NASCAR is struggling on many levels and many drivers in stock car racing are finding that money does make the world go round.

And many young American drivers DO NOT WANT to drive in IndyCar. Nascar is where the money is. Thats a fact. Larson has said that he would like to run Indy, but wants Nascar long term. Drivers make a better living in nascar than in IndyCar. Not to mention its also much safer and more popular. Contrary to popular belief, most drivers go to Nascar because thats where the money is, not because they want to race the best in the world like the puppets Kyle Petty & Darrell Waltrip suggest. We should be happy with the talented Americans that we do have (Rahal / Hildebrand / Hunter Reay / Andretti / Newgarden / Carpenter).

**jcmark611** · 02-12-2012 12:54 AM

I blame Tim Richmond.

**vintage** · 02-12-2012 12:59 AM

For the billionth tim, no one is preventing him from going towards Indycar. How many more threads do we need about him?

h+1,000

**Todd Gack** · 02-12-2012 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by Hitokiri

1. I think many of the Indycar teams are stepping up and are hiring more Americans.

2. Even NASCAR is struggling on many levels and many drivers in stock car racing are finding that money does make the world go round.

1. Yes, we are almost to double digits this year...which is no more then we've had in each of the past few years. The only team that has "stepped up" and actually HIRED a American driver is Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing.

And if you can find one in Indy Lights right now, it would shock me.

2. How is Cup "struggling" with this? And which drivers in Cup full-time and in the Daytona 500 in a few weeks are only there because they are buying their ride? Go down the lineup and show us their versions of EJ Viso and James Jakes. And show us all the talented, proven Cup drivers on the sidelines for Daytona, who couldn't find a ride. Guess what? There aren't any. Once Cassill (who is a nice young prospect who has shown pretty well in bottom-feeder rides) and Vickers (who at least has run up front at times in his career) are officially named to rides this week, everything will be set.

Yes, in Nationwide and Trucks you have some ridebuyers. But those are the feeder series to Cup. Once you get into the big boy league...very few have to bring a dime to race. You get a ride and either keep it or lose it on merit the vast majority of the time. No matter whether you are driving for the best team or the team running 35th each week.

**Todd Gack** · 02-12-2012 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by rocket5612

Kyle Larson won in his debut in a Super Late Model in Florida tonight in the Pete Orr Memorial 100. He had never raced that type of race car before.

Talent usually wins out.

Why would anyone be surprised that this kid won so early on in a sedan car? It won't be the last race he wins in that type of car. Not even close.

Maybe we can get Shannon Macintosh instead from the AOW ranks. That's a pretty even trade.

**Aeron** · 02-12-2012 02:14 AM

He's always maintained that his first priority is getting to NASCAR. So how did we lose him?

**Todd Gack** · 02-12-2012 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Aeron

So how did we lose him?

We didn't even compete.

Of course any American kid with any talent at all, is going to have NASCAR as their first priority. They'd be stupid not to.

But at some point, we gotta at least try and compete again for a few of these kids. If just for perceptions sake.

**grogg** · 02-12-2012 05:42 AM

We'll pay you to race versus bring lots and lots of money to race. I wonder why Larson chose the former?

**grogg** · 02-12-2012 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

Talent usually wins out.

Why would anyone be surprised that this kid won so early on in a sedan car? It won't be the last race he wins in that type of car. Not even close.

Maybe we can get Shannon Macintosh instead from the AOW ranks. That's a pretty even trade.

Taylor Ferns won a USAC Regional title going away last year. She is not even going to wait around to see what direction her career will go. She signed on to race in the Jegs/CRA tour and is headed in the direction of NASCAR.

**Turn13** · 02-12-2012 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

We didn't even compete.

How would you do that with one-tenth the ratings and attendance?

Originally Posted by grogg

We'll pay you to race versus bring lots and lots of money to race. I wonder why Larson chose the former?

You'd have to compete with something other than a lifetime of financial security for him and his family. It would require for him to be interested in something intrinsically found in IndyCar and unavailable in NASCAR.