Adrian Fernandez on open wheel

[hdolan]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/spee...ingnb1130.html


This was the weekend Champ Cars were supposed to speed through downtown. Lack of sponsorship was cited when the Arizona Grand Prix got canceled in September, but Scottsdale's Adrian Fernandez added a reason.

"Nobody knows about the drivers," said Fernandez, the 2000 Champ Car runner-up. "It's the drivers who make the series."

Only 10 started all 14 events this year. Four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais decided his best bet was to leave the Paul Newman co-owned McDonald's Racing Team for an uncompetitive Formula One ride.

"To make the names you have to keep them," explained Fernandez, who moved his Lowe's Acura team to the American Le Mans Series. "Why don't they (Champ Car executives) understand that? In NASCAR, you make your name straight-away.

"Now, IndyCar is losing their drivers (Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish Jr.) Why? Because there's no money. It's a bad story, but it's true."

No money?

[Turn13]

No ****.

[Turn13]

You know why there's "no money" (which really means, "not enough money")?

It's due to the lack of pop-u-lar-i-ty.

In other news, the sun rose in the east this morning, although in some areas it was not seen due to clouds.

[R22]

You know why there's "no money" (which really means, "not enough money")?

It's due to the lack of pop-u-lar-i-ty.

In other news, the sun rose in the east this morning, although in some areas it was not seen due to clouds.

[Jimmy Hendricks]

The Dance Contest is going to change everything, Adrian.

[hdolan]

The Dance Contest is going to change everything, Adrian.

LOL...

[Spalover]

Adrian seems to think that he himself was once a well known, household type celebrity.

FALSE!

[rrrr]

Adrian seems to think that he himself was once a well known, household type celebrity.

FALSE!

Is this juvenile comment all you have to add?

When Fernandez was at his best he had a huge fan base in Mexico. He is still very popular there.

Fernandez is quite accurate in his observations about reasons for why Champ Car and the IRL operate in relative obscurity.

Considering he owns a competitive race team with a major international sponsor, I'd say he has much more knowledge about the business of racing than the washed up clown you worship.

[Indyknut]

Glad Adrian has finally found his place in racing with sponsorship money to keep his team going. Whining about lack of Money in OW these days, considering he was incapable of parlaying his name in OW racing into a $$ paying deal is rather bad form.

[flatlander_48]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/spee...ingnb1130.html


This was the weekend Champ Cars were supposed to speed through downtown. Lack of sponsorship was cited when the Arizona Grand Prix got canceled in September, but Scottsdale's Adrian Fernandez added a reason.

"Nobody knows about the drivers," said Fernandez, the 2000 Champ Car runner-up. "It's the drivers who make the series."

Same is also true for the IRL. Once you get past the top handful of drivers, you get to the Carpenter's of the world and no one knows them. I was a bit surprised to see Franchitti at the Monterey Historics. I was even more surprised that no one came up to him to talk over a 30 minute period that I saw him. Do you think Danica could have walked around for 30 with NO fan contact?

Only 10 started all 14 events this year. Four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais decided his best bet was to leave the Paul Newman co-owned McDonald's Racing Team for an uncompetitive Formula One ride.

That's irrelevant as Bourdais has been trying to get into F-1 BEFORE he joined Newman-Haas.

[flatlander_48]

You know why there's "no money" (which really means, "not enough money")?

It's due to the lack of pop-u-lar-i-ty.

In other news, the sun rose in the east this morning, although in some areas it was not seen due to clouds.

You mean South East...

[rrrr]

Glad Adrian has finally found his place in racing with sponsorship money to keep his team going. Whining about lack of Money in OW these days, considering he was incapable of parlaying his name in OW racing into a $$ paying deal is rather bad form.

I'd say the popularity of open wheel racing has much more to do with Fernandez racing in the ALMS with a well known sponsor.

Apparently that's the way Lowes sees it.....

[Indyknut]

I'd say the popularity of open wheel racing has much more to do with Fernandez racing in the ALMS with a well known sponsor.

Apparently that's the way Lowes sees it.....

I don't see any point is arguing the lack of ROI in OW these days. There is no argument. The other issue is Fernandez himself and just how good a team owner, at least as far as securing sponsorship dollars, he is. After being on the dole in CART and needing funding to remain in CCWS for 2004, he jumps to the IRL on the Honda feedbag. When that ran out he proceeded to run some ride buyers until the money ran completely out. Not knowing the finances of running in either GA or ALMS, I'm pretty sure it's cheaper than trying to finance a full time effort in either OW series these days.

[indyracefan]

I don't see any point is arguing the lack of ROI in OW these days. There is no argument. The other issue is Fernandez himself and just how good a team owner, at least as far as securing sponsorship dollars, he is. After being on the dole in CART and needing funding to remain in CCWS for 2004, he jumps to the IRL on the Honda feedbag. When that ran out he proceeded to run some ride buyers until the money ran completely out. Not knowing the finances of running in either GA or ALMS, I'm pretty sure it's cheaper than trying to finance a full time effort in either OW series these days.

...exactly.

[SportscarBruce]

Not knowing the finances of running in either GA or ALMS, I'm pretty sure it's cheaper than trying to finance a full time effort in either OW series these days.

I don't know if its cheaper. ALMS has the racing business model open wheel used to have; manufacturers in direct competition funding car and engine r&d. There's also a wide variety of corporate sponsorship involvement. IndyCar is supposed to be cheaper now than it was 4 years ago, racing in CART and PPG Indy Car wasn't cheaper in dollars but more funding opportunities existed. Cheap is relative to cashflow.

[Outlaw]

Adrian seems to think that he himself was once a well known, household type celebrity.

FALSE!

I went to one CART race where Adrian competed. The line to get his autograph was as long or longer than anyone. I was amazed myself. There were quite a few of them who were from Mexico. They had made a trip to Denver just to see him race.

[SportscarBruce]

His story on youtube.
Viva Adrian Fernandez!

[flatlander_48]

Anyone who can come into the IRL cold and take, what, 4 victories of 7 starts, has to have a pretty good grasp of things...

[Jimmy Hendricks]

Anyone who can come into the IRL cold and take, what, 4 victories of 7 starts, has to have a pretty good grasp of things...

He only won 3 IRL races total in his career and didn't win his first one until his 10th start.

He had a Honda. That's why his "grasp" seemed so good.

[Turn13]

Makes one wonder what kind of chronosynclastic infundibulum is present in the universe when the best drivers never get the good rides and the not-so-good drivers all do.

Weird science, huh?

[flatlander_48]

He only won 3 IRL races total in his career and didn't win his first one until his 10th start.

He had a Honda. That's why his "grasp" seemed so good.

Irrelevant, because so did others. He drops into a series, wins 3 races over a 5 race stretch, tied for more wins, finishes 5th in the points with one LESS event than the 4 above with 2 of the 3 wins on tracks that he had not run previously. No, I think that there was more to it than having a Honda engine...

[Jimmy Hendricks]

No, I think that there was more to it than having a Honda engine...

He was a good driver who had good Honda financed equipment and team. That's a good combo.

But, he also had a Honda power advantage, that 1/2 of the field back then, didn't have.

Made Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Scott Sharp look pretty good too. How many races have they won since Honda became the sole engine provider?

[SportscarBruce]

Makes one wonder what kind of chronosynclastic infundibulum is present in the universe when the best drivers never get the good rides and the not-so-good drivers all do.

Weird science, huh?

Tecate was bundled into an ownership change in 2004. As marketing responsibility shifted from InBev to MediaVest Tecate's long running and highly successful open wheel sponsorship immediately fell to the ax. Tecate's sales volume did not justify such a drastic measure, in fact 2005 sales suffered. Removing Tecate from Fernandez didn't make sense to me in light of Fernandez's 2004 season. I've just learned MediaVest at that time was heavily integrated into NASCAR advertising. Something to consider.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/bu...=all&position=

[flatlander_48]

He was a good driver who had good Honda financed equipment and team. That's a good combo.

But, he also had a Honda power advantage, that 1/2 of the field back then, didn't have.

Made Buddy Rice, Danica Patrick and Scott Sharp look pretty good too. How many races have they won since Honda became the sole engine provider?

Yes, but he beat the part of the field that did. He won 3 times. No one else won more. In those 3 wins, he beat the 6 others who won that year. He won 2 races back to back. Something that no one else did that year.

You do realize that in 2004, Rice won 3 times, Danica was NOT in the IRL and Sharp did NOT win that year?

Personally, Fernandez did a great job coming into a series where he had not raced before. On the other hand, I'm not sure why you choose to discount his efforts.

[SportscarBruce]

Yes, but he beat the part of the field that did. He won 3 times. No one else won more. In those 3 wins, he beat the 6 others who won that year. He won 2 races back to back. Something that no one else did that year.

You do realize that in 2004, Rice won 3 times, Danica was NOT in the IRL and Sharp did NOT win that year?

Personally, Fernandez did a great job coming into a series where he had not raced before. On the other hand, I'm not sure why you choose to discount his efforts.

Begins with the letter f

[Jimmy Hendricks]

Personally, Fernandez did a great job coming into a series where he had not raced before. On the other hand, I'm not sure why you choose to discount his efforts.

Did I discount his efforts?

He had a Honda power advantage, that many others did not have. That's why he won races.

End of story.

[WheelerDealer]

Frenandez iss expanding its Indianapolis Shop/Headquarters on Guion Road per Indianapolis Star.

[flatlander_48]

Did I discount his efforts?

He had a Honda power advantage, that many others did not have. That's why he won races.

End of story.

This is the final points standing at the end of 2004 and ALL of the winners. By your logic, you would ALSO need to say that Kanaan, Wheldon, Rice and Franchitti won because they had superior engines.

1 -- Tony Kanaan 3
2 -- Dan Wheldon 3
3 -- Buddy Rice 3
4 -- Helio Castroneves 1
5 -- Adrian Fernandez 3
6 -- Dario Franchitti 2
7 -- Sam Hornish Jr. 1

[Jimmy Hendricks]

This is the final points standing at the end of 2004 and ALL of the winners. By your logic, you would ALSO need to say that Kanaan, Wheldon, Rice and Franchitti won because they had superior engines.

1 -- Tony Kanaan 3
2 -- Dan Wheldon 3
3 -- Buddy Rice 3
4 -- Helio Castroneves 1
5 -- Adrian Fernandez 3
6 -- Dario Franchitti 2
7 -- Sam Hornish Jr. 1

Thanks for making my point for me.

14 of 16 races won by Honda's.

The other 2 won by the biggest team in the sport (Penske), who had their own Toyota's.

[flatlander_48]

Thanks for making my point for me.

14 of 16 races won by Honda's.

The other 2 won by the biggest team in the sport (Penske), who had their own Toyota's.

No way. A guy comes in and takes 3 victories from the leading teams already in the series, WITH THE SAME ENGINE. All that means is that he wasn't at a disadvantage to the big teams. Therefore, Fernandez' victories came due to driving and set up. The horsepower advantage was canceled out, or are you trying to say that Fernandez had an advantage that AGR and Rice didn't have?