Cochrane: IRL must not hold Surfers to ransom.

While I don't like Cochrane, the head of the V8s, due to him controlling the sport in much the same way as Ecclestone does the F1. Cochrane, is absolutely right.

The Gold Coast Indy event, which is massive, attracting 320,000 people over the 4 day weekend, has been the jewel in the Champ car series crown for many years. Despite some pretty poor grids of open wheelers, the V8s have held up their end of the bargain.

It is now time for the unified IRL to hold their end of the bargain.

Otherwise, A1GP who have held 2 events in Australia so far, but do not have a 2009 event, will quite happily take their place as they have publicly announced!

Tony George is prick, thats the problem here. V8's is a big crowd puller as far as I can tell from watching it on TV, and if IRL does not want to expand their audience and take advantage of it, screw them.

I'd just as soon see A1GP as Indycars, as an armchair enthusiast I just want to see good racing, so more power to A1GP if IRL can't be bothered in 2009.

Well said Tony, you're a straight talking bloke who's done a lot for Aussie motorsport over the years and your management of the V8's has seen the series grow into the world's top tin top series.

You'd get a better deal and probably more punters and revenue by doing a deal with A1 Grand Prix, whilst they may not be F1 they're actually a hell of a lot better than anything the Yanks have to offer. IRL is a joke, crap racing and crap crowds, we'd prefer a deal with A1 mate not those dumb ba_tards from Indianapolis!

What a shame. Surfers is an excellent race with an excellent crowd to boot. The IRL will be the losers - not Surfers.

And Fast Eddie. Why don't you guys use your own International Open Wheel Series? Oh that right! You and your outback brothers don't have one! Go sling a boomerang or something and let us Yanks worry about the IRL and it's crowds. FYI - V8 Supercars is not the top tin top series - it's NASCAR by far and away (just ask Aussie Marcos Ambrose). Not to even mention that the cars in V8 are Yanks too. Holden has been own by GM since 1931 and of course Ford - so you wouldn't even have that if not for us Yanks.

Hopefully this is not Tony George going back to his old ways. This arrogant attitude is what started all the trouble in the first place.

Raw Dawg, what colour is your neck...?

No, Australia doesn't have a top-rated open-wheel series. Nor does it need one: there are more than enough to go around as it is. Yes, Nascar is the most popular tin-top series in the world, but what's the population of the US against Oz? Crowds are not fifteen times larger there than Down Under...

As much as I loved the 'old days', Gold Coast Indy is bigger than Indy. Truth be told, I'd rather see sportscars on track. Imagine the Le Mans Series visiting. Race of a Tousand Years again...?

how does it go 'bot calling the kettle black'?
Tony, come negotiation time you hold every australian track to ransom.... Sandown 500 anyone?

Sad but true your comment, Michael. Trouble is, it's worked for Bernie for so long, now every other promoter thinks they can use the same methods...

The Surfers Indy is not good motor sport, its just a big ocker big booze fest, good riddance - it causes months of disruption to local residents during set up and tear down. All the good vantage points are sold as corporate seating, the general public are squeezed and left with limited access to vantage points and unable to follow the racing. SE Qld needs a dedicated race circuit complex other wise it and Australia will end up being deprived of top class international motor sport. V8 super car races are a processional joke, great cars, but in need of 2 or 3 other V8 brands to turn it into real racing like the WTCC is.

i could not agree more..as an american having watched the irl and indy car make a mess of things for years.. you guys should not suffer and cave in...i have been to surfers unfortunatly not for the race..i was hoping to remedy this...a1 gp sounds great...see you in melbourne!!!!!