[kahoutek]

Ecclestone precipitated this whole thing with IMS because of one thing...................money and how much he wasn't getting.

He's been pulling this crap with Europe for decades now and getting away with it because of the Europeans' passion for the sport. Fans there are willing to part with hunreds of dollars (euros) for a seat most Americans wouldn't consider for half the price.

He's long considered F1 a European series and any country outside the continent must pay heavily for the 'privilege' of 'hosting' a F1 event.

Bottom line: The US, which had the audacity to form a series (CART) that was about to challenge F1's appeal worldwide, and Tony George, who was dumb enough to believe what Ecclestone was promising, are now right back to where Bernie wants them; battling each other for a piece of open wheel racing in the US and diluting both its income and appeal.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I think Tony George will figure something out- he always does. The Speedway looks great after the changes he made for F1- except for that huge cut out in the infeild- but that was necessary. F1 can not be the only circuit who could use the road track.Of course that takes a lot of money and organizing, but where there is a will there is a way.

He could be the Monteray of the mid-west and mimic the historical races there. He has the space and the tracks for it- and, while Laguna Seca is a fun place, and the historical races is a well organized event- the IMS would bring another level of class to that event.