(SFX) Musak, suddenly cuts out, call rings through ...
Peggy: (Man's voice) Acme Engines, this is Peggy, how may I help you?
IndyCar Team: Peggy? OK, well ... I've been on hold for three months ...
Peggy: So sorry ... croquet game with Chip Ganassi ran long ...
IndyCar Team: OK, well, anyway ... thank goodness I got through when I did ... have $1 million gold certificates right here in my hand, and I would like an engine, please. Any one that works. We don't care about color, brand name.
Peggy: Certainly, we can deliver fine engine for you ... five weeks.
IndyCar Team: But a lot of other teams have engines right now. Some are driving around test tracks one-handed, laughing and joking with each other, giving media interviews with big smiles. They look like a pack of deer out frolicking in a pasture. I can't have one engine until six weeks from now?
Peggy: Am sorry, connection is weak ... we do not sell deer ... engines only.
IndyCar Team: If I bring a suitcase to you right now with $1 million cash -- your choice of currency -- can I get an engine?
Peggy: You bring cash, we deliver engine ... five weeks.
IndyCar Team: But I need it in two weeks, max. If I bring $2 million and an iced kidney ready for transplant can I get an engine then?
Peggy: Is adult kidney? Market for kidneys depressed. $2 million and kidney .. four weeks.
IndyCar Team: If the money was in gold bullion and delivered by a team of strippers, would that help?
Peggy: Sorry ... other line ringing ... Penske needs cup holders ... you call back when you have kidney ..
IndyCar Team: But Peggy ..
(Dial tone)
Thank goodness Rahal couldn't get his Italian GP2 ridebuyer signed in time.
Sarah gets the engine that would have gone to Rahal.
Otherwise, Sarah's team was going to be out of luck until Indy. There was no deal without Rahal's 2nd program falling off.
Indy Car escapes a huge PR nightmare (even if the PR for Indy Car is miniscule to begin with).
Posted by: Jack The Root | February 24, 2012 at 10:18 AM
"Thank goodness Rahal couldn't get his Italian GP2 ridebuyer signed in time."
Sorry Jack, but the fact that call Filippi a "ridebuyer" shows how painfully little you know about the guy.
How can one "buy a ride" when one has no money. Filippi has never had money - that's why he got ditched from his F1 spot.
Best of luck to Sarah and I hope she sorts out her engine woes, but seriously -- before you head into the land of xenophobia, could you at least check the facts?
Posted by: Leigh O'Gorman | February 24, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Apologies for the hijack PDog, but the "ridebuyer" comments (as seen above) have a tendency to be based on facts pulled from that well known source called "thin air".
Posted by: Leigh O'Gorman | February 24, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Indycar Team: Ring...... me again. I want and deserve priority on an engine.
Peggy: OK, no problem. Where did you finish on the Leader Circle program?
Indycar Team. We aren't on it.
Peggy: Why?
Indycar Team: Because we couldn't be bothered to show up at most of the races last season. We're part-timers and don't race road courses, street courses or out of the country unless forced to.
Peggy: I see. Well, we have a limited number of engines so which full time teams with full time drivers would you like us to dump so you can go part-time racing and reduce our exposure around North America?
Indycar Team: I don't know. How about Penske?
Peggy: Listen what else do you bring to the table.
Indycar Team: Well, I'm a pretty girl and that should count for more than anything!!!
Peggy: (click)
Posted by: NewMike | February 24, 2012 at 01:59 PM
Uh, oh. You diss St. Sarah (everyone's kid sister, girl-next-door, and OH/IN icon) on this blog at your own peril, NewMike!
Yes, you raise a point, but what about the new teams, e.g. RLL and Ed Carpenter, who already secured engines? So, the Leader Circle criterion is not as cut and dried as it may seem.
As far as I know SFHR had planned on a full season in 2012. I do agree that it is far better for the series to have all teams being full-timers.
Posted by: bradman | February 24, 2012 at 02:48 PM
Hey Leigh, My Name Is Luca was only coming here if HONDA was going to fund it (along with Luca getting his part of the funding together).
That's a ride-buy, my friend. Save the lame-ass retort for someone else. Your knowledge obviously isn't worth a damn.
Sarah only got an engine, because the Honda ride-buy deal with the 26 year old GP2-for life veteran wasn't ready yet.
Them's the facts, sonny. And stick your xenophobia stuff up your wazoo.
Posted by: Jack The Root | February 24, 2012 at 03:41 PM
Let's let that be enough with GP2 ride buyers. We've all had our shots. This post is not about ride buyers. Move along ...
Posted by: pressdog | February 24, 2012 at 05:51 PM
Hey, guys, the "Peggy" send up is cute and funny, (and sadly, true.) In reality, I suspect Randy Bernard MAY have placed a few phone calls to make it happen and save the series from the embarrassment of having the last race winner NOT be on the grid for St. Pete. Just a guess on my part
Kudos to Bobby Rahal for his part. Don't know how close he was to getting a deal done with a second driver, but much egg-on-face has been avoided at a time when many were looking for a reason to belittle the series.
Did it seem to you that Curt Cavin might have known more about this the other night than he was at liberty to say? He sounded awfully confident that SOMETHING would happen to get SFHR ready for St. Pete.
Posted by: SkipinSC | February 25, 2012 at 05:37 AM