Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway and a member of the Indy Racing League's ICONIC Advisory Committee that voted for the new IndyCar chassis plan that was announced earlier today, made clear that in his view the new rules have set the stage for a new era of IndyCar racing – and issued a challenge for all involved to climb fully on board or move on.
"Anyone who does not get on board and help row this boat in one direction clearly has another agenda," Gossage said. "While I know we won't agree on everything that comes up down the road, I do know that anybody that loves IndyCar racing needs to work together from this day forward. The series may be hesitant to say it, but the day is here for everybody that loves IndyCar racing to link arms and help each other out. Anybody who doesn't want to do that needs to find something else to do with their time.”
Gossage added that the significant cost reductions in the new rules are a decisive step.
“Cutting the cost of the chassis by 40 percent is a game-changer for the sport," he declared. "After spending countless hours working with the ICONIC Committee, it became very clear that only one chassis supplier could be chosen because of the economics. For the fans, we've ensured that team owners currently in the sport can continue to participate, and we can entice new teams to join affordably. When is the last time you ever heard of the cost of a high-tech racecar – the fastest in the world – dropping?”
Gossage, who was instrumental in inviting input from fans into the decision process, added that their consensus view won the day.
“The fans were a major influence in this decision. They made it clear that they wanted to see some variety in the cars, and the ICONIC committee constantly factored that desire into the consideration," Gossage said. "In a perfect world, we would have recommended multiple chassis providers, but the research-and-development costs alone would have caused the price of the cars to inflate astronomically instead of reducing them. That would have been bad for the health of IndyCar racing. The committee and the IndyCar Series technical staff have developed the concept of ‘clothes,' which can be changed to allow different looks for the car. It's a smart, affordable way to offer variety while providing a known, proven, safe racecar that will provide wheel-to-wheel racing action at more than 200 miles per hour. We think it's a great compromise to provide the fans with what they demand and ensure the long-term vitality of IndyCar racing.”
Gossage indicated his satisfaction in the way that the ICONIC Committee effectively dealt with the disparate issues facing it.
“It was an honor to serve with retired Air Force General (William) Looney (committee mediator) and the other six members of the ICONIC Committee. It was an interesting process to see how this diverse group – some of whom I had never met before – mesh and work easily to reach this recommendation. We spent so much time together that I have made some rewarding, lifelong friendships with people that I can trust for advice and wise counsel. I commend Randy Bernard and the IndyCar Series technical staff for this process because it ensures buy-in from everyone within the industry."