A year ago, we didn’t know if there was going to be a Champ Car World Series, as IRL founder Tony George battled
Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe in court for the ownership of the series. Kalkhoven and Forsythe won out, and the
series stuggled through a tough 2004 season, with some odd rules such as mandatory pit-stop windows with forced tire
changes, designed to improve the racing. In reality, it limited the strategic creativity teams could employ to try
winning races, as everyone was on more or less the same strategy. It turned many people off (myself included), so
thankfully for 2005, some of those odd rules have been repealed, and Champ Car appears set to go racing again.
The 2005 season is looking more secure as Kalkhoven and Forsythe purchased Cosworth Racing, which should ensure the
series a supply of engines for years to come, crowd favorite and former Champ Car champion Cristiano daMatta returns to
the series after a couple disappointing years in F1, while former and budding F1 drivers again seem to be looking at
the series as an option/stepping-stone to F1. All this is good news for the sport who has been revaged by big name
teams like Penske Racing, Target-Ganassi Racing, and Patrick Racing all taking their business to the IRL.