A very bitter Carl Hogan
Karl
has put his heart, soul and much of his life savings into his CART
team. Sunday's Marlboro 500 will be the final race for the team
owner, who simply no longer can afford to fund the team out of his own
pocket.
Helio Castro-Neves will start 20th for Hogan on Sunday. After that,
the team will load up its equipment and the crew members will search
for another job.
"I don't look at this as bittersweet, it's just bitter, forget the
sweet," said Hogan, whose anger is directed at the way he has been
treated by potential sponsors who bailed out and CART itself.
"I've had companies not come forward on their promises. Brazilian
companies, naturally."
Ever since he was cast aside as co-owner of Rahal/Hogan Racing in
1995, Hogan has spent close to $9 million a year of his own money to
run his own team. But when sponsorship never came through, it became
increasingly difficult for the St. Louis trucking magnate to keep the
team alive.
"It's been very tough, very, very tough," Hogan said. "It took me four
years to spend my own money on this team and it took me 45 years to
make it. I'm very discouraged. I hate to tell you that, but how else
should I feel?"
Hogan still holds Castro-Neves' contract, so he intends to be involved
in racing in some capacity next year. But as the business structure
of CART continues a downward turn, team owners such as Hogan, Tony
Bettenhausen and Dan Gurney may not be in the series because of lack
of financing.
Honda has stepped up to help keep alive Derrick Walker's team, which
loses Valvoline as the sponsor after Sunday's race. Tire giant
Goodyear announced it was leaving CART and the IRL after this season
and Omega, the timing and scoring system for CART, also is departing
the series. Earlier this year, Budweiser announced it would not be
back in CART.
Fellow team owner Gerry Forsythe met with Hogan this afternoon to
offer help and support, but without millions of dollars, Hogan cannot
keep the operation on the track.
"Gerry said, `I want to do something to help keep your team in this
series.' But no one has come to me and said, `How much have you spent
this year, Carl? Gee, we really feel bad,'" Hogan said. "What they
feel bad about is I'm not sucker enough to stay in this for another
year."
Hogan is a man as big as a bear, but tears rolled down his cheeks
several times as he talked to three reporters in his motorhome. He is
so angry, he is not afraid to yield to his emotions on this subject.
At Vancouver this year, Hogan's team had five Mercedes-Benz engines
blow up in 23 hours. Castro-Neves still finished in the points in that
race, showing the fortitude of the team.
"No one said a word from Mercedes-Benz," Hogan said. "Yesterday, we
didn't want to change the engine but Mercedes said we had to, then we
cooked one this morning. It's not Mercedes' fault, it's Ilmor (which
builds the engines for Mercedes). Why does an engine get worse as the
season goes along?"
Hogan has been to Finland, England and Brazil to try to land team
sponsorship but came up empty. He also is frustrated as to how CART
has manipulated him regarding the stock he owns in the series.
"They kissed Tony George's tail trying to get back together with the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway and he drug them down the Primrose Path
until he was ready to make a statement. Then the stock went from $33
a share down to $19 a share," Hogan said. "What is my investment of
400,000 shares gone down? It just went down $6 million.
"When I signed the lockup clause in my stock for six more months, they
said, `Don't worry, if you need the money, come to us.' I went to them
before Houston and said I needed to sell some stock and they never
gave me an answer."
Hogan simply does not have the cash flow and blank checkbook of other
CART team owners.
"You hate to be bitter, but there are a lot of guys in this business
where $6 million is nothing," he said. "To me, it's my livelihood. I
didn't inherit any money. I've worked all my life to earn this money.
I bought my trucks from my father. Now, look at what I get from these
guys."
Hogan said without new sponsors arriving and long-time sponsors
leaving, more CART teams are on the way out. He also is upset that
George, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hand-picked
CART's negotiating team in the failed reunification talks.
"That's now how you negotiate with someone -- by letting them pick
your negotiators for you," Hogan sneered. "Listen, I've negotiated
with Jimmy Hoffa, I've learned about negotiating. I have a Masters
degree in it. I didn't get it from Harvard, I got it from negotiating
with Hoffa. We didn't give (George) an agenda of what we wanted. It
was, `What do you want, Tony?'
"I'm so upset. It's just been going on and on and on. The problem
with CART is all these owners have a conflict of interest. What we
have on the board is all the guys who own race tracks or sell race
cars. It's mind-boggling. The problem is not many people want to come
to work for CART because everyone has heard about the board and how
difficult it is to work with."
Martin 'Anakin' Schmidt
[snip]
Very very sad news for CART.
I hope they learn their lesson and finally do something to stop the
decline of American Indy-racing. I always enjoy the exciting CART races
in the evening (I'm from Europe) after a boring F1 race and to see CART
dying makes me really sad.
I don't know whether it is all Tony George's fault, but to end the
negotiations was the worst thing he could do.
The only hope left is that the IRL will die sooner than CART, so that
there is only one Indy Racing Series left.
--
Martin 'Anakin' Schmidt
Please reply to Ikar...@gmx.net
Goodbye Damon
JStONGE123
Sounds like CART F#$KED him Big Time with the stock deal.
The Durango 95 purred away real horrorshow. A nice warm vibratey feeling all
through your guttiwuts.
Degrelle44
such as Hogan, Tony Bettenhausen and Dan Gurney may not be in the series
because of lack of financing.<<
CART's "business structure" "continues a downward turn"? When did this start?
Chip Ganassi, Barry Green, Bobby Rahal and most other CART owners seem to be
doing just fine. Even Penske, who has had a miserable 4 years, is planning a
major resurgence next season...
Could the truth be that owners like Hogan, Bettenhausen, and Gurney are
struggling because they haven't produced any victories?
--------
Remove "ZAP" from address when replying
robswindells
Orange to me...
> The Durango 95 purred away real horrorshow. A nice warm vibratey feeling all
> through your guttiwuts.
--
Rob Swindells
2ND equal in Goldline Bearings FFord Championship (29 Points);
ONE point behind Championship Leader (as of round 5 of 6)
"If you're a great driver, you will get through. It's not harder than any time
before." ~Martin Brundle
"Winning, that you can't know, 'fighting' ...that I know..." ~Jacques Villeneuve
pre'96
Thomas Krill
? don't count on it. Big money and expensive toys with drivers nobody ever
heard of is not TG's fault. I'm beginning to realize that now. I am no fan
of what happened to Indy but I also am not real interested in who wins
today or who wins the championship. Who cares? Then couple that with the
pop off valves and hanford device and shit, Kevin Coooooogan could probably
be a contender. I understand that Honda's and Toyota's are excellent
automobiles. Honda and Toyota Dealerships employ at least 100 people with
service/ body shops/parts and they are built in the USA but I'd rather
drive my gun metal gray, 1990 Pontiac 6000 than lay down $20K for a new
Honda or Toyota.
--
Thank you for your cooperation,
Thomas
"I got nothin' to say, 'specially about whatever was." - bob dylan
Thomas Krill
> >>But as the business structure of CART continues a downward turn, team owners
> such as Hogan, Tony Bettenhausen and Dan Gurney may not be in the series
> because of lack of financing.<<
>
> CART's "business structure" "continues a downward turn"? When did this start?
> Chip Ganassi, Barry Green, Bobby Rahal and most other CART owners seem to be
> doing just fine. Even Penske, who has had a miserable 4 years, is planning a
> major resurgence next season...
>
> Could the truth be that owners like Hogan, Bettenhausen, and Gurney are
> struggling because they haven't produced any victories?
> --------
> Remove "ZAP" from address when replying
see: capitalism (kapitalizm)
steve
a short lived mid 80's new wave band.
robswindells wrote in message <381C7FAB...@netscapeonline.co.uk>...
Degrelle44
heard of is not TG's fault<<
Oh, and Mr. George has a field full of drivers that everyone HAS heard of?...
And there is no big money in the IRL? What about Mr. Menard, whose wealth
dwarfs that of every CART owner? You don't think the fact that he was won the
IRL championship 2 of the last 3 years has anything to do with his
near-unlimited budget? Hell, with his money, he could probably field a
competitive F1 team if he so chose.
Stuart
Carey Akin
Carey in Pearland
Tifoso Uno
>> The Durango 95 purred away real horrorshow. A nice warm vibratey feeling all
>> through your guttiwuts.
>I can't be sure - it ages since I read it - but that sounds like Clockwork
>Orange to me...
Sure is, although I'd challenge "horrorshow"...
Mark
http://www.pipeline.com/~opus/
"Penguin lust is NOT "immoral and wicked". And anybody who thinks so is just
an old prude... It's beautiful! And natural! And I for one fully support
penguin lust!"
MavrickJoe
Wake Up!
JStONGE123
upside the gulliver.
Ookadeet, me Droogies.
JStONGE123
>From: fer...@pipeline.com (Tifoso Uno)
>Sure is, although I'd challenge "horrorshow"...
>
Don Leslie
relevant if you don't mind.
Newton
> I would love some proof that Menard's wealth dwarfs Roger Penske's. Something
> relevant if you don't mind.
Don,
If you take a look at the Forbes 400 you'll probably be surprised. I did a search at
http://www.forbes.com/tool/toolbox/rich400/index.htm
and found that Penske does not show up in the richest 400 people in the United States.
However, a similar search of the Menard name brought forth the following page and information:
http://www.forbes.com/tool/toolbox/rich400/asp/tearsheet.asp?year=1999&value2=7673
Rank 159
Menard, John R. Jr.
Inheritance: Self-made
Source: Home-improvement centers
Net worth: $1,500 (mil)
Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Age: 59
Marital: divorced, 6 children, 2 divorces
Education: BA/BS
Undergraduate: Univ. of Wisconsin
Did it himself in the do-it-yourself business. Eldest of 8 children of
teachers-turned-dairy-farmers, built barns to help pay college tuition. Opened first home
improvement store 1972. Menard`s today 139 stores, $4 billion sales. Holding own against Home Depot:
business up 14%. Tightfisted reputation, but big backer of Indy 500 cars.
And yes, that is $1,500,000,000.00. 1 and ½ Billion dollars!
Newton
--
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(@@)
ooO_(_ )_Ooo________________________________
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Tom Canada
during the mid '80 grand prixs. and a good brother of the sport. Not bad
for a yank!
Fredrik B. Knutsen
Tom Canada wrote:
Surely you are thinking Carl Haas and the Beatrice-backed effort?
Doc
--
Doc Fredrik B.Knutsen
Cheek Racing Cars
http://www.cheekracing.com
ShirelleP
definately become a silent partner in a Cart team..*g*
anyone else??
Shirelle
pa...@intcomm.net
>
>I would love some proof that Menard's wealth dwarfs Roger Penske's. Something
>relevant if you don't mind.
Just check out "Forbes" magazine's annual "500 Wealthest Individuals
in Business", (or whatever they call the article, I can't recall
exactly right now ...) ...
Its there in black and white, every year ...
Or just ask Roger ... He'll tell you.
Allan
Tom Westdorp
or goto: http://www.forbes.com/tool/toolbox/ricj400/asp/rich.asp
look for the 1999 tab
where a search for Penske finds **no listing** and a search for Menard
returns:
___________________________________________________
Rank 159
Menard, John R. Jr.
Inheritance: Self-made
Source: Home-improvement centers
Net worth: $1,500 (mil)
Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Age: 59
Marital: divorced, 6 children, 2 divorces
Education: BA/BS
Undergraduate: Univ. of Wisconsin
Did it himself in the do-it-yourself business. Eldest of 8 children of
teachers-turned-dairy-farmers, built barns to help pay college tuition.
Opened first home improvement store 1972. Menard`s today 139 stores, $4
billion sales. Holding own against Home Depot: business up 14%. Tightfisted
reputation, but big backer of Indy 500 cars.
______________________________________________________________
That's $1.5B for Menard and no listing for Roger Penske. For the sake of
perspective #400 on the list is MacMillan, Cargill Jr with a worth of $560
million at age 71 in Wayzata with a source listed as inheritance from
Cargill, Inc.
So if Penske was #401, and there is NO evidence he is and he didn't make the
near miss list either, Menard would have nearly three times what RP has.
The key to RP is what he _controls_. He has/had a controlling operating
interest in a number of companies that he's turned around to varying degrees.
He also sits on the boards of several major corporations.
Perhaps RP would have a heck of a lot more money, had he not been involved as
deeply in racing?
Russell Jaslow
: That's $1.5B for Menard and no listing for Roger Penske.
So why is Penske always the evil rich empire and Menard is the hero of the
"middle classed" IRL?
:-)
Rus'L
---
NOTE -- Remove ekfido.
---
Russell Jaslow | http://www.DeepThrottle.com/ |My employer
jas...@eznet.net | |has nothing
Spec Racer Ford #33| http://www.DeepThrottle.com/Fun/ |to do with
Finger Lakes Region| http://www.DeepThrottle.com/History/ |my drivel.
Russell Jaslow
: I dunn'o....... maybe it's because John Menard seems to get caught
: when he cheats <grin>.
Good one!
: Actually, you're the first person who I've seen identify him as a
: "hero" of the IRL.
Well, maybe "hero" was the wrong word choice.
Leah Pagan Olivarri
in these discussions his name does not seem to come up.
Newton wrote in message <3823BCB8...@earthlink.net>...
Tom Hiett
> >Actually there is a CART owner worth more than Menard. Funny how
> >in these discussions his name does not seem to come up.
> >
>
> Forsythe? Ganassi?
Bruce McCaw!
Back to the original question....
Back to the original question- Does Carl Hogan get along with
anyone for very long?
Seems like no matter how well his team does they always have
sponsorship problems and drivers usually don't stay long.
Tom
--
Tom Hiett
Graphic Designer, Iowa State University
Check out my vintage race pics at:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~thiett
Opinionated but never inundated
>in these discussions his name does not seem to come up.
>
Forsythe? Ganassi?
Calvin
=============
Greg Moore, 1975-1999 - we miss you.
Degrelle44
long?
Seems like no matter how well his team does they always have sponsorship
problems and drivers usually don't stay long.<<
Good point. It's strange that even though he calls himself a great negotiator,
Hogan was the only CART owner to never be able to negotiate a sponsor.
drei...@vms1.gmu.edu
> calv...@aol.com (Opinionated but never inundated) wrote:
>
>> >in these discussions his name does not seem to come up.
>> >
>>
>> Forsythe? Ganassi?
>
>
> Back to the original question....
>
> anyone for very long?
>
> Seems like no matter how well his team does they always have
> sponsorship problems and drivers usually don't stay long.
C'mon Tom, you read this ng, Hogan is a great sportsman who didn't want
a sponsor.