Full Throttle

Let me start this with The Possibles, in other words I’ll lay out perfectly good examples of not only what’s possible but given the scenario likely. (But don’t quote mr on it)

“One of the directors of the company that organizes the Grand Prix of Cleveland in Ohio, US, has shown an interest in the promotion of a Malta Grand Prix, and would be interested in exploring the possibility of such an event.”

Interesting, if my memory serves the Grand Prix of Cleveland is one that has been tossed into Tony “G’s scrape heap of Champ Car ill repute, or something like that. If memory fails it matters little as you will see later.

So even with the inaccuracies of my memory it’s plausible the brain trust behind the Cleveland operation would show some interest in promoting another event and do so with 26 years of successful history behind them.

Lets trudge on shall we: “Given the upgrade of Malta’s roads in the past four years, it is possible to find the appropriate venue for Malta’s Grand Prix. It is estimated that about $6 million will be needed for such an event, which is not a negligible sum.”

Well great, Malta has improved things, whether it be to the advantage of the local populace or to entice someone to hold a street race there, in the long run the citizens gain.

Malta being a tiny little burg north of Albany, NY’s State capital, the 14,000 or so residents have something to look forward to, although as the article says the “Malta Grand Prix is not expected to happen tomorrow.”

Now that I’ve led you all down this Primrose Path (“Whiles, like a puff’d and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads”) let me burst a couple of bubbles.

There isn’t going to be any Grand Prix of Malta!

And whoever wrote this piece of garbage in the Times of Malta is guilty of frivolous spending of their time. The paper is printed in and the “Grand Prix of Malta” is not the tiny little town near Saratoga Lake in Saratoga County, New York US of A, but in Malta a tiny little speck of an island located in the Mediterranean south of Sicily.

Admittedly this story might, could, have a speck of believability if it were written say in 2006 or mid 2007. Hell as late as mid-January when the CCWS/IRL merger was merely a whisper.

But now, with a dateline of 6th March 2008? Not only no but hell no.

And frankly the publisher and the hack “reporter” that conjured up this sham of a news story, complete with image of Paul Newman and a couple of Grand Prix of Cleveland trophy girls I might add, are out of their ever-lovin’ minds.

Sorry, I ain’t buying what your selling. I’d as just soon buy 52 Ronco Vegamatics (to cover the weekly breakage factor) than give this any credence.

UPDATE: Guess you could call this coffin nailed shut! The Champ Car World Series has filed for bankruptcy in the United States.

Irony ALERT! The filing was made in the same branch of Federal Bankruptcy Court in Indianapolis where only four years ago Judge Frank J. Otte rejected Tony George’s bid for the then CART assets, awarding them instead to a group formed by Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe.