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June 6, 2008
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TMS President Gossage Says IndyCar Series Should Stick To Ovals

Gossage Cautions IRL About Straying
Too Far From Oval Track Roots
Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) President Eddie Gossage said that the series should "stick to the oval tracks if you want to make the merger work," according to Terry Blount of ESPN.com. Gossage added that he was concerned the IndyCar Series "will add too many road and street courses that were part of the Champ Car schedule" as part of the series' unification. Gossage: "IndyCar officials have to understand that it will take 80[%] ovals to truly succeed. Otherwise, this is nothing more than a niche sport. If they're comfortable with that, fine, but I don't think they are. The Indy 500 and high-speed ovals like TMS are why the IRL won this war." Gossage "feels the IRL is making too many accommodations to Champ Car." Gossage: "Along with all the good this merger brings, the IRL also had to absorb some bad from Champ Car. They had to take on some baggage with the transition. But the American public has made it very clear they will not accept European-style road racing. ... I'm telling you that would be a big mistake." IRL Commercial Division President Terry Angstadt said that the league "has no plans to cut back on its ovals." Angstadt: "We will continue to have a large percentage of our races on ovals. However, I do think as evident by its worldwide popularity, it's good to show a bit of diversity with road and street racing." The '08 IndyCar schedule has 11 oval races and seven road/street courses (ESPN.com, 6/5).

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