INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AFP) - Indy Racing League chairman Tony George will fly to Japan on Saturday for talks that could set the stage for a reunification with Champ-car, whose officials say talks are at a standstill.
George will talk with officials at Twin Ring Motegi about moving their Indy-car race from April 20 to allow the Long Beach Champ-car Grand Prix to be staged that weekend as scheduled as part of a Indy-Champ series merger.
The Indianapolis Star reported that Indy-car officials are speaking with several of their tracks about juggling the schedule to accommodate a handful of Champ-car events in a combined schedule.
But a sticking point for Long Beach, set to open the Champ-car campaign on April 20, is that a contract with the California city to stage the race on its streets - where it has been raced since 1984 - is only for that weekend.
Owners of Kansas Speedway, where the IRL is set to race on April 27, refused to switch their date to allow Japan to take that date, the Star reported.
Unless Motegi moves, the entire deal could be scuttled and the divide which led George to split off the IRL in 1996 would likely continue. Even George has refused to become too hopeful over the merger after past near misses.
"It seems that every time we've been close, some new obstacle seems to get in the way," George told the Star.
Sports Illusatrated reported on its website that Champ-car races in Australia, Long Beach and Edmonton, Canada, would be among those included in a unified series of primarily Indy-car events.
Kevin Kalkhoven, Champ Car's co-owner, said there has been no merger deal and media reports on a possible deal have hurt talks so much that his series plans to continue its season as planned.
"Unfortunately, leaks and media reports about a possible unification of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League have significantly hampered discussions," he said in a statement.
"Over the past three years, we have fielded and offered several proposals regarding unification but we have been unable to reach an acceptable solution.
"Discussions currently are at a standstill, and we therefore are proceeding with plans to continue as Champ Car."
Champ-car has announced a 14-race series of road-course events from April to November with six US races and events in Belgium and Spain in June, three Canadian races in June and July, a Dutch race in September, Australian event in October and Mexico City finale in November.
The Japan race is the only Indy-car event not on a US course. The 16-race IRL season, mostly on ovals, includes the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25. It is set to open March 29 at Miami and conclude September 7 at Chicago.
George had earlier offered Champ-car teams 1.2 million dollars for cars to race in the IRL in 2008 and 2009 but found no takers and withdrew the offer. IRL teams receive the same incentive to help buy Honda engines and Dallara cars.
In 12 seasons since the split, each series has lost sponsors, attendance and television ratings. Even the classic Indy 500 has struggled in the wake of the Champ-Indy mess.
The coming season is crucial for each series as both are without their 2007 champions. Scotsman Dario Franchitti left Indy-car for US stock car racing and four-time Champ-car champion Sebastien Bourdais of France races in Formula One.
