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Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, FanHouse Exclusive, IRL

In his first in-depth interview since his June 30, 2009 dismissal as CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his subsequent resignations from the Hulman & Co. board of directors and as CEO of the Indy Racing League he founded, Tony George tells FanHouse how he's spent the past few months and how he is adjusting to his new roles in business, racing and family.

INDIANAPOLIS -- In part two of FanHouse's exclusive interview, Tony George discusses the state of the Indy Racing League and why he's not a big proponent of the new championship format.

He discusses the possibility of working in the family business again, the upcoming Indy 500 and whether his great gamble 16 years ago to form a second major American open-wheel series was all worth it in the end.

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Holly Cain: What is the direction you'd like to see the IRL take in the future to be a successful racing organization? And did you have any input on hiring (new CEO) Randy Bernard?

Tony George: I will answer the second part of the question first. No, I did not. I had already resigned my position effective the end of the year.

I will tell you that Randy came highly recommended by the "Horse Whisperer" Chris Cox, a friend of my sister Josie and my mother. Randy was also known to a fellow rancher in the Wyoming valley Josie lives in. She has said she was looking for a racing outsider and she found one.

 

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Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, FanHouse Exclusive, IRL

In his first in-depth interview since his June 30, 2009 dismissal as CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his subsequent resignations from the Hulman & Co. board of directors and as CEO of the Indy Racing League he founded, Tony George tells FanHouse how he's spent the past few months and how he is adjusting to his new roles in business, racing and family.

INDIANAPOLIS -- When Tony George resigned from the Indy Racing League in January, it came at a time, he says, when "there was still too much to do that I wanted to see through."

The former leader of American open wheel racing tells FanHouse of how difficult it was to give up the leadership of the IRL, the organization that he started. He calls accusations that he brought financial hardship to the IRL "wildly inaccurate," and says he "spent a lot less that it would have taken" to buy a professional sports team.

He talks of his love for IndyCar racing and tells of how he caught a pre-dawn commercial flight to
St. Petersburg, Fla., just after returning from a business trip in China, in an effort to catch the race
there in person.

In this first of two parts, George explains what he thinks is "the best thing that's happened for
Danica" this season and also predicts a 2010 breakout star. And the answers may surprise you.

George officially resigned from the IRL on his 50th birthday, Dec. 30, and when he returns to The
Speedway for the May 30 Indianapolis 500, his only responsibility, for the first time in his life,
will be that of team owner.

Through weeks of phone calls, a sit-down interview at George's Indianapolis-based Vision Racing
team headquarters, and pages of thoughtful written replies to questions, George discusses a wide
range of topics with senior writer Holly Cain.

One of the most significant -- and controversial -- figures in American motorsports during the
past 20 years, George is now eager to set the racing record straight in a lengthy and comprehensive interview that will be presented in two parts Tuesday and Wednesday:

 

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Filed under: IRL

Tony George will be at the Indianapolis 500 this May, but not as the famed Speedway's Chairman and not as the head of the IZOD IndyCar Series he founded.

For the first time in two decades, George's only responsibility will be as race team owner.

George's Vision Racing team announced Thursday that it will field a car for its driver Ed Carpenter, George's stepson, in the Indy 500. The team will partner in the effort with Panther Racing, teaming Carpenter with 2005 Indy winner Dan Wheldon.

"There are close personal and professional relationships within our two organizations that should allow us to put forth a cohesive effort we will all be proud of and have high expectations for achieving results,'' said George, who has been friends with Panther co-owner John Barnes for more than 20 years.

George, who founded the Indy Racing League in 1995 and served as Chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway until June 30, 2009, submitted his formal resignation from all roles in his family's Hulman & Company business, the speedway, the Indy Racing League and IMS Productions in January.

 

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Filed under: IRL

Less than two weeks after resigning from the board of directors from the family-owned Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony George has had to shut down his Vision Racing Indy car team because of a lack of sponsorship.

George held an emotional meeting with the team's staff of about 16 employees Thursday before laying off many of them, the Indianapolis Star reported.

"We're suspending operations, but I don't know fully what that means," driver Ed Carpenter told the Star. "We're still pursing opportunities to resume operations."

George started the team in 2005 as he was building the Indy Racing League, which he founded. He co-owns Vision Racing with his wife, Laura, and actor Patrick Dempsey. Carpenter has been the primary driver and had a career-best finish for himself and the team when he finished second last year at Kentucky Speedway.

The shutdown leaves George's future in big-time racing in doubt, now that the former speedway chief executive officer no longer has any role whatsoever at IMS, which was bought by his late grandfather, Tony Hulman, in 1945 for a reported $750,000.

 

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Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

Tony George has severed his ties with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and resigned his position from the board of directors of all his family's businesses.

George, who founded the Indy Racing League in 1995 and served as Chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway up until June 30, 2009, submitted his formal resignation from all roles in his family's Hulman & Company business, the Speedway, the Indy Racing League and IMS Productions according to a news release from the Speedway on Tuesday.

He will continue to own Vision Racing, which competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series.

"All of us had hoped that Tony would continue to serve on the board and we made that clear to him,'' his mother Mari Hulman George said. "We are disappointed with his decision to step down despite our wishes.

 

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