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Draft:CART–IRL split

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The CART–IRL split refers to the split within the top series of open wheel racing in the United States, known as Indycar over the costs related to compete and the focus on ovals. In 1994, the Indy Racing League (IRL) was founded as an oval-forward IndyCar series to start in 1996 by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George.[1] Before the founding of the IRL, top-tier American open wheel racing was unified under the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) sanctioning body from the 1980s after the CART–USAC split.[2] The split led to a period from 1996–1999 where no CART teams ran at the Indianapolis 500, which was sanction by the IRL, including an attempt at a direct competitor to the Indianapolis 500 in 1996, with the running of the 1996 U.S. 500 in Michigan on the same day as that year's Indianapolis 500.[3] The split continued until 2008, when the Champ Car World Series, the successor to CART from 2004 onward, folded after the 2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach;[4] This left the IRL as the only remaining series, which was renamed to IndyCar.[5]

CART–USAC split

In 1979, there was a split between CART and the United States Auto Club (USAC), resulting in the first major split in American open wheel racing. After dissatisfaction with the way USAC operated, Dan Gurney, along with other racing team owners, founded a competing organization that also ran IndyCars.[2] This split led to acrimony initially, with USAC refusing to allow CART cars to compete in the Indianapolis 500, the most notable race in American open wheel racing, for the 1979 edition of the event.[6] This attempted ban on CART cars did not come to fruition, as a court order required that USAC allow for CART cars to enter, stating that USAC's position was in violation of antitrust laws.[7] In 1980, the two had attempted to reunify under the Championship Racing League, which lasted for five races in the 1980 season, until the CART–USAC agreement fell apart.[8] After this season, CART went on to gain much more prominence, and by 1985 USAC's only sanctioned top level open wheel race was the Indianapolis 500.[9]

References

  1. ^ "INDY RACING LEAGUE TIMELINE". Tampa Bay Times. 31 March 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b Lerner, Preston (8 April 2021). "Remembering the split that nearly sunk Indycar racing". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  3. ^ Blackstock, Elizabeth (23 May 2022). "Indianapolis 500 vs. U.S. 500: The Year American Open-Wheel Racing Split in Two". Jalopnik. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  4. ^ Mayer, Steve (1 August 2008). "IRL-CART Merger". Car and Driver. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  5. ^ Blackstone, Elizabeth (22 May 2023). "This Is Why IndyCar Is Named 'IndyCar'". Jalopnik. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  6. ^ "6 CART Entries for Indy 500 Turned Down". The New York Times. 21 April 1979. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Judge, With Injunction, Reinstates CART for 500". The New York Times. 6 May 1979. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  8. ^ Gates, Bob (26 October 2020). "1980: The Year Of Rutherford - Page 2 of 2". SPEED SPORT. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  9. ^ "1984-85 USAC Gold Crown Championship". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
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