The more things change, the more they stay the same for our favorite Quebec drivers, who are looking for a ride that's up to their talent.
In the good old days of the Players racing program, a young talented driver only had to showcase his driving talents as well as an ounce of marketability to find a place behind the wheel of a race car.
Many of our own drivers have benefited from the generosity of this super sponsor, including Jacques Villeneuve, Patrick Carpentier, Bertrand Godin, Alexandre Tagliani and Claude Bourbonnais, not to mention Paul Tracy, David Empringham and several others.
Unfortunately, times have changed. The new Canadian laws forbid cigarette manufacturers to display their logos and names on the drivers' cars and suits.
As a result, the Players racing program was cancelled and the financial support for young drivers went up in smoke. New sponsors have to be found each year and, most of the time, that's not an easy task.
Andrew Ranger, for instance, managed to race in the Champ Car series last year thanks to the financial support of Procter & Gamble (Tide).
However, he is still not guaranteed a spot for the 2007 season. His manager, Alan Labrosse, keeps searching for the all-important sponsors that will provide enough money to ''buy'' a car in Champ Car or in another series.
A sad fate for such a talented and promising driver!
Even seasoned drivers like Patrick Carpentier and Alexandre Tagliani are not sure where they'll be driving next summer. In the case of Carpentier, all signs point to him finding a spot in the Rolex Sport Car Series (U.S).
Will he be paid or will he have to pay? That's a good question. The answer is still unknown. We'll have to wait and see..
As for Tag, he could return to Paul Gentolizzi and his Rocketsport team, even though Mr. Gentolizzi offhandedly fired him in 2005.
The following year, Tag had no other choice than to find the required money to keep competing in Champ Car. He found a spot with a small Australian team.
His 2006 season won't be remembered for long a time because he almost spent all the races in the middle of the grid or worse.
In the good old days of the Players racing program, a young talented driver only had to showcase his driving talents as well as an ounce of marketability to find a place behind the wheel of a race car.
Many of our own drivers have benefited from the generosity of this super sponsor, including Jacques Villeneuve, Patrick Carpentier, Bertrand Godin, Alexandre Tagliani and Claude Bourbonnais, not to mention Paul Tracy, David Empringham and several others.
Unfortunately, times have changed. The new Canadian laws forbid cigarette manufacturers to display their logos and names on the drivers' cars and suits.
As a result, the Players racing program was cancelled and the financial support for young drivers went up in smoke. New sponsors have to be found each year and, most of the time, that's not an easy task.
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| Is Andrew Ranger already retired from Champ Car? |
Andrew Ranger, for instance, managed to race in the Champ Car series last year thanks to the financial support of Procter & Gamble (Tide).
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| Hopefully, Tide and Proctor&Gamble will keep sponsoring Andrew. |
A sad fate for such a talented and promising driver!
 |
| We will no longer see Patrick Carpentier in IRL. |
Will he be paid or will he have to pay? That's a good question. The answer is still unknown. We'll have to wait and see..
 |
| Tagliani will race for a new team in 2007. |
The following year, Tag had no other choice than to find the required money to keep competing in Champ Car. He found a spot with a small Australian team.
His 2006 season won't be remembered for long a time because he almost spent all the races in the middle of the grid or worse.