IRL, CART close in on deal to unite

~ The two open-wheel leagues are in ongoing negotiations.

A deal that would unify America's two open-wheel racing series under the IRL umbrella entered the final stages Thursday.

Talks have centered on a proposal in which some teams from the Champ Car World Series would blend into the Indy Racing League. The unification would become one series under the banner of the IRL's IndyCar Series, Champ Car spokesman David Higdon said.

"We're closer than we've ever been," Higdon said. "Many of us remain hopeful that it will be completed today and we will be talking about a unified open wheel series tomorrow."

The IRL and Champ Car issued a joint statement late Thursday night saying the talks were ongoing and would continue today.

"Any confirmation of unification will be made once an agreement is in place," the statement said. "Much progress has been made toward unifying the sport."

IRL spokesman Fred Nation said there are "four issues they will try to hammer out by the end of the night." He did not identify the issues, but one of them -- and perhaps the biggest -- is believed to be a conflict between the IRL's race at Honda-owned Motegi in Japan and Champ Car's most important event, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The race in Japan is scheduled April 19, the day before the Long Beach event.

IRL founder Tony George and former Honda racing executive Robert Clarke flew to Japan last week in an effort to resolve the conflict, but no resolution has been announced.

Before George and Clarke flew to Japan, Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven told The Associated Press that Motegi was a deal breaker.

"As long as Honda won't move Motegi, there won't be a merger," Kalkhoven said Feb. 8. "It's certainly a major hurdle, but not the only one."

Shortly after that, Kalkhoven issued a statement saying Champ Car's 2008 schedule would go on as planned. But despite that statement, talks have continued and progress has been made.

Kalkhoven arrived in Indianapolis on Thursday to meet with George, who is also president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kalkhoven had been in England on family business and is considered a key to the agreement, representing the other Champ Car co-owners, Gerald Forsythe, Dan Pettit and Paul Gentilozzi.

With the opening race of the IRL schedule set for March 29 at Homestead, Fla., there is little time to get the deal done and get the Champ Car teams assimilated into the IndyCar Series.

Officials said, if the agreement is reached, they hope to schedule a test for the new IRL teams at Homestead sometime before the race weekend to help them get acclimated to the new Dallara-Hondas.

Champ cars race with turbocharged Cosworth engines, while the IRL's engines are normally aspirated, giving them a considerably different feel.

Between six and 10 cars are expected to make the move to the IRL, giving the series a lineup of up to 26 cars -- considerably more than have raced in either series in recent years.

The deal is also expected to include the current Champ Car races at Long Beach, Edmonton and Surfers Paradise in Australia, with more of the Champ Car schedule being blended into the IRL in 2009.

A unification would end 12 years of often bitter rivalry which confused fans, promoted apathy and nearly buried the sport. A deal would also allow the IRL a chance to begin rebuilding open-wheel's lost prestige and try to make some inroads into NASCAR's huge popularity.

Numerous tries over the years to merge the series have failed, mostly over the issue of who would retain control. This is the closest the sides have been to an agreement.