2005 Cooper Tires Series

[Franklin Futrelle]

The 2005 season for the Formula Ford Zetec series seems to be shaping up with quite a few of the new van diemens being purchased. Does anyone know what is in store for 2005, from what I have heard it should be even better than 04.

[FCYTravis]

The 2005 schedule is due to be released sometime this month, and from what I've heard (Warning: speculation ahead) will contain around seven double race weekends.

Cooper Tire will be offering a total of $50,000 in contingency prizes throughout the season, and there will also most likely be limited TV coverage. Exactly what the coverage will be is unknown, but there will be some TV this year.

[Matt M.]

I think the schedule went up in the air when the IRL took over the ST Pete race... From What I've heard its a copy of this years - but without the west coast swing. The chassis freeze has been extended until '07..... I've only heard rumors about the TV package - its the same deal they have been talking about for 2 years. The first race is for sure going to support the 12hr at Sebring..... I've heard.....

Al! Spill the beans!! Are you still working with the series this year?? What do you know!
It looks like the Yanks won't make it past the twins - so we can't really wager on a Sox/Yanks outcome....... I was hoping to get a couple cases of beer out of you and John Andersen!!

[Thomas Copeland]

What chassis freeze? I heard that they've already sold 15 of the new '05 chassis. Supposely with at least 20 new design features (I wonder how many can be retroactively fitted?). This is one reason I didn't buy a used Zetec this year (I can only afford the hand-me-downs so I have to wait another year for the new stuff).

No West Coast swing? Maybe that's changed from what I heard at the Infineion event in July. What I heard there was that there would be a support race during the IRL Infineion weekend with TV.

I just hope they keep the ACC another year.

[FCYTravis]

Originally posted by Matt M.:
I've only heard rumors about the TV package - its the same deal they have been talking about for 2 years.

It was announced at the banquet that at the very least, there will be highlight packages shown on "Track and Trail with Wally Dallenbach," a TV show that Cooper Tires sponsors on The Outdoor Channel. OK, so it's not a half-hour race program like Star Mazda gets on SPEED TV, but it's better than nothing, which is what the series has now.

[Matt M.]

The original chassis freeze was up next year. The talk was to go to a carbon tub etc.... What I was told - was the freeze was extended until '07 to give the series some stability for a couple of years. I don't think the new car will have big advantage changes. Plus - with what Panoz has done to Van Diemen and everybody leaving...You probably wont see any major changes to the car until '07 - if they last that long.

[D.T. Benner]

So what has Panos done to VanDiemen? I know that Ralph "Retired"? What else do you know that we don't[or should?]

[ccambern]

Anyone here actually order one of the new cars? Are there any other manufacturers (ICP...) getting into the game?

-Clark