My recent tirade regarding CART's decision to proceed with the Rockingham 500 in England with only a practice session hours before the scheduled race start opened a floodgate of protests from the CART faithful.

In short order, I was accused of most every conceivable crime under the sun. Many of the e-mails I received were what internet aficionados call "flames." But, there were some solid points taken by a few and I thank them for their interest -- and their opposing view.

Let me start out by saying the Rockingham event was a real stunner. It was as exciting as it gets and disproved my fears. As one of my critics pointed out, CART's drivers performed admirably.

To those that accused me of being an apologist for the Indy Racing League, please allow me to set the record straight. I am not an apologist for any series. I, like each of you, merely have opinions.

I have no beef with CART, NASCAR, IRL, NHRA, World of Outlaws, Formula One, IHRA, ASA or any of the other series. I try to be as even-handed as I can, but realize my opinions are shaded by my experiences and preferences.

Throughout the open-wheel struggle, I have tried to enjoy both series for what they are. I have enjoyed the differences and, while I work exclusively with the IRL and therefore have a more intimate association with them (as well as a lifelong preference for ovals), I can understand why some think I am biased towards that circuit.

I have said often CART drivers face the most challenging road to a championship. Their series requires excellence on an assortment of disciplines. There was a time an expert in ovals or road courses could amass enough points to squeeze a title onto their resume. Those days are long gone.

For a long time though, fans of open-wheel racing have been pushed to the edge of sanity by zealots that demand followers declare and allegiance for either CART or the IRL. It is a minority that want to continue a battle that has long since ended. I watch with great interest CART's driving exploits and marvel at what guys like Gil de Ferran, Kenny Brack, Michael Andretti, Paul Tracy, Dario Franchitti and others do on a regular basis.

You cannot ignore the fact CART has produced 11 different winners this season. Nor can you dismiss one of the tightest points battles in history.

Equally important to me is the fact the IRL has ventured out and developed into an equally excellent series. Sam Hornish Jr.'s exploits and Buddy Lazier's chase to defend his title were exciting to watch.

I didn't think CART was wrong for running in Germany. In fact, I tried to explain the predicament all sports faced in the wake of America's tragedies. Some were slow to react, but the bottom line was the right call eventually was made.

What irked me over Rockingham was the perceived "show must go on at all costs" attitude the CART public relations machine peddled. It was not consistent with their previous actions and, in short, scared me.

You see, CART, whether you like it or not, is pre-occupied with keeping its stock price high. Much the way, I believe NASCAR spends too little time researching safety issues and an inordinate amount of time licensing official products.

The IRL is not without its own issues. Empty side-pods on many of its cars needs serious attention. Too much emphasis is put upon the Indianapolis 500. Bonus programs need to be implemented so marginal teams who fail to qualify at Indy (and there will be more as more CART teams elect to return to the Brickyard) don't cease operating every June.

I have always believed drivers are a precious commodity. They are the stars and, like any rational fan, I love to debate who's the best. But those who denigrate the IRL drivers and deify CART pilots are not worth my time.

I enjoy people who hold differing opinions from mine. I find it hard to respond to ones who use anonymous addresses and simply spend paragraph after paragraph vilifying me for sharing my opinions. Unlike them, I claim not to be right and them wrong. Instead, I write what I think, try to give some reasoning for my position and wait for the mailbox to fill up.