Cheever

Let me be the first one to say it. General Motors is a bold, innovative company that just made a bold, innovative move in the IRL IndyCar Series.

Here's the real story from someone who's actually inside the game, not watching it from afar. When it became apparent that the 2003 Chevrolet engine wasn't going to work, GM Racing explored every option available. One of those options was to rework an existing engine. It was risky only from a publicity standpoint. Every other aspect was positive.

It was a bold response to a serious problem. It also was a bold response by the IRL to let Chevy first test and then introduce the Gen IV Chevy Indy V-8. Sam Hornish Jr. used it at Michigan, and Red Bull Cheever Racing gets it this weekend at Gateway. It's a remarkable improvement for our team, and a remarkable improvement for GM Racing and the Indy Racing League.

General Motors has shown that it has the ability to turn on a dime to be successful, to adapt to changes and situations and find solutions quickly. I guess that is why Panther Racing has remained with them and I know it's why we are with them. GM has done whatever it takes to be successful in the marketplace and in racing. They have to beat their Japanese competitors, and they're making every effort to do so.

In one fell swoop, GM Racing brought new genetic material into its racing program. GM had to have access Formula One technology, and this was the fastest way

So why are we being told it isn't? I have my theories, and none of them are pretty. There is a clique of outspoken media members, some with rather large soap boxes, who are intent on turning positives into negatives. They've done this from the start of the IRL. Now that the series has become successful and CART is in its death throws, their shrill criticism gets louder.

Well, I have a few loud points to make, too:

First, every auto manufacturer in the world has laid an occasional egg; it's how lessons are learned and progress is made. Ferrari in Formula One did it for decades and look at them now. There is no shame in making a mistake. There is only shame in not finding a remedy. Our Japanese competitors have made plenty of mistakes, and they've learned from each one. After decades of triumphs in racing, GM Racing is allowed a rare clunker.

Second, if we're going to poke fun at Chevy for its engine not being "truly" Chevy, then certainly we should pick apart every engine in motorsports for its true origin. All racing engines are composites of various manufacturers and components. The engineers that design them are from a variety of different companies, continents and schools. If our subjective friends in the media are going to call the new Chevy a Ford, then at least acknowledge the fact that the Honda Indy engine is built by a company owned by Mercedes Benz.

Third, the technical minds at GM Racing have made adjustments and refinements of their own to the new engine. It might be young in its life cycle as a Chevrolet, but it has the fingerprints of Chevy. They didn't just put their name on it; they put their work behind it. They will continue to hone and tweak the engine throughout the season. We now have a seed for success that includes engineers, concepts, designers and philosophies. We have to water that seed.

Fourth, it is not uncommon for a sanctioning body to make changes and allowances to keep its manufacturers on an even keel. NASCAR does it almost weekly. General Motors, the IRL's original engine manufacturer, grossly underestimated how much their competitors wanted an Indy 500 win and made a bold request to remain competitive. The IRL made a bold response. Nothing evil or sinister or wrong in that. A sanctioning body simply moved to ensure the strength of its competition. It happens in every racing series on the planet.

That's just racing. In this case, the world's largest engine manufacturer made a dramatic change in one of its racing programs. And if managed correctly it will have a strong, positive ripple effect on all their racing programs. GM Racing quickly addressed and fixed a problem by doing something independent and fresh. Instead, we're being told it was desperate and embarrassing. Don't believe it.

As Red Bull Cheever Racing prepares to run the new Chevy this weekend at Gateway, we're more than proud to tell the truth. The people at GM Racing have worked hard throughout the season to fix what was wrong. When it became evident that it couldn't be fixed, they began to think beyond the boundaries. It was a courageous move, and it should be applauded.

I for one am really looking forward to seeing an American manufacturer start winning races again in the IRL. Get your flags ready, I'm bringing mine.

IRL IndyCar Series owner Eddie Cheever Jr. owns the No. 52 Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara Chevrolet driven by Buddy Rice. He provides a diary to ESPN.com. Cheever's team Web site can be found at www.cheeverindyracing.com.