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Kalkhoven: merger talks still on

Kevin Kalkhoven has confirmed that the potential merger between the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League is still on course, but that he is not putting a deadline on it

The Champ Car series co-owner told autosport.com: "This has been the problem since the news got out that we were in talks with Tony [George, IRL president].

"Everyone has got impatient about when a merger might happen, and I understand that because everyone with a love of open-wheel racing realises that combining forces is the way forward.

"However, it's important for everyone to know that we share that desire and that's precisely why we don't want this to be a rushed job. Our priority is to do it correctly, not to do it as quick as possible.

"The fact is, right from the start, Tony and I never put a timescale on a potential merger for that very reason. All this talk of timescales and deadlines has been pure media speculation, and certainly nothing that either side we have put out there."

Asked of the major issues to overcome, Kalkhoven went on: "There are no sticking points. There is just an enormous amount of work to get through. Both sides bring a lot to the table in a merged series, and we want any potential result to be the best of both."

Autosport.com understands from other sources, however, that any chance of a merger happening in time for the 2007 racing season has all but disappeared, and this appeared to be confirmed as Kalkhoven stated that Champ Car is still pressing ahead with its own '07 calendar.

"Absolutely, Champ Car has to keep going with its own plans too. We expect to have the 2007 calendar out in August this year, and we will be reviewing all our options."

Those options include a street race in Las Vegas as season-opener, a street race in downtown Phoenix as season-closer, and a race at Zhuhai, China around August.

The Milwaukee Mile is likely to lose its date following another poorly attended - around 15,000 spectators - event.

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