The Observer

Yet again there have been doubts that the Indianapolis 500, arguably the greatest motor race in the world, would make its traditional number of 33 entries for the Month of May. But yet again, the Brickyard and Tony George have scraped enough cars together to keep the tradition alive, even if the once-unquestionable prestige remains tarnished during the era of the Indy Racing League.

Once it would have been unthinkable that the 500 could suffer a dearth of entries. Now it is unthinkable that it won't. Only 19 cars started the IRL season opener at St. Petersburg earlier this month, and there are fewer Indy specialist teams turning out for their one race a year.

It's been a major effort to find 14 extra cars to hit the magic 33.

In fact, 38 entries graced the entry list released last week, although take this with a pinch of salt. Only 26 so far are complete with drivers named. The list also includes entries such as a third car from Penske and a fourth from George's own Vision Racing that are unlikely to actually race.

Among the drivers, six former Indy winners are listed: 2005 winner Dan Wheldon, Buddys Rice and Lazier, two-time victor Helio Castroneves, and comeback veterans Eddie Cheever and Al Unser Jr.

So how many US household names are in that list? Well, probably only Andretti (two of them - another comeback vet Michael and his rookie son Marco), Unser Jr, Foyt (but only as in underwhelming nephew Larry) and maybe Danica Patrick.

33 cars start the 2005 Indianapolis 500 © LAT

But enough negativity for a moment. For us purists, there is still the quality we'd expect in this field to keep the 500 relevant.

Along with the former winners already named, Tomas Scheckter, Vitor Meira, Sam Hornish Jr, Bryan Herta, Scott Sharp, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Patrick could all have realistic hopes of tasting milk in Victory Lane come May 28. It's not quite as open as the Grand National, but it's not far off.

And yet... the doubts still nag away. The fact is there are six other names that should be included in that list of potential winners. The reason they have been left out? They are not even entered.

Sebastian Bourdais, Paul Tracy, Justin Wilson, Bruno Junqueira, AJ Allmendinger and Cristiano da Matta should all be gearing up for the 2.5 miles of hallowed speedway. Instead, they will be preoccupied with a street race in Houston and a parkland battle in Monterrey, Mexico.

They miss out on the most famous motor race in America because of the continuing, damaging - and frankly dull - division that has split the sport in the States for 10 long years. They are Champ Car drivers, not IRL drivers. 'Back Home in Indiana' will mean nothing to them in 2006.

But will that change next year? Optimism over reunification between Champ Car and the IRL ran out long ago, but in recent months you can't have helped but notice that it is moving closer to reality, probably more than at any time since the split in 1996.

Please forgive my caution here. I was about to write that it is more likely that a peace treaty will be signed by the end of the summer than not. But I've been bitten too many times by this one. I just can't be that positive.

Certainly high-powered men such as Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi remain sceptical, but the dialogue that has taken place between George and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, and the various meetings that took place at Long Beach, indicate progress.

Make no mistake, there is a long way to go before anything can be agreed. There are too many vested interests, too many contracts, and too many agendas to let this thing move too quickly. As Kalkhoven has said: "The very worst thing that could happen for the sport would be for us to merge the two series and have it not work.

"So if we can get it done for next year that would be great. If it takes a little longer, that would be great too."

So in the meantime, we can only speculate on what we should expect from a reunification. But scratch that - it's more fun to map out how we would like one series to look! So here's my vision of the ideal US single-seater series for 2007.

Firstly, lets draw up a calendar of events. Champ Car has the jewel in the street race crown at Long Beach, so what better place to start a new era? Then it's on to a current IRL venue for an oval taster before Indianapolis: Motegi in Japan. That'll keep Honda happy (more on that later).

After the month of May, the traditional Milwaukee Mile race would follow hot on the heels of the 500, just as it should. Then the series would roll into a sequence of great road and street tracks: Watkins Glen, Sears Point, Toronto, Vancouver, Portland, Road America and Cleveland. Add the Michigan superspeedway and a shorter oval such as Chicagoland into that mix, and you've got a great summer.

Pre-split, the Milwaukee Mile race immediately followed the Indy 500 © LAT

My season would then finish with two popular 'foreign' Champ Car events: Surfers Paradise in Australia and a finale in Mexico City. A dash of international flavour is only right for any single-seaters series that wishes to be taken seriously, I reckon.

I make that a very trim 14 races, so there's room for more rounds - how about a European tour in late August, taking in Britain's Rockingham oval and a road course, say, Zandvoort? Well, this is my ideal so I can do what I like! And forget high-banked ovals Homestead and Texas - they're great for NASCAR, not for single-seaters.

And the cars? Well, Panoz has a Champ Car supply contract that should be honoured, so they are in. But what about Dallara and Lola? Why should they be left out after all the years they have put into US racing? Let 'em in too.

A proper multi-chassis formula adhering closer to a Champ Car template than an IRL version would be great. It would give the 20-odd potential teams something to think about, wouldn't it?

Then there are the engines. Honda powers the IRL, Cosworth powers Champ Car - so pitch them against each other. Both have experience of turbo and normally aspirated engines, but I favour the former.

Furthermore, the Cosworth can be badged a Mazda, as has been rumoured for Champ Car already, building a healthy Japanese competitive edge to the power stakes.

It all sounds too good to be true - and it probably is. But the potential is sitting there, waiting to be grasped. The trouble is, it has been for some time. The major players know what has to be done - but agreeing on how is the key.

Meanwhile, the 2006 Indy 500 will play out and the winner should be lauded for what remains a very special achievement.

But if a union of Champ Car and the IRL can be agreed in the next few months, victory at the Brickyard in 2007 could mean a whole lot more.