It won't happen in 2004 but probably in 2005. I think OWRS principal and Trans-Am owner Paul Gentilozzi is orchestrating it. Consider this quote from Miller's article:
"Look what's happened since the split," said Gentilozzi. "The Champ Car series was effectively competing for the leadership position in North America and the split diminished its ability to compete (with NASCAR). This used to be a successful business and it can be again if we're cost efficient and effective. We'll have bludgeoned each other by then and we'll be together," replied Gentilozzi. "We need to be and we all know that."If the two series merge, it will look a lot like CART did in 1995. They'll be racing on some ovals and some street courses. Tony George will have won in a business sense but the IRL will have been absorbed by the culture and passion of CART. The IRL will not have all American drivers and engines, it will not run only on ovals, and it certainly will not have kept team operating costs down to affordable levels. If the two series merge, I will probably become a grudging IRL fan I never had anything against the formation of the IRL.
I still think Tony George did a terrible thing when he took the Indy 500 away from CART because CART had the best, most competitive cars and drivers. If the OWRS and the IRL merge, the fans, the drivers, and the racing teams will have been put through the ringer for the past seven years, all because of Tony George's ego. Other than that, nothing will have changed.