Ponder this

[bobdrummond]

Last year I went to the Belgian GP. My £100 ticket allowed me pedestrian access to some, but not all, of the track on race day only. I parked 2 miles away and queued for 1hour to get in. Throughout the race I hadn't the slightest clue what was going on and saw no actual racing at the Fagne/Stavelot region. There was a single Porsche support race and many hours waiting around watching German fans getting progressively more drunk. I couldn't get closer than approx. 23 miles from the cars and if I dared venture from my patch of grass to another, similar, patch a few feet along the fence, horse-mounted police with alsatian dogs promptly showed me and those like me the error of our ways. I shan't ever go to an F1 race again. Ever

A fortnight ago, I went to the US to the ChampCar race at St. Louis. For less than £100, I had a finishline grandstand seat on both Saturday & Sunday and Pit/Paddock access for both days. The racing was incredible throughout the support races and the main event which were scheduled very well so that I was never bored. The T-Shirts were very reasonably priced and admission/travel at the track was well laid out. Small trams ferried fans from the gate to their grandstand. I got close enough to the trackside to lick the cars and in the Paddock, was allowed to venture aound unhindered (except by my fellow fans) and after qualifying, an organised autograph session allowed anyone interested get near their favourite drivers. I saw several children beside themselves with joy after getting Montoya's or Andretti's signature (and a few girls after seeing Franchitti, Fittipaldi or deMatta). I myself enjoyed seeing the cars being rebuilt after qualifying and the team members were more than willing to answer any questions I had.

Taking into consideration the inflated hotel price in Brussels, the cost of my weekend in St. Louis including airfare and race tickets was less than £150 more expensive than my two days in Brussels.

If CART ever pulls its finger out and sorts promotion, F1 in the USA will be hammered. US fans will not tolerate what we in Belgium did.

[Victor Broccoli]

Well, one of the main things that Tony George promised to do was to keep the prices down for the US GP. Granted, you won't get the kind of deal you got at the CART race, but it won't be nearly as ridiculous as the one you recieved in Belgium.

This has to do w/ the fact that the US fans in particular demand value. For example, I went to the Dover race (1st one) this year for NASCAR. For only about $30, I had a seat in the middle of Turn 3&4, with a complete view of the track. And, like the CART race (I've been to one), the souveniers were also reasonably priced.

Still, when it comes to price, Bernie and Co. have a long way before they catch CART and NASCAR. The US, in particular, demands a lot for very little. If you're not prepared to give that...then they're not prepared to spend their hard-earned cash.

[Liz]

Go to the average ALMS race in the US or Canada and you can do it for half what the CART race cost. A three day weekend ticket complete with full pit and paddock access and Date the Pilots Too ( ) at Mosport cost $45.00 Canadian.

However, you can get about the same deal at the Molson Indy Toronto for $200 Canadian - for THREE days of Paddock access, autographs, beach volleyball, five support races, beer, exhibits, games, pilot sightings, and championship racing from a seat in the grandstand directly across from the pits, at the start/finish line.