Bikes To Replace CART?

[TedN]

I don't like the sound of this. Link Here

Ted
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3/14/2003
Bikes May Be More Important In Future Of Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Road America
Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.


Motorcycle road racing is likely to become more important in the future for Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America.

CART insiders say that all three road courses are on a short list to be replaced in the CART car racing series, which is angling for street-course races in larger urban settings.

The replacement of the Road America CART race is underway, with litigation already filed by both sides in a dispute involving a revenue-sharing agreement related to the 2002 CART race at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin facility.

Racetrack officials have complained about declining income related to CART-event sponsorship deals and spectator ticket sales.

The changes could make AMA National races the largest and most important spectator events at the three targeted tracks.

[Snrub]

Loosing Laguna would be total BS. RA was enough trauma for one season. Note that it's the Mazda Raceway and CART is the Bridgestone presents the champcar world series powered by Ford. I don't think the same problems will occur if CART wants it to stay. How could they possibly want to get rid of Laguna?!?

[BootsOntheSide]

Gaining bike races at Laguna and Road America would be good, but not as good as losing CART's annual visits is bad. We need more thrilling raod courses with gradient, overtaking chances and challenging corners, not less. I think Chris Pook's vision of focussing on street circuits, while well-intentioned, is a rare misjudgment.

[FIRE]

This would be a big loss for CART.

[Jay]

Aren't many places to overtake at Laguna and the races are usually boring parades, but I agree it wouldn't be good to lose Laguna. Not as bad as losing Road America though... I'm still hopeful that we'll be racing at Road America though, I don't think that's completely exhausted yet.

[DNQ]

If we lost Laguna, Mid-Ohio and RA, I don't think I could watch anymore. Not unless we had some real top class circuits like Spa, Road Atlanta or Watkins Glen replacing, but knowing the current situation, it'd be some bloody street circuit.

[Flatspot]

Laguna Seca already has World Super Bike so to say it would be replaced by bike racing is an erroneous thought. Although last year I beleive the attendance was roughly the same for WSB as CART. The other tracks could indeed do well with major bike races. I don't doubt that. But why not do both?

I would consider myself one of CART's most faithful fan's. I have attended Laguna Seca for 20 years in a row and at least one if not two or three other events every year having to travel at least 500 miles to get to the races. If I couldn't attend in person, I'll bet I have only missed 5 races on TV during that same 20 years.

That said, and I hope Mr. Pook gets this word somehow, should the road courses be eliminated entirely for street circuits I am done with CART. Bikes, as the article implies, will get the nod from me along with ALMS.

CART needs the balance or its not CART. Racing entirely on streets is almost as stupid as racing entirely on ovals.

In another thread I read Lee's opinion that we need the romance of the road circuits, I whole heartedly agree. Another opinion was that we need to forget romance and prostitute ourselves to the streets to stay alive. I can't agree. IMHO that move would be the death of CARTand if not, it should be.

[f1manoz]

Being a big bike fan, bikes at Road America would be fantastic, reminiscint of tracks like Brno in the Czech Republic. But I couldn't see bike racing at Mid-Ohio, most of the barriers are far too close to the track and rider safety would be a big issue... although they DO ride at Daytona...

CART losing these three tracks would be a big blow. Road America already seems lost, while I think losing Laguna wouldn't be too bad as the races in the past few years haven't been that great. But Mid-Ohio always produces some good racing.

[Brian W Keske]

Originally posted by f1manoz
But I couldn't see bike racing at Mid-Ohio, most of the barriers are far too close to the track and rider safety would be a big issue... although they DO ride at Daytona...

Bikes already run at Mid-Ohio, and have for years. And yea, it may be the best attended weekend of the year for them (M-O) now. I believe they still run two consecutive weekends, the first being the vintage series, the second being the AMA Superbike series. At least they used to, I attended a couple times when I was riding myself, but have not been to an AMA event for over 12 years now.