2004 Schedule Conflict

[racerkeke]

Like the old song says, "Did you ever have to make up your mind?"

We've just had it confirmed that the Vancouver Molson Indy will be held on the same weekend (July 23-25)as the ALMS round at Portland International Raceway.

Not only will this be a dilemma for fans (many of whom like both series) but the emergency and corner workers as well. The pool from which both races pull workers extends from Vancouver down to about San Francisco. There will be a certain number of fans and workers alike who simply don't want to cross the border (in either direction) but there aren't enough to go around for both IMO.

This isn't good.

keke

[Muzza]

A very regrettable conflict indeed.

However (and reflecting the sorry state of road course racing in the United States), neither of the two schedules (CART and ALMS) is set in stone. A lot of shuffling is going to happen in the next months. I do not believe that these schedules are going to be reasonably shaped before the end of the year, and changes are going to happen even in 2004.

As I had published before, IRL is in contact with several road courses regarding possible dates for the 2005 season. Tony George's crew sales pitch goes like this: "we will not race road courses in 2004, but if you want to be in the calendar in 2005 we have do fully assess your capbilities, and this "limits" you abilities to race other major open wheel races next year (2004)" (the text is mine). Obviously, it is a veiled way of shoving CART out of these tracks.

Elkhart Lake and Mid-Ohio have been approached this way by IRL. No news about IRL and Laguna Seca for the time being.

Muzza

[paul-collins]

Re changing schedules, I'd guess that ALMS isn't likely to shift their race - they have Sears Point the week before, and move east afterward.

Vancouver really should be moved back to Labour Day weekend, anyway.

[Brian W Keske]

Originally posted by Muzza
A very regrettable conflict indeed.

However (and reflecting the sorry state of road course racing in the United States), neither of the two schedules (CART and ALMS) is set in stone. A lot of shuffling is going to happen in the next months.

I'm not so sure. The ALMS schedule seems firm at this time, I would not expect it to change this year, as it has in years past.

Also, the ALMS seems to be going their own way, and are not trying to please anybody but themselves right now...and I can't blame them, as CART's *schedule* is yet to be announced and/or confirmed.

Furthermore, I would say the state of road racing is being firmly addressed by the ALMS, given all their races are on permanent road courses (I'll even include Sebring in that statement). This is a good sign, not a sorry one.

[sgw2]

http://infineonraceway.com/news_flas..._1/389391.html

It is pretty obvious this work isn't being done for NASCAR or ALMS ...

So what other dates besides Vancouver are confirmed? I have fixed dates:

St. Petersburg, Feb. 20-22 **
Long Beach, April 16-18 **
Milwaukee, June 4-6 (might be Saturday night)
Surfers Paradise, Oct. 21-23 ++

** confirmed, tickets for sale
++ Super V8 touring cars have this weekend on calendar.

[paul-collins]

Isn't the bridge at turn 1 close to where Alex Davison (PK Sport Porsche #60) was punted off this year?

[sgw2]

Yes turn one is where Alex was punted. This revision is long overdue. Now if SMI will just get some canopies for the terraces so we can live in the hot sun during June and July (NASCAR, ALMS, Motorcycles) ...

Keke,

Was Vancouver the only race confirmed to you?

I don't think there is much chance to move the schedule around. These are the fixed dates in the way:

6/12-6/13 Le Mans 24 Hours
6/25-6/27 Mid-Ohio ALMS; date fixed by 3 year contract
7/3-7/5 Lime Rock ALMS; date fixed by available Monday
7/11 Nürburgring LMES (ALMS blocked)
7/16-7/18 Infineon ALMS; date fixed by busy track schedule.
7/30-8/1 Trois-Rivières Toyota Atlantics and Trans-Am
8/6-8/8 Mosport ALMS; date fixed by CBS TV
8/15 Silverstone LMES (ALMS Blocked)
8/20-22 Road America ALMS; date fixed by contract

This fixed dates for ALMS, LMES and Le Mans leave only 7/25-7/27 open for Portland or much later 8/27-8/29 or 9/3-9/5. The Rose Festival weekend despite losing CART is out because it is only one week after Le Mans. So effectively Portland's ALMS race cannot move.

CART's problem with Vancouver is the Canadian race schedule. 8/1 is fixed for Trois-Rivières Toyota Atlantics. 8/8 is fixed for Mosport ALMS by the CBS TV window.

The best solution IMO is to move Vancouver to the start of September and should Montreal not get an F1 race, slot CART in that date for Montreal instead of August.

[Jay]

Trois Rivieres is likely not happening this year for financial reasons, even if it does, Atlantic hasn't run Vancouver for a while, and CART certainly didn't mind scheduling Road America on top of Trois Rivieres this year. I don't see what would prevent Vancouver from runninng that date.

[Tailwind]

The city of Denver has a contract with C^RT for Labor Day weekend for 2004. They were pretty upset when Pook mentioned moving the date. I'd like to see the date moved. There are several other major events that take place in the city over the same weekend that compete against the GP. I think moving the date would help to improve attendance.

[Snrub]

The ultimate sleeper blow, give the IRL Mid-Ohio for 2004.

[racerkeke]

sgw2, I only confirmed the Vancouver date because it is my "home" race. However, what may happen is that I stay here while my spouse goes to the ALMS event. It's very difficult, because Oregon Region workers traditionally support our races and we support theirs so whichever I choose makes somebody unhappy.

I'm not even going to add SCCA politics and the changes in CART's race control setup into the mix. It's just too painful.

keke