ChampCar to honor 05 USGP tickets for Cleveland GP

lnin0 · 20 Jun 2005, 03:09 (Ref:1333989)

Cristiano da Matta, today's Portland GP winner, brought this up on WindTunnel and apparently Autoracing1 is reporting this as well. I posted it in the Champ Car forum but thought many here might be interested.

It appears Champ Car is using today's F1 mess to its marketing advantage and will accept 2005 USGP tickets to get into the Cleveland GP for free next weekend. It is not the most interesting track but it is flat and you can see the entire race from almost any seat in the place. Also you can pick up Pit/Paddock passes relatively cheap at Champ Car events and they will allow you a personal closeness reserved for VIPs at a F1 event.

So if you can make the trip and have a worthless USGP souvenir in your wallet I suggest you give Champ Car a shot. The racing is good and they only have one tire manufacturer.

Plus - Cleveland is a pretty cool city with some good food.

thejester · 20 Jun 2005, 03:13 (Ref:1333993)

Well done champcar.

GolddustMini · 20 Jun 2005, 03:14 (Ref:1333994)

at least someone has done something positive, and people will get to see a race

Wrex · 20 Jun 2005, 03:30 (Ref:1334000)

A brilliant marketing move. Small cost, massive advertisement and being seen as good guys when all others are being looked upon as the devil.

Top stuff.

VilleneuveTracy · 20 Jun 2005, 03:40 (Ref:1334007)

This is a classy and brilliant move by ChampCar.

Monkey Head · 20 Jun 2005, 05:16 (Ref:1334048)

Quote:

Originally Posted by VilleneuveTracy

This is a classy and brilliant move by ChampCar.

Good Promotion to them even though they would loss many ticket income

macdaddy · 20 Jun 2005, 04:04 (Ref:1334021)

Fantastic stuff, to be sure.

But I must argue with "It is not the most interesting track" because, if you took a poll amongst CC fans, I'm sure that the Cleveland circuit would rate extremely highly as being a favourite on the schedule.

lnin0 · 20 Jun 2005, 04:24 (Ref:1334032)

Quote:

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Fantastic stuff, to be sure.

But I must argue with "It is not the most interesting track" because, if you took a poll amongst CC fans, I'm sure that the Cleveland circuit would rate extremely highly as being a favourite on the schedule.

Well, I meant the track itself if not all that interesting - it is a converted airfield with no elevation changes and just doens't look that exciting on paper. However, I didn't mean to say the racing there isn't great because the wide and open track lends itself to some great passing and racing.

macdaddy · 20 Jun 2005, 04:09 (Ref:1334025)

"Official word" is coming from the ChampCar camp:

Quote:

"We want to encourage all the open wheel fans in the midwest who didn't get to see a race at Indianapolis to come to Cleveland," said Steve Shunck, director of public relations for Champ Car. "The USGP ticket will be honored for our race in Cleveland on race day."

macdaddy · 20 Jun 2005, 05:15 (Ref:1334046)

I misunderstood ya.

The frontstretch is so wide, I remember an announcer mentioning that they could start all 18 cars on the front-row! (As if L1, T1 isn't treacherous enough!)

I'm straying off-topic, but if any of you are living near Cleveland and just-so-happen to have a stub from Indy, I highly suggest that you'll love the Cleveland GP. It is historically one of the most-exciting ChampCar races of the year. As lnin0 has already suggested, you can see the entire circuit from any seat in the house, and pit/paddock passes are quite inexpensive. Besides, you never know who you'll meet! Alot of the teams and drivers may very well still be in the States! (I ran into Jackie Stewart in the Detroit paddock a week after the Canadian GP a few years ago).

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macdaddy · 20 Jun 2005, 05:21 (Ref:1334050)

I don't think they'll lose much income from ticket sales. They're reaching out to a demographic who likely wouldn't have attended the race otherwise. It's only a week away, most of the racefans from the area already have their tickets.

tblincoe · 20 Jun 2005, 05:28 (Ref:1334053)

haha great move by Champcar!

D.R.T. · 20 Jun 2005, 05:28 (Ref:1334054)

This really is an inspired move by Champ Car officials. Some great PR and it could even make some new fans from the US.

VilleneuveTracy · 20 Jun 2005, 06:32 (Ref:1334101)

Will the IRL follow suit?

Redlake27 · 20 Jun 2005, 06:36 (Ref:1334105)

Will Michelin offer a set of free road tyres to anyone with a ticket? Or do their tyres come with a disclaimer letter saying don't use them at speed?

curveball · 20 Jun 2005, 14:00 (Ref:1334541)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redlake27

... Or do their tyres come with a disclaimer letter saying don't use them at speed?

As far as road tires for normal cars goes, I think its Bridgestone (Firestone) that has that problem...

VilleneuveTracy · 20 Jun 2005, 06:44 (Ref:1334115)

Maybe Michelin should make Sammy Hagar's "I can't drive 55" their theme song in their commercials.

Offering a lifetime supply of free tires to fans who attended the farce today would probably be the best thing Michelin could do to mitigate the PR damage caused by its stunning failure at IMS.

Refutation · 20 Jun 2005, 14:58 (Ref:1334619)

How sweet of them to honor tickets that cost $100+ with tickets that cost $30

Go for the fricken Refund!

chillibowl · 20 Jun 2005, 15:58 (Ref:1334719)

great move and surley will give champcar an egde over the IRL and not to mention reduces the importance of the IMS track itself.

Andy Roberts · 20 Jun 2005, 18:46 (Ref:1334918)

Top job champ car! I've been to a couple of CART races as well as the Indy 500 in the past and much prefer them to F1 anyday so this is a brilliant move.

GP Racer · 21 Jun 2005, 21:05 (Ref:1336450)

Quote:

Originally Posted by VilleneuveTracy

Maybe Michelin should make Sammy Hagar's "I can't drive 55" their theme song in their commercials.

IMS actually used this song during the pre-race festivities!

Nice sentiment from CC, but if the other F1 fans that were at Indy feel like me, they are to fatigued and disenchanted with any type of racing at the moment. It will take some time before fans are ready to go back to the track.

Plus, I'm tapped out! That trip cost big bucks!

macdaddy · 20 Jun 2005, 06:51 (Ref:1334121)

I wonder who was behind this.

ChampCar?
Cleveland?
Bridgestone?

Keep in mind that they are ChampCar's sole tire supplier.

But I tend to believe that it was ChampCar who came up with this.

Swiss · 20 Jun 2005, 09:23 (Ref:1334233)

Very smart and savvy marketing move, its a win win situation for Champ Cars ..... congratulations

N I Tram · 20 Jun 2005, 13:52 (Ref:1334533)

Even if it was Bridgestone's idea, it's a great bit of marketing and a very clever idea. Cleveland does usually produce a thrilling race, so I'd recommend making the effort to go and enjoy it.

curveball · 20 Jun 2005, 13:57 (Ref:1334540)

Nice job ChampCar!

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