Thoughts about CART series not going to Rockingham next year!!

[Karting_jenny]

I just wondering what people thoughts are about this....

I personally think that its stupid as Rockingham will lose money but also fans will miss out on this racing.

Any other thoughts???

[SteveA]

Rockingham will lose more money if they do come. That's the problem!

Of course if it were to be properly promoted they could fill the stands and make it viable, but there isn't enough time for that (apparently).

[macdaddy]

My thought about Rockingham? We're losing ovals at a blinding rate now! Next year we'll have Milwaukee and Fontana. The year after that, likely just Milwaukee. It's a shame. In my opinion, ovals are very much a part of our history, and very much a part of our diversity. CART's days of being the "Fastest Racing on Earth" seem to be numbered. As does the claim of racing on four different types of circuits. Surely, I don't want "ovals-only", but we gotta keep at least a couple!

[Paul Rayner]

What sort of promotion would you propose for Rockingham, SteveA?

I think CART is fantastic, the Rockingham 500 is brilliant but, without some decent (ideally terrestrial) TV coverage, you could promote until the cows come home, but still people wouldn't come, as they want to watch a championship that they know.

[Speedworx]

I think its the right decision. Drop the race for 2003 and get it back in 2004, when CART makes a new deal.

[Jay]

I think what Paul said is right (at least from my observations), but I'd like to hear from a few more Brits.

Would having a few more races in Europe at tracks like Spa and Estoril help raise Cart's profile and make people want to attend a British event?

[SteveA]

A bit of prime-time TV advertising (terrestrial) wouldn't have gone amiss. Rockingham promoting their "Family venue" ethos to normally non-motor-race fans.

"Fastest Motor Racing on Earth comes to the UK" was, I believe, what they were saying at the time (even though its a false statement, but never mind!). But nobody heard.

I agree about the lack of TV coverage, but there was coverage in 2001 but that event wasn't a sell-out either, because it wasn't advertised anywhere except the motor racing press. Hardly anybody knew it was happening.

In 2001 I had Eurosport (via ITV D), and I never saw an ad for the Rockingham 500. Saw lots for the German 500, but not Rockingham.

I'm sick of hearing people say "I'd have liked to have gone to that, but I didn't know anything about it"

Rockingham's marketing dept are inept and should be replaced, if its not too late.

[Muppet]

Did they have a marketing dept? ;-)

[Jay]

Yeah, that's one thing all of the successful Cart races have... excellent marketing men. That's the big reason races like Mexico, Toronto, Montreal, Portland, Vancouver, etc are such big successes. A TON of advertising!

[The Snout]

Cart should run at Knockhill. I'd watch that. (No he's not serious)

[bcobbus]

On the flip side of things, it looks as though CART will run at Brands Hatch in the very near future. Seeing a CHAMP car on the limit though Paddock Hill would be something to marvel at! Also, it has been said that CART is looking into Estoril, and even more exiting, Spa Francorchamps!

Also, as far as the Oval situation goes, there was and still is a plan for a 1.3 or 1.5 mile oval to be built just north of Sacramento California. However, because of money issues, and the usual law suits filed the praire ferries things have come to a halt.

[Speedworx]

SteveA: CART is the fastest racing on Earth.

Gil de Ferran holds closed course record at Fontana at 241mph!

No other series comes anywhere near that sort of speed. They still lapped Fontana at 230mph this year.

Rockingham has 214mph which is faster than anything esle in Britain.

In my view, Rockingham needs to pay less to have the race, as CART is no worth $4m and it also needs more promotion. CART wants a return in 2004, so lets see what happens.

[Paul Rayner]

If Rockingham can't make the race financially viable I don't see why Brands Hatch should. Although it might appeal to a few more road racing fans, from the "alternative to F1" angle, it still won't have massive appeal until people can watch the races on TV. An advert saying "Come to Britain's fastest motor race" isn't going to have nearly as much swing with getting punters to go as two hours of great racing every other week, where fans can learn about the drivers and pick heroes and villains.

And if you REALLY want to get picky about which racing has the fastest speeds, isn't drag racing the fastest racing in the world?

CART was charging far too much for them to bring the championship over (although it does cost a lot, even when subsidised by FedEx), and the TV coverage in Britain was appalling. The only terrestrial coverage we got this year was a hacked down version of the Rockingham 500, which the BBC did absolutely no justice whatsoever.

[SteveA]

Yes Paul, that's what I was getting at I've witnessed cars going past me at over 300MPH and they make Champcars look like lawn-mower racing!

[unofficialf3000]

The sad thing is, the vast majority of the general public think motorsport = F1. They are completely unaware of the diversity of series beneath F1. I agree the marketing of Rockingham has been terrible, but I suppose it's hard to find the money to market something before it becomes a financial success. The BBC certainly dealt with the race's coverage disgracefully, but then terrestrial coverage of a single race, with drivers the general public don't know, wouldn't be the answer either.

I really hope Rockingham can stage a race again in 2004, but they certainly need to somehow educate an apathetic public, otherwise it'll just be the small number of dedicated fans again in the stands.