IRL road courses '04 or '05

[sgw2]

Very interesting development ...

http://www.indystar.com/print/articl...-9256-037.html

By Curt Cavin
curt.cavin@indystar.com
July 28, 2003


BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Indy Racing League officials don't know if they will have the league's first road course or street-circuit race in 2004 or 2005, but they will be prepared for '04, league president Tony George said Sunday.

The IRL told its engine and chassis manufacturers this weekend to make the necessary adjustments to next year's equipment just in case the schedule includes some events away from ovals.

George said league officials are not in discussions with any non-oval tracks at this time.

"But we have to be prepared for any opportunities," he said. "We are not on a path to have such an event next year, but we have to be ready just in case there is one."

The options seem more likely now given the financial trouble confirmed earlier this week by the Championship Auto Racing Teams series. CART will stage 16 of its 19 races on road and street circuits this season, but series officials aren't sure there will be a full season in 2004.

There are added benefits to the IRL having equipment for such venues, according to Brian Barnhart, senior vice president of operations. He said aerodynamic drag will increase and downforce will decrease because of such things as larger suspension pieces. That will slow the cars 2-3 mph at the faster oval tracks like Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter earned the pole for the Firestone Indy 400 at 222.458 mph.

There are extra costs with the new configuration, but switching in 2004 will allow teams to spread it over the final two seasons of the league's equipment package.

"We know we're going to road courses at some point, so we might as well get the equipment ready now," Barnhart said.

At present, the only new race expected next year is the oval track at Milwaukee. League officials are also talking to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, also an oval.

[Down F0rce]

I didn't know Milwaukee was being added for next year? But road courses...I suppose it would be interesting too see Indycars on a road course...I wouldnt put more than two on for next year, just to see how they went..but still, I'd say four max per year. Indycar racing is at its best on ovals.

[rustyfan]

Looks like the IndyCar series will become what CART used to be when it got started in '79, a championship based on ovals with some non-oval events thrown in. In '79 CART had just one non-oval event, at Watkins Glen.

I personally think it will be quite interesting to, eventually, see the IndyCar series at road/street-circuits, as long as they pick some good ones.

[climb]

Particularly if CART's problems get more and more serious

[oily oaf]

IRL on street and road? no no no no no etc. For sake don't go there. Do we really need another single file, processional, crocodillian series? I dont think so! Even if it's for one or two races it's total anthema to everything I hold dear in oval racing, the exhileration of 3 wide dicing, the gladiatorial atmosphere and the lead changes, all the things that (for me) make it the greatest and purest form of motorsport on earth. Don't do it fellas!

[Down F0rce]

Well, IMO, road racing can be even more entertaining than oval racing, but these days all these saftey issuses prevent that. Look at René Arnoux vs Gilles Villenuve back at Dijon in '79, that was terrific stuff. You hardly ever see racing like that on the road courses anymore. (with the British GP being a rare example of how it should be done)

The question is, can the IRL Indycar Series change all that?

Imagine some side-by-side racing, say, through the corkscrew at Laguna Seca, or on the elevation changes at Road America. I would love to see that.

However, I would still rather have most of the races on ovals. Maybe ditch a couple of the short ovals though, they can make for quite a dull race.

So, I'm all for the IRL Indycar Series to take on a few road courses, but only a maximum of three, and keep it to that. Say, one at the start of the year, one in the middle and one at the end.

That's my two cents anyway. And this is my 1000th post!

[rustyfan]

2 road courses per year seem to work quite nicely for the NASCAR Winston Cup series

[gttouring]

CART may get absorbed by the IRL, hence opening the door to everyroad course, and a sereis run in dictator fashion, as we see a board running CART has many short comings.
This is pivotal to the split and the reunification-
I wouldn't mind seeing them at the Glen first though

[rookie]

keep those IRL cars on the ovals they arent ment to race on road courses. There was mention of Toronto on ESPNs website. Well canadians hate the IRL so keep it out of here

[rustyfan]

All talk about potential tracks is pure speculation at this point, so you can ease down on the whine-o-meter.

I dearly hope that they go for some real road courses as opposed to street-circuits when they make a final decision. Watkins Glen and Road America would be my two picks - both being fast tracks with great scenery and some nice elevation changes etc.

[marcus]

I'd like to see them have a go at a road course but then again im a road racer at heart but i'd like to see them try it but definatell not take over the series with road courses I believe 90% should still be on ovals.

[climb]

I think TG's fear is that, in case of CART crashdown, the most important road/street races might be snatched by GT/Sportscars.
He just want his providers to get a street kit ready in case of need.

[rustyfan]

I don't see why GT/Sportscars would exclude IndyCars from running somewhere though.

[gttouring]

Sportcars wouldn't exclude IRL from anywhere, but the Tracks may get the best dates for ALMS and hence making the uphill battle for IRL roadraces all the more difficult, much like CART take priority over ALMS at Road America- the ALMS seems a bit emptier than CART weekends there (of course CART smartly has run with AMA and clubs that weekend in the past... so)

[climb]

Yes gttouring, that's exactly right

[429CJ]

I think something like CLEVELAND would suit perfectly for the IRL cars.

[mandretti39]

There was an article in my local paper stating that Watkins Glen might be one of the road courses to be added. Here's the full article if you have a hard time believing me... http://www.syracuse.com/search/index...0.xml?syrspcar

[gttouring]

of course it would be as ISC which are the tracks IRL mostly runs on owns the Glen, those jerks, and they have had problems forever letting cart go there

[slicktoast]

Knew it was coming. Look at the backpedaling from just about all of the IRL's so called original intent statements.

[flatlander_48]

If you think JJ Yeley, Dave Darland, Dave Steele, Jac Haudenschild, et al have a hard time breaking into the IRL, it's going to be impossible with road courses. Hey Tony, you lied again...

[sgw2]

This is sponsor driven. Barnes is speaking for Chevrolet. Penske for Marlboro, and other for Toyota. Toyota demands California, as does Chevy. Chevy also wants Ontario.

But what all the teams and sponsors want is better ratings and more fans. The oval only format, despite having all the top OW teams, simply is not doing any better than CART. Everyone considers 2.0 the minimum number required from TV coverage to retain sponsorship. The only realistic chance to get that is with a fan base of both road racing and oval racing OW fans. Neither camp is large enough on its' own to acheive that.

CART's feiry cash crash has only hastened this, as everyone wants to save the better venues from extinction. But make no mistake this is 100% sponsor driven, from the teams in IRL itself.

IMHO, Toronto and Motegi will be the only non-US races. Motegi is an extremely poor race to run, but it was the price for Honda to enter. Ontario will not be liked by half the sponsors, who are US only (e.g., Toyota, Marlboro), but will be welcomed by the other half who include Canada in their US sales territories (e.g., Chevrolet, Pioneer, Honda).

Keep this in mind. Unless OW gets ratings close to 2.0 soon, there wont be any sponsors. NASCAR will be the only game left.

[evo]

Originally posted by sgw2
Ontario will not be liked by half the sponsors, who are US only (e.g., Toyota, Marlboro), but will be welcomed by the other half who include Canada in their US sales territories (e.g., Chevrolet, Pioneer, Honda).

You know, Toyota sells cars in Canada too. Sounds like you just made that up.

[racer69]

Originally posted by slicktoast
Knew it was coming. Look at the backpedaling from just about all of the IRL's so called original intent statements.

The IRL's original intent statements mention road courses being part of the series

[flatlander_48]

Originally posted by racer69
The IRL's original intent statements mention road courses being part of the series

No, I don't think that was part of the original premise 8 years ago. That is something thay have been hinting towards in recent times. The original idea was to provide a series where US drivers from oval short track series could evolve to Indy Cars. US fans would be able to follow US drivers as their careers progressed to the upper echelons. It was an oval series for oval track drivers with no mention of road racing. So far most of the decisions in recent years have moved further and further away from the drivers that they SAID they wanted in the series. Right now the series is a LONG ways from the original premise and continues to distance itself from what was said 8 years ago. In any event, TG lied, in my opinion.

[rustyfan]

TG didn't lie - the IRL was very committed to the initial vision during its first couple of years of existence. Then, as the IRL started to grow and gain a bit of popularity (both amongst the public and drivers higher up the racing ladder as opposed to those still running sprints and midgets), the vision started to change and evolve into something bigger.

To be frank, I find all the whining about "The Vision" absolutely ridiculous, regardless of whether it comes from a "respectable" writer like Robin Miller or someone posting on a message forum. Not only is it a wasted effort to put energy into complaining about that, it's also naive to think that something will stay the same forever and that it shouldn't be allowed to change.

/rant-mode off