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1 Jul 2004, 16:27 (Ref:1022679) | #1 | ||
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Possible Item for 2005 ALMS Schedule
Last week when I was at Mid-Ohio, I read in the local sports section of the Mansfield newspaper that quoted Scott Atherton as saying that they are "possibly Cconsidering" an event that would run between Sebring and Le Mans for next year and that southern California area was a possibility for such an event...
Please feel free to look this up yourself via a Google search... I certainly don't want to put words into Mr. Atherton's mouth, or misquote him on this... I believe that the name of the paper is the Mansfield News-Journal... It ran in the Sunday Sports Section.... |
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1 Jul 2004, 16:35 (Ref:1022683) | #2 | ||
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try this link:
www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com then go to the local sports tab, then click on June 27...the ALMS story will come up and just scroll down through it to read what the newspaper wrote concering this.... |
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1 Jul 2004, 16:36 (Ref:1022685) | #3 | ||
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This is a paste-in of what the News-Journal wrote:
NEW SCHEDULE: Atherton agreed the ALMS schedule needs tweaked next year, and one more race could be added for next year. This season started in March at Sebring then sat idle until this weekend at Mid-Ohio, allowing teams to go to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They will have races on five of the next seven weekends, which is a burden on teams and their crews. The lineup could be reshuffled by moving a race to the spring between Sebring and Le Mans. Atherton said a race in Southern California and one that bridges the East and West coasts is another thing on the wish list. |
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1 Jul 2004, 17:21 (Ref:1022728) | #4 | ||
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I just hope Lime Rock stays on the schedule. This weekend looks to be sweet!
Last edited by RacerGuy2; 1 Jul 2004 at 17:21. |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:17 (Ref:1022802) | #5 | ||
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It probably will....I remember when they annoounced the 2004 season that Mr. Atherton had said Lime Rock gives them an important presence in the Northeast with a well-established and well-known facility that is close to major metor areas like New York and Boston....
I don't know if they signed a multi-year deal or not...but the action will be great there this weekend... The parts of the statement that I'm interested in are the "event between Sebring and Le Mans" and the "East to West" bridge.... I'm assuming that the "East to West" bridge would be a race between either Lime Rock and Sears Point or Portland and Mosport...to make it easier on the teams as well as the ALMS ad IMSA personnel.... More important on the first quote is the mention of southern California..... Long Beach (if they don't renew with OWRS) would be an excellent possibility in mid-April.... But what other options might be there? It is my understanding theat Willow Springs may not be suited to ALMS type racing.... What about Buttonwillow???? I'm not very familiar with it....can anyone (racers, fans, team members) who knows this place tell me if this venue is ssuited to this level of racing and has the facilities and the experience to host and support an ALMS event??? any other venues down there that anyone can tell me about???? I'd be inteested in knowing more.... Thanks! |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:22 (Ref:1022808) | #6 | ||
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Buttonwillow wouldn't really be suitable.
They could double up with the Champcars in Long Beach, there's the Fontana road course, and I guess they could try a San Diego temporary circuit again. There are no real road courses in SoCal, or for that matter anywhere between East and West that I can think of. |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:41 (Ref:1022829) | #7 | |||
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Quote:
Thanks for the heads-up on Buttonwillow.... I don't necessarily see them pairing up with OWRS....The ALMS stated at Petit last October ("State of the ALMS" event) that they are no longer inteested in doing "Self-Promoted" or "co-promoted" events.... Miami was a big problem last year....the place was not suitable for racing (they even had to take a grinder to the pavement to try to remove a dangerous bump in the road) and wasn't their event in 2003 that was supposed to run in Mexico a joint-event with CART??? they prefer to work with "well-established" promoters and venues with a proven track record of presenting major events... If OWRS is running the show and it is their event at Long Beach, I don't know if the ALMS would go in with them again...at least not at this time.... and it its unlikely that the ALMS will run on a Roval, like Fontana....they did that in the early years and have gotten away from that sort of venue.... Maybe a tweak that puts Lime Rock after Le Mans, followed by Mid-Ohio, then Sears Point???? Or working a change with Road America, so that it would be Portland to Road America and then to Mosport???? I don't know what their contracts with the various venues say.... |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:43 (Ref:1022833) | #8 | ||
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A thought would be the street race in denver as a possible bridge...
but I don't remember that venue as being very suitable for good racing...the course was lumpy and slippery...a problem with most street circuits... |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:49 (Ref:1022840) | #9 | ||
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Hopefully not the roval in Fontana ...
How about here (probably not in 2005, but in the future) -- http://www.rmpracing.com/ Not really SoCal, though it is south of me.... |
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1 Jul 2004, 18:54 (Ref:1022841) | #10 | ||
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I've been on the track at Buttonwillow in a Mustang Tim, and no it is in no way suitable for the ALMS. On top of that, the track has about zero infrastructure (when considering what the ALMS would require anyways). It is mostly used for club racing and SCCA track days.
When I hear Southern California the only think I can think of is Long Beach, or perhaps the Fontana roval. But it is very interesting to ponder. Southern California is definitely a huge market that the ALMS should be in. 70 Mach 1: Is RMP a go? Are they actually moving dirt? I doubt this location would be a big draw for the ALMS, but it's possible, assuming it gets built. Last edited by jhansen; 1 Jul 2004 at 18:57. |
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1 Jul 2004, 20:55 (Ref:1022950) | #11 | ||
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Here's wishing they would get down south a bit.
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1 Jul 2004, 21:28 (Ref:1022999) | #12 | |||
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Quote:
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1 Jul 2004, 21:40 (Ref:1023017) | #13 | ||
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There was supposed to be a track built in Madera, north of Fresno as well, which has not come to fruition. According to the website RMR is in the process of getting their EIR approved and final approval from the county. So they are moving forward. But I'd say the site plan looks a bit ambitious. I bet the large oval and two smaller ovals get built first. The road course probably isn't first priority.
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1 Jul 2004, 22:03 (Ref:1023044) | #14 | |
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maybe in time they can use the new riverside raceway. its trying to comeback as a motorsport park. with a track and team compounds. I dont know if its got pass the legal stuff yet.
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