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25 Feb 2004, 21:54 (Ref:885600)
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#1 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,376
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TG On Road Courses In USA Today
An interesting artcle in the USA Today:
Tony George said that the IRL still has no set date for road courses, but that Mid-Ohio, and Detroit were under consideration for 05. The list also included Toronto, and Mexico City and a possible race near New York City, that would likely work hand-in-hand with NASCAR at a permanent facility. He also indicated that it was important to have 2-4 venues to make the investment in raod course equipment worthwhile for the teams. So what road courses would you like to see the IRL race at, or would you prefer to keep it all oval? I personally don't like the idea of Mexico or Canada for a couple of reasons. Those races would draw sponsors, that would insist on having a driver from their country represent them, therefore further dimming the prospects of young American drivers, which would slowly kill the series, ala CART. Secondly, I see no reason to compete with CART's strengths in those countries. Both those countries are firmly in CART's camp. I love the idea of coming to NYC, for one obvious reason, I live here! The facility they have in mind(NASCAR)is a superspeedway though, and one possible site is 10 minutes from my house! This is a huge market that is waiting to be tapped. I think it would be very successful. But here are my 4 road course choices: 1 Mid Ohio 2 Laguna Seca 3 Watkins Glen-needs work though 4 Road Atlanta Your thoughts? |
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25 Feb 2004, 23:49 (Ref:885711)
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That New York site they mentioned isn't Watkins Glen is it?
Would they race the long circuit? If not I'd make them  I'd like Belle Isle Park but thats not gonna happen Right, Mid Ohio Laguna Portland Road Atlanta - yes that'd be interesting! |
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"Abe will be remembered as a fighter" - RIP Abe. |
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26 Feb 2004, 01:15 (Ref:885752)
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#3 | ||
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well IRL would have to work with ISC and NASCAR so Watkin glen is likely,and Mid Ohio
Laguna isn't going to happen not soon, as it is MAZDA RACEWAY now- who is owned in part by Ford... Bele Isle would be nice, but they said detroit, maybe a detroit street course? or maybe Sonoma |
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SuperTrucks rule- end of story. Listen to my ramblings! Follow my twitter @davidAET I am shameless ... |
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26 Feb 2004, 01:40 (Ref:885762)
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#4 | ||
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The site thats being talked about for New York City, is really a NASCAR super-speedway thats being planned, not a road course, and I guess the IRL would use it to.
Its not Watkins Glen, because thats about 4 hours from the city. Although if they went road racing, I think Watkins Glen would be on ticket because of the ISC tie-in, like gt mentioned. I didn't get the Detroit thing either. Isn't that just a street course? |
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__________________
"I don't feel insecure about 'being girlie'. I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'" Danica Patrick |
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26 Feb 2004, 10:50 (Ref:886071)
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#5 | ||
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Quote:
Don't you remember the Belle Isle track in Detroit Champ Cars used to race at up until 2001? I personally think that is/was a rather decent track. Not a great one, but certainly a lot better than quite a few other street circuits. |
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26 Feb 2004, 14:10 (Ref:886302)
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#6 | ||
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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There were ZERO opportunities to pass at Belle Isle....hope they NEVER go there...
My Picks as "likely": Watkins Glen for the reasons stated above... Mid-Ohio due to the Midwest base of support for this sport.... Road America - the other series has treated it like an unwanted stepchild for a number of years...the IRL would have more at stake to make things work for both parties.... Road Atlanta...the Panoz/G-Force ties will make this one happen... But I would like to see Sears Point or Laguna...I just don't see them being in the cards.... |
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Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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26 Feb 2004, 14:14 (Ref:886305)
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#7 | ||
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Oh...and a Dark Horse...
The Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland... OWRS can't really afford to be a "self-promoter" at this early stage of its existence...the IRL has the pocketbook to do so... OWRS will probably spend the cash to run at Cleveland this year, and maybe next year, but if the cost continues to be too high, and they can't find a promoter who has the capital to do this event, it will be "fair game" for the IRL to move in there in 2006 or 2007...maybe sooner... A great venue with a lot of action....and the IRL even looked at Cleveland as a possible opportunity to run a "flat oval" race at this venue a couple of years ago... Thain about that one for a minute... |
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Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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26 Feb 2004, 14:34 (Ref:886323)
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#8 | |||
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Quote:
Are we sure that its on the OWRS calender this year though? :confused: |
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26 Feb 2004, 15:30 (Ref:886368)
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#9 | |
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Veteran
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If just one of either Watkins Glen, Road America, Road Atlanta or Cleveland would make it to the 2005 IndyCar schedule, it would be great.
And in case they add Watkins Glen they should run it with the Boot - I have a Festival of Historic racing (including somewhat dated but powerful open-wheel machinery) at Watkins Glen on tape where they use the full course, and I just fell in love with it when I saw it for the first time. Why NASCAR doesn't use the full track is beyond me - it rules
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26 Feb 2004, 16:53 (Ref:886448)
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#10 | ||
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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From what I understand though, Watkins Glen will need some work if open wheel cars are to race there again. I believe there aren't sufficient run-off areas at the turns, but I'm not sure where I remember hearing that.
How about Barber Motorsports Park, in Alabama, I believe. I saw a Grand Am race there, and it looked beautiful. Its all brand new too. Can open wheel cars race there? |
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__________________
"I don't feel insecure about 'being girlie'. I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'" Danica Patrick |
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26 Feb 2004, 16:57 (Ref:886453)
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#11 | ||
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Veteran
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Watkins Glen gets mentioned every once in a while in either the Champ Car Or Indy Car forum. From what people have said, it's not safe for modern open-wheel cars and can't be upgraded to make it so.
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26 Feb 2004, 17:26 (Ref:886472)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
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watkins is a 'historic' sight so it can not be modified further. this seems more of ISC placing than anything else, as if a motorracing venue can't be updated and still retain history? IMS ahem, Road America, the milwaukee mile, road atlanta...Spa, Hockenhiem, Lemans...someone is keeping Openwheel out of the Glen for now more than anything else..
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SuperTrucks rule- end of story. Listen to my ramblings! Follow my twitter @davidAET I am shameless ... |
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26 Feb 2004, 17:45 (Ref:886489)
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#13 | ||
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Forgot about the Watkins Glen issues...and I should know better...I'm a hard-core sportscar endurance guy....
Barber Park would be superb, but I don't know how difficult it would be to generate a crowd there.... At least when you look at traditional Champ Car venues like Mid-Ohio, Cleveland, or Road America, there is a built-in fan base for this type of racing, and gives you something to access.... Champ Cars have never really done very well when they have run at the Atlanta Superspeedway, but Road Atlanta is a good circuit, and the Panoz ties via their involvement as a chassis supplier at least makes some sense...an added plus is that there are a lot of "Carpetbaggers" (they stil call them that in parts of the South that are growing) from the North and Midwest that have moved to Atlanta....there is some potential there.. To GTTouring: I don't really know if Cleveland is a go or not for OWRS...but they hold the contract for it, don't they??? I know that there are issues like a promoter that have been problems in the past, and I don't know if OWRS has either found someone to bear that burden, share that burden, or if they plan to promote it themselves... But at some point, Cleveland makes a lot of sense for the IRL....which might complicate Mid-Ohio....unless they can spread them far enough apart on the schedule....the venues are only a few hours away from each other.... The reality twist...Detroit is obviously high on the list because of GM's long-time involvement...but I'm just not big on Belle Isle or a street race.... |
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Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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1 Mar 2004, 17:52 (Ref:890380)
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#14 | ||
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Wasn't Burke Lakefront Airport a potential track for the IRL a few years back. CART was in its last year of its contract for the race, and was about to lose it, so the IRL was going to swoop in and have an oval race there.
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1 Mar 2004, 17:58 (Ref:890386)
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#15 | ||
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Wasn't Burke Lakefront Airport a potential track for the IRL a few years back. CART was in its last year of its contract for the race, and was about to lose it, so the IRL was going to swoop in and have an oval race there. It was supposedly going to look a bit like Indy. Go to www.racingcircuits.net click on Discussion Forums, Go to North America, United States, Burke Lakefront Airport. There is a pic of what someone thought the circuit would have looked like.
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"How many frickin' times do I have to say, 'In the form of a question', people?!?" - Alex Trebek |
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1 Mar 2004, 18:23 (Ref:890423)
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#16 | |
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Registered User
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Keep it all oval.
That maintains a point of difference for the series. Likewise hopefully Champ Car will go all road/street. |
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1 Mar 2004, 19:07 (Ref:890492)
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#17 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 19
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1: IMS road course (obviously)
2: Mid-Ohio 3: Road America 4: Detroit/Cleveland/Toronto All relatively close to Indy. |
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1 Mar 2004, 20:51 (Ref:890609)
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#18 | |||
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Veteran
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Quote:
 The North East is starving for some road races. Lime Rock Park is pretty much it. Can they do open-wheel cars there? |
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2 Mar 2004, 09:04 (Ref:891002)
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#19 | |
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Veteran
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Lime Rock would be great. Perhaps a bit too narrow though? I've only seen some Speed GT races from that track, and I really liked the layout, elevation changes and so on.
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3 Mar 2004, 01:46 (Ref:891976)
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#20 | ||
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Veteran
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Their were talks of Nascar adding mexico city to their schedule, maybe that's what the joint venture means.
Last edited by Tenoch; 3 Mar 2004 at 01:46. |
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4 Mar 2004, 20:27 (Ref:893883)
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#21 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 485
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The most realistic 4 are these:
1. Infineon Raceway/Sears Point 2. Mid-Ohio 3. Road America 4. Laguna Seca 5. Road Atlanta Mid-Ohio may have a political leg up on Road America and both are competing to be the Mid-West road course race. Mid-Ohio is closer to more cities, but Road America is a superior circuit. A tough call. Sears Point revamped turn one, with new sand trap and other omprovements for OW. The shorter NASCAR circuit is probably easier for the IRL cars to adapt to. Like Laguna Seca they have excellent pit facilities. Laguna Seca has more prestige, but is farther from the urban markets of San Francisco and Scaramento. They also lack the NASCAR mailing list or promotional power of SMI. Another tough call. Road Atlanta has much going for it. It is a top 5 US market, and would bring IRL to the deep south without competing with NASCAR. Some issue with the last turn, but a mild revision and some soft walls could fix that pretty cheaply. I think this is a win-win scenario. Portland has been mentioned, but I have trouble seeing this one. The market is not top 20. My guess is IRL is looking first at Mexico (three or four cars would be added) and then a bit a Canada (adds to Great Lakes fan base). But if OWRS keeps Champcar limping along for a couple of years then it'll be hard to land such a race. Portland might wind up getting a one time deal - althugh I think IRL definitely does not like these, while waiting for Long Beach to become available in 2005. In short I suspect the desire is for races in 1. SoCal (Long Beach) 2. NorCal (Infineon or Laguna Seca) 3. Atlanta (Road Atlanta) 4. Northeast (where?) 5. Great Lakes (Toronto, Canada or Mid-Ohio or Road America) 6. Mexico (obviously Mexico City tops) It will be interseting to see what happens. |
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4 Mar 2004, 21:12 (Ref:893936)
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#22 | ||
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Veteran
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Northeast IS a tough call...
I think the two best options would be Lime Rock or Watkins Glen, but as I understnad it, the Glen is not up to International standards and because it has been designated as a "Historic site," cannot be revamped to bring it up to the safety standards necessary for Champ cars to run there.... |
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__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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4 Mar 2004, 21:14 (Ref:893942)
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#23 | ||
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Veteran
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Quote:
 
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5 Mar 2004, 16:20 (Ref:895059)
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#24 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 169
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Hey! if Rodger Ward could run his 110 Offy midget at Lime Rock (and do the Whup-Down on 'em), couldn't Tracy Hines or Dave Darland bring their Dirt Champ cars to The Glen?
Last edited by dirtfan; 5 Mar 2004 at 16:21. |
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5 Mar 2004, 16:26 (Ref:895065)
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#25 | ||
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Veteran
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I don't play semantics...copyrights or no copyrights...
Champ cars are the "open-wheeled" cars that have raced in USAC (until early 1980s), CART (late 1970s-2003), the IRL (1996-Present).... Watkins Glen is not FIA approved and is not safe for cars that will run at IRL speeds...priod...and the course cannot be changed for the season above... |
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__________________
Finally... One American Open Wheel Series! |
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