Montreal Indy race has a new sponsor

[Dov]

From tsn.ca.......
http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story.asp?id=87920

Montreal Indy race has new sponsor

Canadian Press

6/17/2004

MONTREAL (CP) - The Montreal Molson Indy has a new sponsor and the Champ Car series race scheduled for Aug. 27-29 will go ahead as planned, promoter Alan Labrosse announced Wednesday.

Labrosse, however, said he wasn't ready to identify the new sponsor.

The race at the Gilles Villeneuve track is expected to equal last year's draw of 152,000 spectators over the weekend by stressing the interactive nature of the event. ``We are accessible at all levels,'' Labrosse told a news conference. ``Spectators can approach drivers, talk to them and even touch their cars.''

Labrosse appeared to be making a comparison with the more exclusive Canadian Grand Prix, which was recently run on the same track.

Molson Indy tickets will cost between $75 and $249 for three days. Parents can also bring two children 13 years and under for free.

The first three Champ races this season have attracted large crowds in Long Beach, Calif., Monterrey, Mexico and Milwaukee, giving it ``a good potential,'' said Canadian driver Alex Tagliani of Lachenaie, Que., who attended the news conference with Andrew Ranger, a rising Quebec star who will race in the Toyota Atlantic series. ``Last year I got the pole and finished fourth,'' Tagliani said. ``This year, I'm not coming here to finish second.'' Tagliani has had a difficult start to his season, which he attributed to bizarre incidents.

Labrosse hopes for good races from Tagliani and Patrick Carpentier of Joliette, Que., who finished second to Toronto native Paul Tracy in the championship standings last year.

[evo]

I think they kinda missed the fact, since Patrick didn't finish second in the championship last year. Wonder who the new sponser is, and if it's replacing Molson.

[racinthestreets]

Is Molson being forced out like Players by the government? If so, what is to happen with Toronto and Vancouver? :confused:

[Kicking-back]

Molson isn't being forced out.

I think they're just going back to sponsoring two races rather than three.

[esjay]

Molson is still the sponsor. Bob Singelton was at the Press conference. They are title sponsor but that doesn't stop Montreal from having a presenting sponsor or even an additional sponsor to the others they have now. It just makes it a lot easier to run the event. However I think they have a longer contract with Molson than say Vancouver or Toronto so I don't know about those two after this year.

[Kicking-back]

Thanks for the update, esjay

[MolsonBoy]

However I think they have a longer contract with Molson than say Vancouver or Toronto so I don't know about those two after this year.

Molson is the promoter/sponsor for the Toronto and Vancouver races. Alan Labrosse is the promoter of the Montreal race with Molson as title sponsor. The Vanocuver contract with Champ Car is in it's last year. Not sure what is left with Toronto's contract.

[statsguy7]

I'm still hoping/waiting for Molson and/or Labatt to step up to sponsor a car or two each in CCWS. More so Labatt than Molson since Molson is sponsor of 3 races, but still Tracy and Patreek in Molson livery, and maybe Valiante in Labatt livery, that would be great!