5 IRL Road Races

**ghinzani** · 24 Sep 2002, 09:46 (Ref:387148)

Hmm.. could this be why CART teams are switching over? Somebody I know who works near me for an IRL team reckons that IRL are going to add 5 road races to the schedule, maybe as soon as next season. Thats what he was saying down the pub anyway.

Cor blimey guv! Can those IRL cars run on road circuits? I guess with equal elngth wishbones, more wing etc or should they run em with super speedway wings!

Down F0rce · 24 Sep 2002, 12:02 (Ref:387212)

that would be great seeing some road courses, but the 2003 shcedule has already been done :\ anyway, the IRL is at its best on the ovals- but a few road cources wouldnt go amiss

**ghinzani** · 24 Sep 2002, 13:10 (Ref:387276)

How many races on the schedule? If its 13 then I heard its gonna go out to 18. This guy I was talking to has been working on some "road racing" bits he reckons.

429CJ · 24 Sep 2002, 13:41 (Ref:387291)

Well, there should be some road races. I mean, even NASCAR Winston Cup have TWO road course events.

Jay · 24 Sep 2002, 15:52 (Ref:387370)

According to Robin Miller they will race at Watkins Glen next year...just imagine the carnage.

Jordi · 24 Sep 2002, 18:14 (Ref:387468)

They have 16 races for next year, if they add 5 road courses, that'd make 21..

macdaddy · 24 Sep 2002, 21:40 (Ref:387621)

Five long roads off of five short piers?

brightline · 25 Sep 2002, 01:16 (Ref:387758)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jay
According to Robin Miller they will race at Watkins Glen next year...just imagine the carnage.

If they run at watkins glen, they better tape delay the race. Either to edit out all the laps and laps of caution, or for the unthinkable. I've never been to Watkins Glen but it seems like those barriers about 15 feet off the track with small uneven grassy hills.

Another equally scary thought: IRL cars at the gelen in the rain...(gulp).

racer69 · 25 Sep 2002, 13:14 (Ref:388025)

I can't see another race being added next year, i know it is rumoured, but i mean they already have 16 races, they are going to Japan, brand new cars, the budgets are already higher.

I would think they would use 2003 to test road coarse wings etc.. and add a 4 or so for 2004. I don't think they should have too many road coarses though, 4 or 5 max i think.

rustyfan · 25 Sep 2002, 14:37 (Ref:388080)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jay
According to Robin Miller they will race at Watkins Glen next year...just imagine the carnage.

You mean sorta like what we witnessed at Vancouver when CART was there?

Tiresmoke · 25 Sep 2002, 16:24 (Ref:388160)

Quote:

Originally posted by rustyfan

You mean sorta like what we witnessed at Vancouver when CART was there?

The problem is that The Glen is one of the most unsafe courses in America. Mix that with an unsafe, unprepared race series, inexperienced road race control and a handful of unskilled and inexperienced drivers... can't you add? As an all-oval series, they're set up for one thing--OVALS! Watkins should be an exhibition round. Or they should air it on Comedy Central.

rustyfan · 25 Sep 2002, 17:21 (Ref:388216)

Quote:

Mix that with an unsafe, unprepared race series, inexperienced road race control and a handful of unskilled and inexperienced drivers... can't you add?

You make it sound like they are running a road race tomorrow. Which they aren't, nor will they run one in 2003, regardless of what Robin Miller has dreamt up. Do you really think they would run a road race without proper testing and development? I doubt that.

With proper testing the IRL could run anywhere. Heck, you could run F-1 on an oval with enough testing.

Tiresmoke · 25 Sep 2002, 18:41 (Ref:388274)

I thought I read they were testing at the glen this year yet (doubtful at glen, somewhere else possibly). all the rumors i've heard are expecting the glen on the calendar in '03. I encourage the IRL to pick some teams and have at some road course testing.

If these new aero packages go into R&D, don't expect pricing these new parts to be static. What tires do they use there? The new fabrication and transformations the cars will have to go through, not to mention new gearboxes is a tedious, expensive and tiresome road. You can't half-arse a road race. This might be amusing, and I'd love to see it.

Keep in mind, what we're talking about here is much different than NASCAR going road racing.

F1 on an oval? I don't think anyone wants to see $200mil cars crashing into walls. Michelin has said they'll take no part in oval racing in OW capacity.

rustyfan · 26 Sep 2002, 11:05 (Ref:388753)

Who said anything about wanting to see F-1 crashing on ovals? I just said it would be possible for F-1 to to race on ovals with the proper testing & development.

rustyfan · 26 Sep 2002, 11:19 (Ref:388763)

Sheesh, this 10-minute edit-rule sure is a pain. Obviously it should only be one "to" after the "F-1" in the second sentence.

Neil C · 26 Sep 2002, 15:31 (Ref:388908)

Tiresmoke, never mind what you think of IRL, but if you think open wheel oval track drivers are unskilled, I have to take the rest of your comments with a rather large grain of salt.

429CJ · 26 Sep 2002, 17:41 (Ref:389003)

Well, what is 21 races, when NASCAR have...what,34 events?

rustyfan · 27 Sep 2002, 10:49 (Ref:389660)

The Winston Cup season consists of 36 races - and that's not including the non-points races like the Twin 125 milers, the Budweiser Shootout and the Winston (the latter taking up a weekend on its own).

DNQ · 27 Sep 2002, 11:18 (Ref:389685)

I love CART, but this isn't looking good

Still, if CART folds, IRL will just take over were CART left off - in reality, it wouldn't be that bad. But I'm jumping the gun. This is an IRL thread, and it's a good thing for IRL. Just not good if you're on the other side of the fence.

rustyfan · 27 Sep 2002, 11:33 (Ref:389694)

Personally I think CART should go private again so they don't have to worry about keeping shareholders happy and so on, which in turn gives the ones running CART more room to maneuver.

But that's just my opinion of course.

racer69 · 27 Sep 2002, 14:24 (Ref:389832)

I don't think it would be the right thing to go road racing next year. The one thing i am fearing that TG might do is forget about the smaller teams in the IRL, that have been there from the start. Even though the likes of Andretti-Green and Ganassi are joining, we can't afford to lose the likes of Panther and Kelley etc...when they have stuck by the IRL. They are just as much the future as Penske, AGR and Chip.

I just think it would be too expensive for next year, for 2004 definatly, i definatly think 3 or 4 road races should be there.

rustyfan · 27 Sep 2002, 14:45 (Ref:389854)

I don't see Panther going anywhere - they have won the championship 2 years in a row now with a budget significantly smaller than Penske's (around 3,5 million for Panther vs the roughly 22 million for Penske's 2-car operation)

27 Sep 2002, 15:03 (Ref:389874)

Anyone know what tracks there are running? I think they should run at
1. Road Atlanta
2. Watkins Glen
3. Lime Rock
4. Mosport
5. Washington D.C.

Down F0rce · 27 Sep 2002, 15:50 (Ref:389933)

Elkhart Lake
Laguna Seca

ss_collins · 27 Sep 2002, 15:58 (Ref:389938)

Crystal palace - erm hang on this is the Speed forum??

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