IndyCar

IndyCar returning to Detroit

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  • #130347

    It’s been tipped for a while but it seems we now have confirmation that IndyCar will return to the Belle Isle circuit in Detroit next year:

    http://www.freep.com/article/20111012/SPORTS16/111012026/Chevy-Penske-bringing-Detroit-Grand-Prix-back-Belle-Isle

    As a location for the championship I think it’s a good move and obviously having Chevrolet backing it is very good too.

    The track is good though it’s not one of the great street circuits it has got some series history. I do think we’re reaching the upper limit of the number of street circuits in the series though.

    #182394
    Icthyes
    Participant

    As they say in America:

    AWWW YEEEEAH

    #182395
    Joey-Poey
    Participant

    TOOOOOTALLY support this! I went to the race in ’99 and it’s a beautiful park and really a neat race.

    #182396
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I do find it odd that they’re packing in all these street circuits when there are so so so so so so so so many brilliant road courses dotted around America (and Canada). Why aren’t they racing at Laguna Seca, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Virginia International, hell, even the Indy road course or even Lime Rock Park?

    #182397
    Icthyes
    Participant

    Depends if those tracks want them really. Too much competition with NASCAR.

    #182398

    @ajokay Easier to get casual fans to a track on their doorstep than one out in the country. And the races that pay money will come first.

    Perhaps most interestingly there’s still no sign of a race at the Circuit of the Americas, even though that track already has Moto GP and Australian V8 Supercar races. I wonder if Ecclestone is trying to block it?

    #182399
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    It would be wrong not to have a race there!

    #182400
    Prisoner Monkeys
    Participant

    Perhaps most interestingly there’s still no sign of a race at the Circuit of the Americas, even though that track already has Moto GP and Australian V8 Supercar races. I wonder if Ecclestone is trying to block it?

    To block it completely would be anti-competitive. However, I suspect the contract between FOM and Tavo Hellmund’s organisation has an exclusivity clause that makes Formula 1 the exclusive open-wheel racing series to visit Austin. After a few years, Indycar would be entitled to start a race there, but not before. So I doubt we’ll see Indycar at Austin until about 2015 or so. After all, it would be pretty embarrassing if Indycar managed to host a race at the circuit before Formula 1.

    #182401
    Joey-Poey
    Participant

    What PM said sounds pretty spot on. And @ajokay, they already run at Indianapolis ;) just not the road course.

    But yes, I too want to see them return to some of the classic courses of CART’s heyday such as Laguna Seca and Portland. VIR is probably not wide enough in places or has enough run-off to be safe for Indy Cars. And I’m not sure why Watkins Glen was removed. That really was a great addition.

    #182402
    Mikemat5150
    Participant

    Watkins Glen was removed because it is owned by Nascar’s speedway group and they wouldn’t promote the race if their lives depended upon it.

    There were rumors about going back to Laguna and Road America this year so perhaps in 2013 we’ll get a chance.

    #182403
    Joey-Poey
    Participant

    I’ve heard varying ideas on why Watkins Glen was taken off, that being a popular rumor. But I’ve yet to see anything official that says Nascar gave ’em the boot. (pun not intended)

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