IndyCar returning to Detroit
- This topic has 10 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 5 months ago by Joey-Poey.
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- 12th October 2011, 20:33 at 8:33 pm #130347Keith CollantineKeymaster
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:
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.
12th October 2011, 20:35 at 8:35 pm #182394IcthyesParticipantAs they say in America:
AWWW YEEEEAH
12th October 2011, 23:03 at 11:03 pm #182395Joey-PoeyParticipantTOOOOOTALLY support this! I went to the race in ’99 and it’s a beautiful park and really a neat race.
13th October 2011, 9:04 at 9:04 am #182396AnonymousInactiveI 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?
13th October 2011, 9:08 at 9:08 am #182397IcthyesParticipantDepends if those tracks want them really. Too much competition with NASCAR.
13th October 2011, 9:36 at 9:36 am #182398Keith CollantineKeymaster@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?
13th October 2011, 9:40 at 9:40 am #182399AnonymousInactiveIt would be wrong not to have a race there!
13th October 2011, 10:12 at 10:12 am #182400Prisoner MonkeysParticipantPerhaps 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.
13th October 2011, 14:14 at 2:14 pm #182401Joey-PoeyParticipantWhat 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.
13th October 2011, 23:26 at 11:26 pm #182402Mikemat5150ParticipantWatkins 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.
14th October 2011, 3:17 at 3:17 am #182403Joey-PoeyParticipantI’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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