If IICS goes back to Houston, that layout needs to be changed bigtime. It needs more places to overtake, and challenge the drivers more. I've made my own layout of the track on Google Earth, using the original layout as a benchmark and just tinkering here and there, and it looks SO much better. I just uploaded it to Flickr, let's see if it works...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61123144@N08/5628947447/
Still runs Anticlockwise, has 16 turns, and 3 great places for overtaking: turn 2 (just after the turn 1 kink), turn 6 (after going around the Astrodome), and turn 8 (a good straight just after 7 into a tight, slow corner). Track is about 2.23 miles, according to Google Earth.
Hope you all like it as much as I do
Also, Cleveland NEEDS to be on the schedule. I've been saying ever since reunification that Mid Ohio should switch with Cleveland. No disrespect, MOSC is a great sports car course. But an Indy course? not so much.
Surfers would be nice too, maybe stop by Calder's superspeedway while down under.