[Purist]

No, nobody said anything about Sebring in that thread, but it has been brought up before, and again, it goes back to the very current and continuing complaints about "bumpy street circuits". And my feeling there is, how is one bad but the other is "fine"?

I prefer Laguna Seca over Sears Point, at least, the layout IndyCar uses, but it's probably not going to help to possibly burn bridges with SMI. Yes, Monterey has a much more extensive history hosting Indy Cars, and I'm fairly certain that the racing there would be better than on that modified version of the Motorcycle Circuit at Sonoma.

Not all the markets that might be or are a good idea for IndyCar to try to get in to have a suitable, permanent road course nearby; some don't have an oval either. For those that do, too many of those ovals, as you've noted, aren't that interesting, or that well-suited to host Indy Cars. I think the only more moderately banked intermediate oval left is Nashville. (Hey, if one of us wins the lottery, and can buy and get permission to upgrade Summit Point or Pacific Raceways, I'd be all for it.)

Often these street circuit events are trial and error in getting one going, but then again, that's an issue with any new venture. It would be nice to get Vancouver going again. Apart from that street circuit, I'm not sure what you do for a second Canadian event, especially out in Western Canada. It isn't worth it to me to chicane Mosport for Indy Cars, and that track has gone down in my estimation already with the addition of those paved run-offs, anyway. You'd have to do some negotiating to try to get back in at Mont Tremblant, and figure out the logistics of the facility. Montreal has comparisons to F1 in terms of performance, plus Bernie may not approve of IndyCar visiting if F1 is still there.

And there is the question of where you draw the line on what type of road course is it. What is Montreal? What is Belle Isle now? And what is it becoming as Penske has work done on it? As a bit of perspective, the ONLY permanent road course in Australia that I would definitely say outdoes Albert Park in my estimation is Phillip Island.

You can have major issues that cause a permanent venue to fall through as well; just look at what happened with Brasilia and NOLA. It isn't JUST the street circuits that are known to get state backing; ask EVERY F1 venue about that. (Even Monaco has to spend to repave at least portions of the circuit every year.)