Why IndyCar can't have a race at ....

[JacobP]

Mark Miles explained that IndyCar will not race at the frequently requested venues like COTA, Road America, or Laguna Seca because of proximity to IndyCar's current venues:


http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/why-in...1647608097/all

He also mentions that the calendar is basically full and they cannot afford to add more races with the current TV ratings.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Interlagos though? Or would he have to pay Bernie?

[mountainstar]

Actually they will not race at those venues because those venues have done the math and what the league charges for sanctioning fees is not financially viable for the track/promoter. I believe Road America said the fee would have to be below $250K for them to make any money.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Interlagos though? Or would he have to pay Bernie?

IndyCar doesn't present the perceived threat to F1 that Bernie thought CART did, so he may have softened a bit. I suppose the risk in attempting to hold an IndyCar race there is Bernie might threaten to take the GP away from Interlagos.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Can't see Bernie getting rid of Interlagos in his lifetime.

Any reason why Indycar don't go to Portland International Raceway? Or maybe a couple more ovals?

[Mies7337]

Back to Edmonton and Watkins Glen. Amazing races, always! Interlagos and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve would be great too, but maybe too much F1.......

[Yannick]

Indy Motor Speedway got rid of its loss leader event, the TUDOR Sportscar race, this year. That series is now owned by NASCAR so it is no surprise that the NASCAR-owned International Speedway Corporation (ISC) who owns Watkins Glen and many, many ovals, is not going to bring back an IndyCar event at this time. Also, the 4th of July date which the Glen had, turned out to be a hard sell to the fans. I'm not expecting the Glen to return any time soon.

COTA gets vetoed by Eddie Gossage, the CEO of Fort Worth's Texas Motor Speedway, the only remaining IRL mainstay on the calendar, and a successful event as such.

Road America now has got the NASCAR Nationwide race as its flagship event, and TUDOR Sportscars races there, too. Joining TUDOR and IndyCar in one weekend might work financially for the independent racetrack but TUDOR does not want that since they were thrown out of Indy Motor Speedway. See above. Also, Road America is in the same market region as Milwaukee.

Like so many circuits, it would be nice to have Portland rejoin the IndyCar calendar. This venue is one that was lost in the reunification in the late 00s and for no reason whatsoever. Yet, who knows if, after all those years of no major open wheel racing at the track, would there still be a significant crowd upon return? Since IndyCar still lacks a venue in the Pacific Northwest, I'd say give Portland a try.

Interlagos would have been amazing after the Sao Paulo street race had ended but it seems like interest from Brazilia in the series was bigger even then, and maybe IndyCar believes one Brazilian race would be enough? Then, there is the possibility of Bernie vetoing it. ChampCar only got into Montreal in the year when there was no F1 due to ongoing contract negotiations. And NASCAR Nationwide also has a race at Montreal. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve might have used up all of its annually available noise emission days already. Who knows...
But I agree, Montreal would be awesome.

Laguna Seca is reportedly too close to Fontana and Long Beach for the series to believe the Southern Californian region would be able to make a 3rd race sustainable.
The same goes for Cleveland vs Mid-Ohio, if, and that's a big if, there was a title sponsor to be found for Cleveland.

Edmonton, now why was that one let go?

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Edmonton, now why was that one let go?

Losing money, apparently:
http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-new...d?artid=148459

I believe Montreal has a limit on the number of racing events each year (two as I recall?). F1 is one, and the Nationwide weekend used to be the second, but IIRC that race is done and gone. So, if any of what I remember is true... does that mean Montreal could host an IndyCar weekend? I agree, that would be excellent and I imagine there would be a really good turnout from the Quebec motorsports fans.

[Down F0rce]

The WEC are chasing Montreal for 2016 or 2017.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Laguna Seca is reportedly too close to Fontana and Long Beach for the series to believe the Southern Californian region would be able to make a 3rd race sustainable.
The same goes for Cleveland vs Mid-Ohio, if, and that's a big if, there was a title sponsor to be found for Cleveland.

Edmonton, now why was that one let go?

Laguna Seca isn't in Southern California, so I don't know where that comes from.

I'm not sorry to see Edmonton go, I always thought of it as a poorman's Cleveland.

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Laguna Seca isn't in Southern California, so I don't know where that comes from.

I'm not sorry to see Edmonton go, I always thought of it as a poorman's Cleveland.

Sorry I mixed up Laguna. However, Bruton Smith's SMI who owns Sonoma does not want Laguna to fish in what he believes is their pool of potential customers.

And I agree with your view of the Edmonton airport circuit. However, it would be better to have this airport circuit than to have none at all.

[Yannick]

Originally Posted by rwintle

Losing money, apparently:
http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-new...d?artid=148459

I believe Montreal has a limit on the number of racing events each year (two as I recall?). F1 is one, and the Nationwide weekend used to be the second, but IIRC that race is done and gone. So, if any of what I remember is true... does that mean Montreal could host an IndyCar weekend? I agree, that would be excellent and I imagine there would be a really good turnout from the Quebec motorsports fans.

Here's hoping something is forthcoming for IndyCar with Montreal having an open slot. A 4th of July weekend event there wouldn't be a problem either like it used to be for the Glen.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Sorry I mixed up Laguna. However, Bruton Smith's SMI who owns Sonoma does not want Laguna to fish in what he believes is their pool of potential customers.

And I agree with your view of the Edmonton airport circuit. However, it would be better to have this airport circuit than to have none at all.

I thought it might have something to do with Sonoma, a poorman's version of Laguna Seca.

[Paradise City]

I actually find a WEC race at Montreal tantalising. Best outcome, perhaps, would be for Indycar to share a weekend with them.

[marc sproule]

laguna will never happen unless indycar gets realistic about the $,

can't remember exactly what the last fee # i heard but it was at least $1.5 million if not $2m

as for montreal, i can't believe bernie would allow it and even if he did i would bet the indycar fee is too dear.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by marc sproule

laguna will never happen unless indycar gets realistic about the $,

can't remember exactly what the last fee # i heard but it was at least $1.5 million if not $2m

as for montreal, i can't believe bernie would allow it and even if he did i would bet the indycar fee is too dear.

The IndyCar fee can't be anywhere near as much as Bernie's fee. Once they've paid that to Bernie, they've probably got very little left to play with, plus Montreal's undergoing a major refurb at Bernie's behest.

[BudLightJaguar]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I actually find a WEC race at Montreal tantalising. Best outcome, perhaps, would be for Indycar to share a weekend with them.

I'm pretty sure that the smiley in the end meant you are not serious with this. The problem then would be which one is the headline event and which is supporting event. WEC organisation definately doesn't want to be anyone's support. The WEC way is standalone events (plus local supports) at Grade 1 tracks.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by BudLightJaguar

I'm pretty sure that the smiley in the end meant you are not serious with this. The problem then would be which one is the headline event and which is supporting event. WEC organisation definately doesn't want to be anyone's support. The WEC way is standalone events (plus local supports) at Grade 1 tracks.

They've shared with TUSCC haven't they? If they can share with them, they can share with Indycar. They are both more or less from different universes in fan terms so who gets the headline need not be an issue.

Yes, I don't see it happening for numerous reasons, one of which is that it's too sensible, another is that Bernie will get all jelly and probably play nasty so as to ensure blossoming rivals don't get their feet in at venues that he's tied up with.

[JacobP]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Laguna Seca is reportedly too close to Fontana and Long Beach for the series to believe the Southern Californian region would be able to make a 3rd race sustainable.

Monterey is really nearly NorCal. It's almost a commute distance from Silicon Valley. The argument is wrong. NorCal is populous and affluent enough to deserve two IndyCar races (the other being Sonoma). Place one race in the beginning of season, and the other one at the end. They won't compete with each other.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by JacobP

Monterey is really nearly NorCal. It's almost a commute distance from Silicon Valley. The argument is wrong. NorCal is populous and affluent enough to deserve two IndyCar races (the other being Sonoma). Place one race in the beginning of season, and the other one at the end. They won't compete with each other.

I couldn't agree more. Up until recently, my family had a house in Carmel, which is very close to Monterey and Laguna Seca and I used to go to Laguna Seca quite a bit in the '90s.

There's a rich motoring heritage in the Monterey Peninsula, with Pebble Beach hosting the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show, since 1950. If IndyCar were smart they could coincide that event with a round from the series but I suppose I'm asking too much.

[JacobP]

Personally, I liked the Sao Paolo races, specially the crazy finish in 2013. I think Interlagos vs Sao Paolo is one of those cases where Indycar can claim to have its own identity. If IndyCar goes to Interlagos, the race will be merely regarded as a bad copy of F1. In Sao Paolo, IndyCar can accomplish much more IMHO.

http://jalopnik.com/you-need-to-star...need-493144219

[racerkeke]

Please note that the Edmonton race, while it may have lost money, was fully supported by the city. The real reason it was lost was because the airport used as the track had been sold for redevelopment before IndyCar arrived. The actual redevelopment did not occur for several years (first phase of redevelopment resulted in the changed track we saw in the last two years).
keke

[Mies7337]

I still would like the Edmonton race to come back on the calendar. Only one race(weekend) in Canada seems a bit too few to me. Why was Baltimore off the calendar this year, I liked that race too.
Maybe even a race in Mexico isn't such a bad idea. Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigues is a nice track for the Indycar, but the F1 already goes there next year. All the races have been good spectacle there, especially the A1GP. But Mexico also contains a few nice ovals, which are suitable for the Indycar. The WTCC has been a few times to the Puebla track, which is just an oval with an infield.

[BudLightJaguar]

Baltimore was off'd for some Labour Day/NFL nonsense.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

[FIA WEC has] shared with TUSCC haven't they? If they can share with them, they can share with Indycar.

They are both more or less from different universes in fan terms so who gets the headline need not be an issue.

I would say so, but motorsport bosses are usually a bit more selfish.

IndyCar at Montreal has one thing lacking: a Quebecois driver.