2005 schedule revealed "end of June, early July" - will Watkins Glen be apart of it?

[Down F0rce]

Hey all

Just read this article. Apparantly the 2005 schedule will be revealed last this month, early next month - with a strong possibility that Watkins Glen will be on it in place of Nazareth with will close it's doors at the end of the year.

I wonder if there will be an open test at the 'Glen this year?

http://www.syracuse.com/sports/posts...6530740400.xml

[GP Racer]

It sounds good to me.

When the IRL leaves Nazareth, they won't have any races left here in the north-east, and I don't see that happening. The Glen would be a logical choice to keep them represented here.

From that article, The Glen sounds alittle desperate for a major event, so maybe the IRL could get a good deal from them. I can't wait to hear the schedule announcement!

[Team Owner]

From what I've heard Watkins Glenn is a real possibility as is Elkart Lake. Both series will test the road course varaitions of the cars Sept. 1st at Sebring IIRC.

[Testure]

It'd be amazing to have (reasonably) powerful open-wheel cars back at the Glen. Quite a coup for the IRL, I would say, after so many years of it being off limits because of safety. Fingers crossed the move into road-racing goes well.

[Purist]

Would this be the short course or the full grand prix course? Also, will they run the innerloop (bus stop)?

[Hazza]

I'm guessing yes (to the bus stop) because otherwise they'd go to fast into the corner and have some nasty stacks (Not much run off room?)

[racer69]

I have been having a look at the 1980 US GP from Watkins Glen in the last few days. It would be great to see the old GP circuit revived if possible.

If they want to keep the circuit a challenge, they will cut the bus stop out. Does Grand-Am use the chicane?

[Purist]

For the Six Hours at the Glen, Grand Am uses the Bus Stop, and The Boot.

I don't really think the chicane is necessary. The straight itself is only 2,600 feet long in total. Also, the Carousel is quite fast (around 95 mph for Nextel Cup). Therefore, the deceleration will not be so great. As long as there are tires (not foam blocks) in front of the guardrail, and there is a catch fence above it, there shouldn't be a real problem running the course without the innerloop.

[N I Tram]

Having the Geln would be great - but only if it's part of a package of at least 3 non-oval races. A token race there won't help anyone.

[dironstarr]

Well, the community is behind the IRL coming to the Glen:

IRL in the Finger Lakes Region Site

Visit Ron's IRL Indycar Page - http://hometown.aol.com/dironstarr/index.html

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by dironstarr
Well, the community is behind the IRL coming to the Glen:

IRL in the Finger Lakes Region Site

Visit Ron's IRL Indycar Page - http://hometown.aol.com/dironstarr/index.html

Thanks for the link - great to see that the community are getting involved as well

Ack, I don't want to get my hopes up, as seeing indycars at Watkins Glen would be a dream come true (and as such I would get very disappointed if the IRL didn't go there, after all), but I can't stop myself from at least feeling a little bit optimistic

[Purist]

So, I'm a little fuzzy on this but was it 1979 or 1980 that was the last year top level US based open wheel racing visited the Glen?

[rustyfan]

Champ Car last raced there in 1981.

[Bob Riebe]

They were there in 1979, 1980, 1981

[Purist]

OK, that clears that up.

[Big Mac]

What about safety wise? Is The Glen upto holding an IRL meeting? Will the run off/old fences/bumpy surface etc be upto it? Have there been major updates recently that I'm not aware of? If I recall correctly isn't safety the main reason why top-line open wheelers stopped going to the track in the first place? I'd love to see an IRL (or CART for that matter) race there, i'm all for it, however the tracks got to be able to handle it.

(Sorry I know i've come onto this thread late)

[GP Racer]

Originally posted by Big Mac
What about safety wise? Is The Glen upto holding an IRL meeting? Will the run off/old fences/bumpy surface etc be upto it? Have there been major updates recently that I'm not aware of? If I recall correctly isn't safety the main reason why top-line open wheelers stopped going to the track in the first place? I'd love to see an IRL (or CART for that matter) race there, i'm all for it, however the tracks got to be able to handle it.

(Sorry I know i've come onto this thread late)

Is the Glen up to modern safety standards?

Thats been one of the most asked questions on this forum since the IRL mentioned going road racing, and I'm still not sure of the answer.

I think we will just have to wait for the 2005 schedule to come out, before we get the answer!

[rustyfan]

One thing that can be cleared up right away, however, is that the armco in use today at the Glen is not as dangerous as the armco was back in 1973 and 1974 when Francois Cevert and Helmut Koinigg died. The latter crashed head-on into the armco, and as the lower section gave way - while the upper section didn't - the unfortunate Koinigg was decapitated when the car push in underneath.

Cevert's accident was more gruesome than that, but there's no need to go into details there I think..

Anyhow, with the armco in use today, the odds of similar accidents happening is much lower, and I have seen plenty of high-speed single-seater accidents at the Glen where the armco has done a great job of stopping the car (without letting it punch through).

With that said, I personally would like to see the armco replaced as much as possible, particulary in the corners.

[Kicking-back]

Armco is not a problem if it is installed properly.

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Big Mac
What about safety wise? Is The Glen upto holding an IRL meeting? Will the run off/old fences/bumpy surface etc be upto it? Have there been major updates recently that I'm not aware of? If I recall correctly isn't safety the main reason why top-line open wheelers stopped going to the track in the first place? I'd love to see an IRL (or CART for that matter) race there, i'm all for it, however the tracks got to be able to handle it.

(Sorry I know i've come onto this thread late)

Everything I have read here in Indy has said that the IRL has been to Watkins Geln, and other road courses they are interested in racing at next year, more than a few times to survey the places and to meet with local track officiuals and local civic leaders, businessmen, etc...

Everything that I have understood about the Watkins Glen possibility has indicated that Watkins Glen is very keen to meet what the IRL will need for an event there, and the Local community is really rallying around the possibility of holding a race there....

Personally, I think that if the IRL has issues, they will be addressed by Watkins Glen....

and I do believe that they will be one of the road circuits added to the IRL season...if not next year, then in the very, very near future....

[Big Mac]

Cheers for trying to clear that up guys. Here's hoping it all works because IRL @ The Glen would be an oarsome site.

[Kicking-back]

I hope it goes ahead. It would also be an awesome sight!

[Purist]

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to replace those foam blocks with tire barriers?

[Tim Northcutt]

If they did it correctly, tire barriers in some locations, or even SAFER barriers incorporated as part of the Armco would be possible solutions....

[Purist]

There is one thing I am worried abou with the SAFER barriers. What happens when (because eventually things, even bad things, happen) a car hits the end of said barrier? It would definitely do ugly things to the car, and could seriously damage the wall it is attached to.