Gold Coast 600 - No more Internationals?

[Bevan-L]

WTCC anyone??? :P

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Bevan-L

WTCC anyone??? :P

I guess if we were paying the crowd to attend it would be a good move

World Chev championships

[Bevan-L]

Originally Posted by peckstar

I guess if we were paying the crowd to attend it would be a good move

World Chev championships

Chevrolet are no longer officially in the WTCC...

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Bevan-L

Chevrolet are no longer officially in the WTCC...

thast even worse then, a field made up of the runners up

[Crash Test]

Indycar want to come back? They ditched the GC in the first place, and only want to come back now because no promoters anywhere else in the world are prepared to give them money. If the QLD Goverment won't cough up for V8s, why would they for anyone else?

By the way, forget going back to the long track, because epic quantities of funds have been tipped into an utterly pointless light rail track that runs down the middle of the road....

[one five five]

Am i the only one thinking that the Gold Coast event has simply just run its course?

Originally Posted by peckstar

thast even worse then, a field made up of the runners up

Actually the new manufacturers joining the 2013 series weren't involved in 2012, so it won't be made up of the runners up.

Sebastian Loeb & Citroen are joining the WTCC in 2014 too.....

.....i am certainly not advocating the WTCC for the Gold Coast though either......

[DV_08]

Possibly, I think it's only chance of survival is having it as a regular v8 supercar endurance event. I wouldn't be that disappointed to see it go, the last 2 years have been frustrating to watch on TV with the large number of safety cars.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by inpitlane

If they are determined to have an International component perhaps they need to look closer to home and the Asian region.
Asian motorsport is booming but Australia remains fixated on Europe and the US.

A joint card with the McCau WTCC and F3 GP which is about the same time of year could achieve good international TV exposure (the original aim of the event) but would probably not draw a local spectator crowd.
A joint card for Japanese Super GT with the V8s sharing the bill could be an option. JGT actually runs the sort of cars that the youth group we are trying to get interested in the sport follow on their games screens and rifting videos. And I understand gets good Asian TV ratings.
In general though I think the trams (sorry light rail) have so reduced the opportunities that the existing street race concept is dead as soon as everyone get get the contract finished.
Problem is they don't seem to be working on the Norwell project at anything like the pace anf priority that will keep the Gold Coast on anyones calendar.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Crash Test

Indycar want to come back? They ditched the GC in the first place, and only want to come back now because no promoters anywhere else in the world are prepared to give them money. If the QLD Goverment won't cough up for V8s, why would they for anyone else?

Uhhh because they can provide international coverage and exposure not achieved by the local sport sedan championship?

The Qld not coughing up for the V8s isnt that surprising is it?

The Indycar race at Surfers race was not renewed due to many factors rather than ditching them as you so subtly put it.

[The Original Instag8or]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Uhhh because they can provide international coverage and exposure not achieved by the local sport sedan championship?

The Qld not coughing up for the V8s isnt that surprising is it?

The Indycar race at Surfers race was not renewed due to many factors rather than ditching them as you so subtly put it.

I am unsure of the TV ratings for the V8s here in the States, but I do know that Indycar ratings are somewhere near as low as they can possibly be, and have been down there since about year two of the Danica era.

Meaning that the Australian V8 Supercars may just get more "International exposure" than Indycars would, and surely much more than FIA GT, WTCC, and possibly even more than WEC.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Uhhh because they can provide international coverage and exposure not achieved by the local sport sedan championship?

The Qld not coughing up for the V8s isnt that surprising is it?

The Indycar race at Surfers race was not renewed due to many factors rather than ditching them as you so subtly put it.

I am interested in why you believe indy car series no longer comes,

We were told it was because they didnt want to finish the season so late. thus sounds like ditching them too me.

I have heard nothing to suggest that it is the other way around

[Crash Test]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Uhhh because they can provide international coverage and exposure not achieved by the local sport sedan championship?

Wake up champion. The much promoted Indycar finale at Fontana last year had a total viewing audience of 235,000 in the USA. But I suppose you consider that a good thing for a country with a population of 300,000,000? By the way, nobody in Australia watched it either.

How is it possible to live such a sour, bitter and twisted existence, DRT?

[Crash Test]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

The Indycar race at Surfers race was not renewed due to many factors rather than ditching them as you so subtly put it.

Since you are an expert on the subject, would you care to elaborate?

[AWASP]

Newbie first post, here goes
In regards to Internationals driving these cars = all for it however they should be 2nd driver re last GC where multiple crashes ensued off the start, not blaming them as there are plenty of examples of total failures in starts throughout the yrs but to get the race moving for the benefit of the FANS local drivers should start. Perhaps a 60/40 split with 2 driver changes. The introduction of the new restart which most OS drivers have experienced are an added benefit to their inception to the grid and will prove their capabilities as a driver.
Exploiting local talent in country of the race is critical for exposure and must be exploited for valued coverage, it really is basic 101 of marketing HELLO !
This yr looks awesome can't wait till it starts frothing at the mouth, although that could be an STD after the last chick I met, anyway .....
Happy motoring

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Crash Test

Wake up champion. The much promoted Indycar finale at Fontana last year had a total viewing audience of 235,000 in the USA. But I suppose you consider that a good thing for a country with a population of 300,000,000? By the way, nobody in Australia watched it either.

How is it possible to live such a sour, bitter and twisted existence, DRT?

Thanks mate - one day at a time

No arguments regarding USA TV outside of the Indy 500 however this is still higher than any of the alternatives listed.

That said, the Indycar series still has more of an international pedigree, following and interest than any other category suggested.

[FAS33]

Originally Posted by porsche91722

I doubt that WEC would be interested in coming to Surfers Paradise. Maybe Phillip Island or Bathurst perhaps. You are right about the crowd. There's no chance that the WEC would be on anyone's radar up here.
However, FIAGT could be a possibility. Sprint races are their go. There's only one problem. The cars are beautiful, the drivers are better, the racing is more exciting, so cancel that out as well. V8SC wouldn't let an under-card like that, show them up.
What was I thinking?

yes bring them down here dont follow that series, but I would pay to see these if they come down here and see the Nissan GTR's in person. but even better let's get F1 on the Gold Coast! the cars are way better, faster, better sounding, and they have the best drivers on Earth. lets start a petition.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by FAS33

yes bring them down here dont follow that series, but I would pay to see these if they come down here and see the Nissan GTR's in person. but even better let's get F1 on the Gold Coast! the cars are way better, faster, better sounding, and they have the best drivers on Earth. lets start a petition.

save Vic $60 million per year while you are at it.

[Crash Test]

QLD doesn't have $60mil now. But they do have some ripping good infrastructure to show for it.... unlike Sydney...

[Gaz170]

Originally Posted by Crash Test

Indycar want to come back? They ditched the GC in the first place, and only want to come back now because no promoters anywhere else in the world are prepared to give them money. If the QLD Goverment won't cough up for V8s, why would they for anyone else?

By the way, forget going back to the long track, because epic quantities of funds have been tipped into an utterly pointless light rail track that runs down the middle of the road....

And given the current state of the roads with all these roadworks, WRC is probably the best bet here!

[formerf1champ]

Reading this thread, I think the best option for GC is to have a spell from hosting a race for a while. There's nothing really worth hosting. Current Indycar is ****, there's no way you'd accept them here had there not been a history with them. GT/Sportscar racing on that street circuit? (any street circuit) Nah, it's not a good mix. inpitlane said it'll destroy the cars, he's right. It's not a disaster if a race is not staged.

Originally Posted by one five five

Am i the only one thinking that the Gold Coast event has simply just run its course?

Nope.

Originally Posted by Crash Test

By the way, forget going back to the long track, because epic quantities of funds have been tipped into an utterly pointless light rail track that runs down the middle of the road....

Are you serious??? ******* hell! They've ruined the ******* circuit! The beachside back straight followed by the chicane (now turn 2) was a strong feature of the track. Forget it, event's done. Not worth putting anything there, even schoolies week!

[mountainstar]

The fact of the matter was that the arrogant individuals at the indy racin league, tony george being the main one, were rude to various people in Australia and told them to go pound sand and that they didn't need their race.

The track has been changed and the indy racin league will not be back.

V8 Supercars gets more TV viewers in the tiny country of Australia with 21 million people than the indy racin league gets in the whole USA with 315 million people. Gives you can idea how lame and unknown "indycar" is in the USA, much less on a world wide scale.

Dirt is still dreamin this is 20 years ago and times have changed.

I think the event is still viable as it is, but I would prefer the longer track. Looks like it will not happen again though.

[Muznik]

So now offically confirmed?

http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/02/20/...coast-changes/

and

http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/v...-endurance-cup

Internationals replaced by Endurance Cup?

But if I understand correctly co-drivers can still be an internationals ?

[b195]

Originally Posted by Muznik

So now offically confirmed?

http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/02/20/...coast-changes/

and

http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/v...-endurance-cup

Internationals replaced by Endurance Cup?

But if I understand correctly co-drivers can still be an internationals ?

Can't see why not (as there is now no limitation on driver choice, apart from not already competing in the series of course), though in general it's likely to put you at a disadvantage by going with an international.

[T-star]

So which Internationals can we expect for the gc600 or any enduro?

Salo with FPR
Briscoe with HRT
Klien with SCAR (??)

I reckon Erebus will bring a German or 2 over.
will NISMO want to send a driver?

[peckstar]

really this is a good move. makes sense (we have always thought that) something has changed. Well i guess the QLD governmnet has.

Although it was kind of novel to see some other drivers in the cars for a few years, its no longer novel, especially after last years starting fiasco and also in the end the teams have tended to look a lot more at sportscar drivers and so "the names" we started with who often well known to indy car followers in Australia have gone

What this means for 2014 i guess we will know by the end of the year