Cart will race at Laguna Seca for at least 4 more years

[Jay]

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mo...ts/5504652.htm

Ok, I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of this road course. Although it looks like it would be a blast to drive, it has almost always produced boring parades of cars with almost no overtaking. I think the fact that there's so little overtaking at Laguna was what made Alex's big move at teh corkscrew so celebrated a few years back.

Nevertheless, Cart fans enjoy this track so it's a good thing we'll be hear a little longer!

Now, work with Road America! That's THE one we need!!

[Lee Janotta]

It's not Laguna Seca's fault, it's the drivers! There _are_ spots to overtake, but you've got to have the balls and the rythym!

[Jay]

Are you saying you could do better?

If there were good passing spots, the drivers would have found 'em in the years that Cart has raced there.

[Dov]

Alex's move at the corkscrew on Herta was fantastic. Very aggressive...I loved it. But am I the only one who thinks he (Alex) should have got a penalty for going through the turn (over the chicane) instead of around it? Even though I like hard charging racing, I guess Im a stickler when it comes to rules.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Jay
Are you saying you could do better?

If there were good passing spots, the drivers would have found 'em in the years that Cart has raced there.

I'm not saying that (although who knows, if I had Yoong's funding)...

There _was_ passing there in past years. It's in the last decade that it's dried up. If you watch the Speed World Challenge races from Laguna Seca, they're doing plenty of passing.

And really, the passing at most venues has dried up in that time. It's partly because pit strategy has taken over Champcar races, and partly because drivers these days are being properly taught how to overtake.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Jay
Are you saying you could do better?

If there were good passing spots, the drivers would have found 'em in the years that Cart has raced there.

I'm not saying that (although who knows, if I had Yoong's funding)...

There _was_ passing there in past years. It's in the last decade that it's dried up. If you watch the Speed World Challenge races from Laguna Seca, they're doing plenty of passing.

[BootsOntheSide]

I'm glad the circuit ahs stayed - it's famous, picturesque and certainly sorts the men from the boys. Other than the 2001 calamity mentioned elsewhere (pit strategy again), the races have always produced the right results.

Lee's right about general overtaking, until the final pitstop has been made, experienced guys usually wait until then uinless they get a genuine opportunity (rookies don't, of ocurse, oen advantage of having such a new field), and guys are often wary to risk a solid 5th place for a chance of 3rd, when they know that one false move sees them in the wall (an especially big problem on these silly street courses)

[Snrub]

Laguna is a great track and there has been passing in the past. If there's a problem passing, spend a bit of money and modify a corner.

[Lee Janotta]

Originally posted by Snrub
Laguna is a great track and there has been passing in the past. If there's a problem passing, spend a bit of money and modify a corner.

Good lord man! Don't give them the idea!!!

[Fish_Flake]

Originally posted by Snrub
Laguna is a great track and there has been passing in the past. If there's a problem passing, spend a bit of money and modify a corner.

Indeed, too many people think that the only way to create passing at a road course is a 1/2-mile straightaway followed by an impossibly tight hairpin or a chicane (those people tend to be named Ecclestone, Mosley, and Tilke). Laguna Seca, on the other hand, is designed to be fast and flowing throughout its length, and the addition of the Andretti hairpin and turns 3 & 4 did little to change the general nature of the track. It was designed so that cars could race two-wide around the entire course, except for the Corkscrew. However, the speed of Champ Cars has meant that it is considerably riskier to race two-wide on the course. What it really needs is to have the track widened.

[Snrub]

Laguna has a big long straight. Sometimes it's the radius, width, kinks or approach that kills passing. Making a minor modification like that should be quiet doable. I'm convinced Mid-Ohio could have passing with such a change.

[Dov]

It's the approach at Mid-Ohio. There is no speed (rhythm) coming out of the last two slow corners. The start/finish straight looks kind of short to. Maybe it just looks that way?

[macdaddy]

The thread title is somewhat misleading. "At least 4 more years" should read, "At least this year and next."

From CART.com:

"Today's announcement extends the track's sanctioning agreement with the Champ Car World Series for the next two years, ensuring that the race will take place in 2003 and 2004, and includes a series option to hold the race in 2005 and 2006."

[Flatspot]

I think this years race at Laguna Seca will be a lot different than in recent years. With the expulsion of traction control it will be tougher to get a good run out of 11 and on to the front straight. You can pass in the 1,2 complex and 5 also has its opportunities. Zanardi proved that 8 also has it's methods, although I would argue that he came in too hot, missed the corner by accident and got lucky as he barreled through the dirt. Not to mention Herta flat out blew it IMHO.

Also, the fueling situation will make a huge difference if they don't have to either conserve fuel or make mandatory stops. People have often had to run lean to make the distance before. Not any more. It should be great.

[The Snout]

Yeah it looks like Laguna and maybe Cart want to see how things are going over the next year or 2 before Laguna is committed further and exercise any 05 and 06 option.
Certainly seem open to working with Cart at this stage which is healthy.

[Flatspot]

Throw into the extension mix that Mazda basically owns the track now and CART is looking for new manufacturers in '05....

[macdaddy]

I forgot that it was "Mazda Raceway" now.

Mazda = Ford, and the track's contract lasts as long as Ford's does.

[Snrub]

As suggested there fact that the extension is for only 2 years is probably another factor Ford is using for control.

Herta was always a meek racer. Zanardi got a lot of passes done by muscling in. If the other driver wants to finish the race you've got a good chance you can get some passes done that you aren't really able to complete.

[Lee Janotta]

That's always been my take on Herta... He's a fast racer, but he doesn't same able to pull out a little something extra when the chips are down. But I don't think he blew the corner. Zanardi made a kamikaze move, and was lucky and skilled enough to get away with it.

And the track's still owned by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (hooray for non-profit co-ops!), Mazda just has the naming and, I believe, some of the promotional rights.

[Lee Janotta]

That's always been my take... Herta's a fast racer, but he doesn't same able to pull out a little something extra when the chips are down.

[Flatspot]

Actually, the track is owned by Monterey County technically making it public property. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Monterey County Parks and Rec. Department who has hired SCRAMP to manage the facility. SCRAMP in turn has done a fabulous job of convincing Mazda to throw big dollars into the track. I beleive $11MM last year alone and about $6MM the year before. Hence my use of the words "basically own", nobodys gonna throw them out soon. I beleive supporting CART is a damn good use of the taxpayers money. Don't you?

[indycool]

This must be another co-promotion deal. That'll all come out in time, I expect, as it did at Portland and Cleveland. If it's a two-year CART option, that means it has the option of taking the race over on some kind of track lease arrangement as it did in Portland. The problems of attendance at Laguna started when the race was moved from its traditional fall date to June. Laguna was given no choice because of the time-buy TV deal on CBS. CART jacking around with the schedule was the start of the problem with Road America and is also the problem at Mid-Ohio.

[The Snout]

Didn't Laguna open a brand new pit complex or something like that earlier this year ? Part of a upgrade to the place. If Mazda is throwing the big dough at the place perhaps other worthwhile track improvements for racing may also be in the pipeline.

[Flatspot]

Over the last couple of years Mazda has put money into the track to reconfigure 10-11 and the pit entrance, the top of the corkscrew (might not have except for Gonzales), new timing systems, complete new pit complex (haven't seen it yet but I hear its great), plus new and improved camping areas which are good and bummer at the same time. What used to be a free area now costs me an extra $300 a year but the motorhome sits level with no extra work and I can use the track's showers. More people stay overnight now and the party is fantastic.

[bcobbus]

Great to see that CART will be there for a while longer. We don't want another Road America! What a great track Laguna Seca is.