2017 IndyCar Series schedule - Page 7

**bjohnsonsmith** · 1 Sep 2016, 14:06 (Ref:3668939)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

What is the status of the "planned" New Jersey harbor side street track (initially targeting F1)???

Nothing, unless you believe this, http://www.f1mix.com/circuits/port-i...et-circuit.asp. There's been confirmation from the FIA or FOM. However, Bahrain, Germany and Monza Italy, have yet to be confirmed for 2017.

Personally, I don't think IndyCar needs another one of these street races, like Baltimore, Boston, Houston, etc. The demise of Boston before it even got going, has opened the door for the return of Watkins Glen, which is what the series needs but if there were to be anymore street races, I'd like to see a return to Surfers and Vancouver. IndyCar needs another race in Canada and if it wants to expand internationally, go back to Australia.

NaBUru38 · 8 Sep 2016, 12:19 (Ref:3670969)

IndyCar has had enough failed new street races, I agree. But having a renown classic like Montreal could be a good idea.

Coach Ep · 8 Sep 2016, 13:29 (Ref:3670998)

Thanks for the update, I share the sentiment that new street venues are not what the series need right now.

How about replacing the double points at the Sonoma finale with a double header?

**bjohnsonsmith** · 8 Sep 2016, 14:21 (Ref:3671005)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

IndyCar has had enough failed new street races, I agree. But having a renown classic like Montreal could be a good idea.

If Bernie sells F1 and it looks like it might happen, that could pave the way for a race at Montreal. However, I go back to what Roger Penske said earlier this season about expanding IndyCar in the North West.

NaBUru38 · 18 Sep 2016, 15:42 (Ref:3673714)

We will have again six ovals in 2017: Indianapolis, Phoenix, Texas, Iowa, Pocono and Gateway. The last time we had more was 2011, when eight were scheduled, although Motegi was damaged by the earthquake and Las Vegas ended in chaos. Milwaukee and Fontana were last held in 2015 for poor crowds.

I'm very surprised that there is just four street races: St Pete, Long Beach, Detroit and Toronto. They are very established and well attended, so it's strange that new events failed: Houston (2014), Baltimore (2013), Sao Paulo (2013) and Edmonton (2012), whereas Boston was cancelled.

There's also six road courses: Barber, Indianapolis, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen and Sonoma. There were just three as recently as 2013. Only New Orleans failed in recent years, which is interesting, although Indianapolis had minimal crowds.

Yannick · 19 Sep 2016, 17:30 (Ref:3674142)

Well, it's good for IndyCar that it has got a consistent schedule now. That's how it should be. Adding more events is a good thing, too. It's an even better schedule than this year.

Milwaukee is about the only true classic that is still missing. Here's hoping the Mile will be back sooner or later. Given the TV ratings of the Milwaukee area during the Indy 500 coverage, there are certainly some fans there. But they deserve an early afternoon start, unlike what they had in recent years.

Regarding the street circuit events you mentioned, Edmonton didn't continue when the airport was renovated, Sao Paulo didn't continue when the title sponsorship deal ended, and Houston suffered from bad scheduling and a rush-job of building the course in its final year.
I feel Baltimore was an instant classic but the paddock seemingly didn't like the special challenge of the chicane on Pratt St. and the city didn't like the cost of setting up the racetrack and its part in paying the sanctioning fee.

As fantasies of an international winter series and the fear of ending the season when NFL football has already started still roam the upper ranks of IndyCar, this is schedule is actually pretty good.

The failure of the New Orleans Motorsports Park race was due to mismanagement on behalf of the track and due to seriously bad weather which came from bad scheduling. I've seen this race live on a stream somewhere and it was just caution to caution until the chequered flag fell. That's why I don't miss it. Still, it would be interesting to see a decent race on this track one day. Maybe somebody has recorded something in iRacing at NOLA?

Fontana would be back if it could get an October date. Milwaukee would be back if a promoter could be found and a 12:00 to 13:00 starting time were guaranteed, ideally on its traditional date.

I have no idea how long it will take until the next time an international race will be added to the IndyCar schedule, but I feel the most likely event for this will be a 2nd round in Canada, once Montreal's F1 contract runs out.

I feel it is quite remarkable that now, IndyCar has got 3 former F1 events on its schedule: Long Beach, Watkins Glen and the GP of Indy.

However, given the hard hits that occured during crashes at the Watkins Glen round, I feel this circuit needs another safety upgrade: more runoff please. But we've discussed that topic already here on this board.

Yannick · 24 Sep 2016, 09:59 (Ref:3674678)

Well, this weekend, the 4th weekend in September, would be a much better date to close the season than what IndyCar has got now.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a race on later tonight, at a place like Kentucky Speedway?
It's not too far from Indianapolis for the Series' hometown crowd to get there. The track has been providing good racing when it was last on the schedule, and it could have used a boost in attendance which it surely would get if it was the championship decider.

That's just my suggestion for a season finale if it has to be September. What is yours?

fieldodreams79 · 24 Sep 2016, 12:13 (Ref:3674693)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannick

Well, this weekend, the 4th weekend in September, would be a much better date to close the season than what IndyCar has got now.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a race on later tonight, at a place like Kentucky Speedway?
It's not too far from Indianapolis for the Series' hometown crowd to get there. The track has been providing good racing when it was last on the schedule, and it could have used a boost in attendance which it surely would get if it was the championship decider.

That's just my suggestion for a season finale if it has to be September. What is yours?

Agreed on a race tonight. Kentucky would be a decent choice and I get your reasons as well.

If they insist on going to Texas, that would work too. An afternoon Sunday race at Milwaukee or Pocono would be fun too.

I think anywhere, but Sonoma is my choice atm.

NaBUru38 · 24 Sep 2016, 13:12 (Ref:3674708)

Texas would be the best, but there's the college football issue. Kentucky would be nice too.

fieldodreams79 · 24 Sep 2016, 17:53 (Ref:3674773)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Texas would be the best, but there's the college football issue. Kentucky would be nice too.

They play a lot of football in Kentucky and lots of places in September.

Alex_Florida · 25 Sep 2016, 11:39 (Ref:3674899)

I really wish IndyCar would look towards January and February for scheduling. Fontana on the week of the Pro Bowl, anyone? Season opener 500-miler under the Cali sun! Indy and Pocono in the middle; Michigan 500 as the finale in late September or early October!

Yannick · 25 Sep 2016, 19:12 (Ref:3675111)

Thanks guys for your stances on possible tracks for the season finale. I've mentioned this on another IndyCar fan place on the web, and people over there suggested Chicagoland for the season finale if it has to be in September, if it were properly promoted. I understand that it's as close to Indy as Sparta, Kentucky, and that it has got a huge city in its immediate vicinity which is something that sponsors prefer for the season finale. Still, we all know how that went down when Chicagoland hosted the season finale last time around. What do you think about this suggestion, guys?

Thanks for suggesting a season opener in Fontana, but if I recall correctly, last time this was brought up, track management did not want a spring race due to their NASCAR Cup race being in the spring.

My guess is that the only places a January race could work are Homestead and maybe Mexico City, if there was any Mexican participation in the sport.

I still miss Milwaukee because it's something else to see those drivers move through traffic, but that's another thing for another thread.

Alex_Florida · 27 Sep 2016, 09:53 (Ref:3675483)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannick

Thanks for suggesting a season opener in Fontana, but if I recall correctly, last time this was brought up, track management did not want a spring race due to their NASCAR Cup race being in the spring.

Yet they were cool with a June date, which was even closer. Opening on January 22 would be quite thoroughly in winter though.

It's two months; they had no problems with IndyCar being at Watkins Glen and Phoenix only one month after NASCAR was there.

10TENTHS · 28 Sep 2016, 10:35 (Ref:3675673)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex_Florida

Yet they were cool with a June date, which was even closer. Opening on January 22 would be quite thoroughly in winter though.

It's two months; they had no problems with IndyCar being at Watkins Glen and Phoenix only one month after NASCAR was there.

Different sanction fee agreement. As I understand it, Phoenix was charged less than Fontana. WGI this year was a rental in exchange for keeping the gate\advertising revenue. Aside from disagreement on what kind of fee is fair, the TV time for a night race at Fontana is less than ideal for maintaining \ increasing viewership and keeping the sponsors happy. You'll notice that there were a number of new sponsors on the cars for the Sonoma race.

Yannick · 16 Oct 2016, 08:24 (Ref:3680636)

Last night is when the IndyCar season should have ended (the Saturday of the 2nd weeked in October). Where should that race have been held? I have no idea. At this time, it's anyone's guess.

Then, opening the following season somewhere in the South in a place like Homestead or Australia in the 3rd week of January, with a race at Interlagos, Brazil, to follow on the 1st weekend of February (early enough for carnival to still be some time away) would probably be best, so the schedule could continue at St.Petersburg, Florida in March, as is already happening.
I mean, what other international events might that be which Mark Miles used to have in mind for February? Where else would it be warm enough in February for visiting trackside than in the Southern hemisphere?