Hawaiian Super Prix

[Sparky05]

What a colossal foul up this was. And it wasn't even CART's fault; they just happened to hitch their wagon to the wrong train. But that's not what this post is about.

Does anyone remember the format of the race? From what I've read tonight, it was the top 12 from CART points and then 4 invitational drivers. Were those drivers picked already? It was supposed to be two 60 minute timed races with a halftime in between. During this halftime major musical acts were going to perform. The course was laid out along the Kalaeloa Airport, does anyone know where I could find a possible layout, if there even was one?

Had this event gone off, I think it would have been a fantastic event, maybe not a race but a fantastic event nonetheless.. A race for $10,000,000 ended up being just a race to get to the race for $4.6 million.

[macdaddy]

Welcome to 10T's, Sparky05!

Unfortunately, I cannot answer any of your queries.

The only thing good that came out of that race was the fact that I was able to get a ballcap!

[rustyfan]

While wandering slightly away from the Hawaiian race, but still on the topic of non-championship events, didn't they have an invitational race in the late 80's/early 90's as well? I remember seeing some quick footage from it, but I can't remember where it was held etc.

I think open-wheel racing as a whole - Champ Car/IndyCar/Formula 1 included - could use a few non-championship events, like they used to have. Just look at the popularity of the Bud Shootout and the NEXTEL All-Star events in NASCAR these days.

[Amar7605]

Hey... what if there was an open-wheel invitational? Get the best drivers from CC, IRL, and F1 and have them race in a series kind of like how IROC used to be!

Four races: roas course, street circut, short oval, and superspeedway.

Personally I would love to see Shumacher tacke a superspeedsay! Or see how rusty Tony Kannan is or isn't on the road course. Maybe see if Paul Tracy or Bruno or Seb can really hack it out with the F1 guys.

Oh well, here's wishing!

[Mike_Wooshy]

Originally Posted by Amar7605

Four races: roas course, street circut, short oval, and superspeedway.

only problem mate it would all have to be centered around a track that had ALL off those lol and i cant think of 1 track that has a Short oval and a Superspeedway .... unless you ment it have like 4 back to back races but i think people would want to see all in 1 event.

[macdaddy]

There are several tracks that have a short oval, superspeedway and road course combined into one facility. Vegas is an example. (They also have a dirt track, a kart track and a dragstrip)

[Snrub]

I'd love to see a OW invatiational series or race where all the cars were essentially a modern interpretation of mid-late 60s F1 cars to ensure proper safety stuff is added in. None of the current drivers has any experience with very low grip tires, no aero, high hp, low weight cars. It would level the playing field and would be VERY driver intensive. Drivers picked for ability, success and interest level:
CC: Bourdais, PT, Junquiera, Wilson, AJ, Dominguez, Tag
IRL: Helio, Dario, Hornish, Dixon, Kannan, Weldon, Rice
F1: MS, JPM, Button, Kimi, Alonso, Fisi, Ralf

[Sparky05]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

While wandering slightly away from the Hawaiian race, but still on the topic of non-championship events, didn't they have an invitational race in the late 80's/early 90's as well? I remember seeing some quick footage from it, but I can't remember where it was held etc.

It was called the Marlboro Challenge. It was held at the Meadowlands, Tamiami Park, and then finished out at Laguna Seca, I believe. I'm not entirely sure but I think it was made up of the top point earners from a special points system based on qualifying.

[evo]

I think the last Marlboro Challenge happened at Nazereth in 93.

[StickShift]

Originally Posted by Snrub

CC: Bourdais, PT, Junquiera, Wilson, AJ, Dominguez, Tag
IRL: Helio, Dario, Hornish, Dixon, Kannan, Weldon, Rice
F1: MS, JPM, Button, Kimi, Alonso, Fisi, Ralf

o/~
two of these things are not like the others
two of these things just doesn't belong
o/~

[macdaddy]

I disagree, StickShift. Not even sure why you think that way! Those two guys warrant rides much more (IMO) than most of the NASCAR drivers that are taking part.

[Sparky05]

Dominguez was a sub-par driver in a good series. Now he's a good driver in a sub-par series.

Now Tag, on the other hand....

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Sparky05

It was called the Marlboro Challenge. It was held at the Meadowlands, Tamiami Park, and then finished out at Laguna Seca, I believe. I'm not entirely sure but I think it was made up of the top point earners from a special points system based on qualifying.

Ah yes, that's the one - I have some footage from one of them held at the Meadowlands. Not sure exactly what year, but it was a wet event that saw quite a few crashes (including Al Unser Jr. throwing it away, planting the car in the turn 1 barrier).

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

I disagree, StickShift. Not even sure why you think that way! Those two guys warrant rides much more (IMO) than most of the NASCAR drivers that are taking part.

I assume you are thinking of the 2004 IROC drivers? Well, I guess that is a matter of opinion, but with the exception of Jimmie Johnson, the five other stock car drivers in the 2004 IROC series were all multiple champions. Kevin Harvick, for example, is a nine-time champion if you count all the lower-division championships he's won, and Kurt Busch added another title to his resume when winning the 2004 NEXTEL Cup Championship (even if the format under which he won it happens to suck).

Not trying to shoot you - or Dominguez/Tagliani for that matter - down or anything, just wanted to add another dimension to the issue. I reckon it's one of the 'downsides' of closely following a lot of different championships

[ghinzani]

Think the Marlboro challenge first started in 85 or 86 IIRC

[mandretti39]

Here's a link with a map of the Hawaii Super Prix track with a little background info...

http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/NAmer...berspoint.html

[Snrub]

We're getting a tad off topic, but I really like that Tag and Dominguez are in the series. IMO they're both world class and they're both very agressive.
Tag could just as easily have ~5 legitimate wins on his record if his luck had been slightly different. (several of those before the series chaos) With a better car he could challange regularly at the front.
Dominguez improved massively from 2002 to 2003, there's no denying that. I think he was even better in 2004. It has nothing to do with the precived quality of the series. He was very fast in most races this year. If he'd had just a little more car he would have been on the podium far more often. Compare how Dominguez performed to Moreno who nearly won the championship a few years ago. Compare him to RHR who was pretty close to Vasser who is a past champion.

[StickShift]

Put them on an F1 grid, and they'd be slaughtered.