'08 Schedule to be announced today

[Tony Clifton]

Originally Posted by indycool

Looks like Portland will have a busy racing weekend next year......

http://www.columbian.com/sports/loca...-nationals.cfm

Wow that Steve Johnson is doing such a great job!!!!(sarcasm here)

I guess checking the local motorsports calendar would be a litle difficult to do wouldn't it. So out of town spectators who want to go to the Portland race now are competing with MX fans for motel space and rental cars.
Gee Johnson, why not raise the price of lodging even more so nobody comes to the Portland race!!!!

How many other race series has he run into the ground?

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by Tony Clifton

How many other race series has he run into the ground?

Well, if he had anything to do with SCCA Pro Racing I can think of a couple.

But seriously, Portland does not usually have a problem with accommodation or rental cars. Sure, if you want to stay at Jantzen Beach it's either expensive or booked up or both, but with Vancouver, WA right across the bridge it's fine. The bridge is congested early on Fridays but never a problem the rest of the weekend (of course, we working stiffs get there before the spectators do). And with the Metrolink station right there now it's a slamdunk. Do you REALLY need a rental car?

Have you looked at where the motocross is being staged? It's on the Washington State side of the river a ways northeast, surrounded by campgrounds. In my experience we used to get more "leakage" to the local short track across the freeway than to motocross.

I for one like the new date even though we'll miss the roses. It rains less often in July. The tourists are out in July (read, casual spectators). And this date opens the door to a possible doubleheader with ALMS in the future, since ALMS held the date before.

Some people (especially in the Portland media) just want to moan and groan. We're just happy to have our race.

keke

[bil588]

I loved the rooster tails at P.I.R. this year!

I thrilled they will be back. Who will be the promoter?

More challenging track?

You've got to get this turn right as you head down the backstretch

[JohnSSC]

That porta-john in the first picture should provide some interesting moments...

[blueflagger]

Just think of it as a moveable chicane John.

[MCWB]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

That porta-john in the first picture should provide some interesting moments...

Get it wrong and you're in the proverbial.

[JohnSSC]

At least if there are any really exciting "moments" in that corner, relief is nearby...

Of course, I remember when a porta-john would have been a huge improvement over the "facilities" at some tracks way back when...

[Leighton Irwin]

I like the car retrival equipment in both pictures. Real close to trackside + two powerful looking marshalls. Friends of yours blueflagger? They are in a rather dangerous position but from the size of them the car might get the worst of it.

[racerkeke]

Wow. That first pic is turn 7 -- there's not even a station there, just a hole for a rescue truck. Guess they're gonna have to put a flag stand there now. And 8 (second pic) seems to be tighter and more blind at the exit. Hmmmm....

keke

And, Leighton, I know at least one of the guys in the pic and I'm LMHO.

[JohnSSC]

Especially the steamroller, Leighton! Rather than retrieve the car, just make it part of the runoff area...

[blueflagger]

Originally Posted by Leighton Irwin

Friends of yours blueflagger?

Yep. Even if I don't know 'em yet. It's always good to have a "towcar" sized marshal in your corner.

[icemachine]

http://wheels.ca/article/33027

Steelback won't stop race support
`Business as usual' says organizer of Grand Prix

Rick Westhead and Tony Van Alphen
Business Reporters
Nov 21, 2007

The restructuring of insolvent Steelback Breweries is raising questions on whether the company can meet some of its sponsorship commitments, but an organizer for a major car race here says there won't be any change at his event.

Charlie Johnstone, president of the Grand Prix Association of Toronto, said yesterday Steelback's new management has assured the venerable July race that "it's business as usual" in maintaining the company's title sponsorship.

Johnstone said he is set to meet next month with the Sherman family whose Wasanda Enterprises controls Steelback and D'Angelo Brands, a related insolvent beverage company.

"I don't have any reason to expect that they won't go ahead with the sponsorship," Johnstone said, adding that the Shermans "love the event."

Good to see this, hopefully we get a better race (and better beer) next year

[indycool]

Read the last four paragraphs.

[icemachine]

For the exposure they get, being Title Sponsor of the Toronto Grand Prix is better than any other marketing they've done. From what I've heard from my contacts in the craft beer markets, Steelback still plans to continue brewing. I'm pretty sure they will keep this and a few other worthwhile sponsorships while dropping the rest.

[indycool]

Guess that'll depend on how they restructure $120m in debt.

Status of another sponsor:

http://valleywag.com/tech/deathwatch...all-321606.php

[icemachine]

Looks like it would be an interesting race, hopefully it comes about.

http://tsn.ca/auto_racing/Champ_Car/...to_racing-cart

The ink is barely dry on Champ Car's 2008 schedule but the open-wheel series is already looking ahead to 2009.

According to a report in The Tennessean, Champ Car officials have expressed an interest in staging a road race in Nashville in 2009.

[Fogelhund]

The cost of sponsoring the event, is far too high for a company with revenues of Steelback. I believe Steelback the company will be disolved, but even if it is kept as a pet project for Sherman's son, the Toronto event sponsorship will be eliminated as soon as possible.

I wouldn't place any money on any Nashville race happening, as interesting as it looks.

[indycool]

A race in Nashville would go "against the grain." CC has just switched from Montreal to the permanent course at Mont Tremblant, and from San Jose to Laguna Seca, and is looking more internationally. It just lost Vegas in a sea of red ink and now it goes to another town which already has a perfectly functioning race track. IMO, one approach and the reporting of it is a LONG way from having a race, and if the city fathers there contact their counterparts in San Jose or Vegas, uh-uh.

[Leighton Irwin]

IC: CC didn't leave Mtl. because they wanted to. They were forced out by the promoter and NAPCAR.

[indycool]

Still, by the time they got done wheelin' and dealin', they stayed in the Montreal market by switching to Mont Tremblant. Same could be said for San Jose-Laguna Seca. CC wants to be there, so they made deals to be in the neighborhood. Legault, the Montreal promoter, has some of the action at Mont Tremblant.

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by indycool

Guess that'll depend on how they restructure $120m in debt.

Status of another sponsor:

http://valleywag.com/tech/deathwatch...all-321606.php

Great news here about Pay by Touch. I hope they don't let a little thing like not paying the employees stop them from their continued support as another fine sponsor of CC. The folks working there can always get a part-time job somewhere so they can buy food knowing they are doing their part to keep a CC team afloat.

Where is iRise when you need them?

Steelback will continue to "support" racing but it is entirely possible that some humorless bankruptcy judge is going to direct the responsible parties there to direct the cash away from their all-important financial support of CC.

There seems to be a bit of a trend developing here with sponsors who seemingly are on the same sort of financial ground as CC occupies.

[D.R.T.]

I dont know what your getting at there John, but it does appear to be off topic which is of concern.

In other news there have been rumblings of Donnington Park being placed in the 08 schedule following Assen. So we will see what happens there over the next few weeks, apparently all submissions to the FIA need to be in by 4th of December.

[indycool]

Rumors are still going, the FIA deadline is Dec. 4 and CC is still screwing around with its schedule. What's new?

[D.R.T.]

I am not sure if screwing around is the right term.

If a venue can be added, and if that circuit is Donnington Park I feel that this would be a plus. An extra venue that isnt on the schedule would be beneficial to the series, would it not ?

[indycool]

At this time, yes, it would help if all it is requires putting Donington on the schedule a week before or after Assen.

But forum members have pointed out what Assen is running against in September over there. IMO, the FIA will have a hard time approving the September date. If so, they'll have the same with Donington.

The only thing I can figure out is that CC is trying for some track rental leverage with Jerez and Zolder for the best deal, then when the FIA turns down Assen's September date, it moves Assen back to June with one of the others.

I believe the Assen date is like China's in '07 -- throw it on there and try to change it later.

That said, I fail to comprehend what the CC management does about its scheduling in April and May and June for the next year to have a solid schedule by an appropriate date like all other series -- both in the U.S. and in Europe -- do. When they aren't on the ball, other series are getting the preferred dates and CC gets what's left over.

Why didn't they try to strike a bargain with Donington in March?