CART to race on Brands Indy circuit again next year

corkholio · 17 May 2003, 09:27 (Ref:601656)

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlin...16065255.shtml

Quote:

Pook also ruled out the use of the full-length GP circuit at Brands Hatch next year, because the cost of upgrading the British track to accommodate CART's series would be prohibitive.

"I don't think we'll get there, as much as we want it done," he added. "The long circuit is a $850,000 fix."

All which would lead me to believe that CART must have bought Raceworks (Miami) for less than the price of the Driven DVD.

**Craig** · 17 May 2003, 09:32 (Ref:601659)

Big mistake that. Based on the 'show' they put on this year I think they'll be lucky to get 10-15,000 spectators if they use the short circuit again.

f1manoz · 17 May 2003, 09:35 (Ref:601661)

The 'show' was only bad because of the fuel rules. If they fix it up for next year, the race will be better.

**Craig** · 17 May 2003, 09:39 (Ref:601663)

There was no attempts to pass because of the fuel rules, correct but, as has been pointed out by the teams and drivers already, there would have been next to no opportunity to pass anyway.

What people were ****ed off about was the complete lack of any passing and that needs to be fixed - but changing the fuel rules on their own is not going to change the perception of the spectators who were there. They need to add more passing opportunities and the only way to do that is to run the long course.

f1manoz · 17 May 2003, 09:41 (Ref:601666)

Or go back to Rockingham?

**Craig** · 17 May 2003, 09:46 (Ref:601670)

That might work. But that really wasn't such a great success story either, was it?

DNQ · 17 May 2003, 12:47 (Ref:601715)

Quote:

Originally posted by f1manoz
The 'show' was only bad because of the fuel rules. If they fix it up for next year, the race will be better.

Yeah, it'll be much better I am sure.

racingdick · 17 May 2003, 13:08 (Ref:601729)

i may heve missed out on something but what were the fuel rules

Lee Janotta · 17 May 2003, 14:22 (Ref:601781)

Another broken promise. Typical.

Alienate the fans, a great way to run a racing series!

corkholio · 17 May 2003, 15:16 (Ref:601814)

Remember, to Pook, the real fans are the ones who only show up for their local street race, get **** drunk before the morning warmup, and never follow the series afterwards.

Besides, the more Brands looks like a street circuit the higher the attendence, which is all that matters, right?

Jay · 17 May 2003, 18:25 (Ref:601940)

That's extremely dissapointing, but in another way not too surprising. I understand there've been a lot of issues with bringing up the rest of the circuit up to Cart standards.

The fuel rules didn't help at all, but I didn't see more than a half passing spot there, so even if they're pushing hard there won't be a ton of passes. That said, you didn't even feel any drivers were really being pressured for their positions, which would have at least made it interesting to watch, even if the passes weren't successful.

I didn't think the ticket prices looked too bad, and the line up for the weekend was very good, so hopefully people will come back. I mean, every series has a snoozer every now and then... I would have been more interested in making the trip to the UK for the race if they were on the GP circuit, that said, it still looks like an amazing weekend of racing..so it's tough to pass up.

tanalised · 17 May 2003, 19:57 (Ref:602027)

poor decision IMO by Pook and co. This years race was the dullest CART race I've watched in a while.

macdaddy · 17 May 2003, 19:58 (Ref:602028)

Lee, I don't think that this is a case of "broken promises," as I don't remember Pook ever saying that they'd be running the GP next year.

racefanatic · 17 May 2003, 20:12 (Ref:602042)

I can't remember- why did they drop Rcckingham? Was it money issues?

racefanatic · 17 May 2003, 20:13 (Ref:602043)

Rockingham. Sorry.

Lee Janotta · 17 May 2003, 20:23 (Ref:602054)

CART's PR people have been promising for months that it'd be on the GP circuit. But of course, electronic info goes *poof* as soon as it's out of date.

macdaddy · 17 May 2003, 20:51 (Ref:602071)

I think Rockingham was more to do with attendace-issues.

corkholio · 17 May 2003, 21:43 (Ref:602127)

Quote:

Originally posted by Lee Janotta
CART's PR people have been promising for months that it'd be on the GP circuit. But of course, electronic info goes *poof* as soon as it's out of date.

What did you expect? Within the last 7 years the only organization that has more broken promises is the IRL.

Elio · 17 May 2003, 22:07 (Ref:602148)

I do wish these Rockingham fans would stop suggesting that CART go back there. CART hardly overtook at Rockingham in the 2 years that they were there. As far as I know it`s a so-called one-groove track and doesn`t lend itself to overtaking at all. I`d sooner watch CART not overtake at Brands than not overtake at Rockingham.

Elio · 17 May 2003, 22:12 (Ref:602151)

PS Fencing still up at Brands 2 weeks later however tarmac run-off at Paddock is now a sea of glorious gravel again. At least one thing is now better on the eye. Oh, and the GP loop is still pristene as well - one thing it won`t be if CART ever get on it. Keep them on the Indy I say (and hold fire on the no-overtaking rants until we`ve let them have a go with sensible fuel loads next year).

Jordi · 17 May 2003, 23:12 (Ref:602201)

You all seem to have very little patience. Most of you have gotten to see them live, at least!
I'd die to watch CART, but it's not very easy for a 17-year-old to travel to Germany on England... And if I saw them live, I wouldn't care if they didn't pass.

pirenzo · 17 May 2003, 23:44 (Ref:602229)

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig Antill
Big mistake that. Based on the 'show' they put on this year I think they'll be lucky to get 10-15,000 spectators if they use the short circuit again.

I took a very long look down to Hawthorn on the day, and just spent a while imagining what it would be like.

Huge mistake. Pook says the fans like the Indy circuit cos they can see all of it, but given popular opinion, it seems he's got it wrong. Everyone i know who went agrees that the GP circuit is a must in the near future.

Jay · 18 May 2003, 00:58 (Ref:602265)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jordi
You all seem to have very little patience. Most of you have gotten to see them live, at least!
I'd die to watch CART, but it's not very easy for a 17-year-old to travel to Germany on England... And if I saw them live, I wouldn't care if they didn't pass.

Excellent point! Hope you do make it to a race in the near future. I think the Brits are a little spoiled when it comes to racing. I can't think of anywhere else in the world where there are so many good circuits with so many events in such a small area. In most of North America, apart from dirt track racing, there may only be one or two annual events for hundreds of miles around, so when they come they're always packed. I wonder if some of the Brits might be expecting a little much from Champ car racing...

Lee Janotta · 18 May 2003, 02:07 (Ref:602278)

CART only has a few more years if they don't turn things around, there's no more time to wait!

Jay · 18 May 2003, 05:49 (Ref:602330)

Yeah, but this race is hardly a make or break for Cart's future. There are probably better things to spend the 850,000 on than upgrading one circuit for one race. It is dissappointing though. In some ways, I wonder if they'd be better off racing at a track like Silverstone that's already to standard...do you think people would come to that though?

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