Mexican street race?

[nigelred5]

According to MarkC, IRL officials are talking with Mexican officials about a street race. I guess GF still controls Hermanos Rodriguez and doesn't want to play? Why on earth would they do a street race?

Jarrambide, hear anything about this?

[Cart750hp]

Why on earth would they do a street race?

Your answered your own question: "I guess GF still controls Hermanos Rodriguez and doesn't want to play?"

[jarrambide]

According to MarkC, IRL officials are talking with Mexican officials about a street race. I guess GF still controls Hermanos Rodriguez and doesn't want to play? Why on earth would they do a street race?

Jarrambide, hear anything about this?

Forsythe still has a contract with Hermanos Rodriguez and Fundidora Park in Monterrey can´t be use anymore for racing, they had an event last year in Monterrey called "The Universal Forum of Cultures", they decided to use Fundidora Park as the bigger site of the event, they had to construct buildings to host new museums and theaters and they also constructed some amenities, even tough they didn´t construct over the track (the track is used by joggers and bicycle riders), they did construct next to the track, making racing impossible, Guadalajara´s track is a joke and Puebla´s track is nothing to write home about, the track could be an alternative, it is relatively new, they fixed the problems the track had during the WTCC and even tough is not stellar it is not a bad track, but Puebla is not a big city, in a third world country you need the race to be in a huge city, not many can travel to go to the race, so you need as many potential clients as possible.

I have not hear anything yet, but without HR and FP the only options are using streets, but A1GP had that idea already and as hard as they try they couldn´t find a city that could be use for a street race, there is just no way to have a good course in the bigger cities of Mexico.

[BobGarage]

there was talk a good few months ago about CC returning to the monterrey area for a street course. Michel Jourdain Sr was involved.

Is this the same project, just concentrating on the IRL now?

[Jonesi]

What ever happened to the proposed F1 street race in Cancun? Did that die completely?

[jarrambide]

What ever happened to the proposed F1 street race in Cancun? Did that die completely?
The Cancún project was not a street race, well, the original Cancún plan was a street race that supposedly was not even looked by F1, the second project which was the one that made the newspapers involved building a race track.

The state of Quintanaroo was the one talking to the media about the project, Bernie just talked about Cancún one time if I remember correctly, saying that it was of various possible future races, the government of QR has not talk about the race in quite a while.

[Placid]

The Cancún project was not a street race, well, the original Cancún plan was a street race that supposedly was not even looked by F1, the second project which was the one that made the newspapers involved building a race track.

The state of Quintanaroo was the one talking to the media about the project, Bernie just talked about Cancún one time if I remember correctly, saying that it was of various possible future races, the government of QR has not talk about the race in quite a while.
The proposed track was a double-8 like Suzuka 8-track. there are 2 parts.

But Hurricane Wilma silenced the project. It went nowhere. I did not like the
track. No way they can have a track in Hurricane Alley.

Proposed track:
http://img52.exs.cx/img52/2823/PistaCancn.jpg

Spanish language.

[nigelred5]

The proposed track was a double-8 like Suzuka 8-track. there are 2 parts.

But Hurricane Wilma silenced the project. It went nowhere. I did not like the
track. No way they can have a track in Hurricane Alley.

Proposed track:
http://img52.exs.cx/img52/2823/PistaCancn.jpg

Spanish language.

You mean like in Homestead? Where south Florida was literally and completely flattened by Hurricane Andrew.

Wasn't the owner of the Palace resorts involved in that proposal?

[Dr. Krogshöj]

It would be a pity if GF blocked using the Autodromo, it's one of the classic road courses of the world. The Peraltada is breath taking, the front straight is wide and Turn One is a great passing zone, the esses a great driving challenge.

However, if that is the case, I'd rather see the Indycars on the Puebla oval than a street course. It is a low banked 1.3 mile oval, and I like such tracks. However, it doesn't have any runoff area between the track and the inside wall, so might not be safe enough for Indycars. Plus, it doesn't have SAFER walls as of now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgfIry93cJA

[nigelred5]

Yow that place it tight! I can't believe they built the inside walls so close to the turns. by the time they added safer barriers inside and out there would barely be any room to race. Looks like a nice facility otherwise.

If they are going to race in Mexico, it needs to be in Mexico City at the Autodromo.

[Jacques]

I don't think GF is involved with Autodromo anymore.
I think the issue is that Nascar/GrandAm, and even A1GP, are now outdrawing North American OW there, too. Who will sponsor it ? Not racing there this year is not going to help matters, at all.

[garyshell]

I don't think GF is involved with Autodromo anymore.
I think the issue is that Nascar/GrandAm, and even A1GP, are now outdrawing North American OW there, too. Who will sponsor it ? Not racing there this year is not going to help matters, at all.


I don't think the NASCAR race is long for this world. If you listened to DW last night on Wind Tunnel, he said pretty much that same thing. Just like the other ventures NASCAR has made out of country. They draw well the first year and then attendance quickly falls off as the novelty fades away.

Gary

[Jacques]

I don't think the NASCAR race is long for this world. If you listened to DW last night on Wind Tunnel, he said pretty much that same thing. Just like the other ventures NASCAR has made out of country. They draw well the first year and then attendance quickly falls off as the novelty fades away.

Gary
I don't know the real numbers, but Nascar did better than GrandAm and A1GP appeared to be close to CC. That, mind you, is only from the photos or tv shots I have seen, so it is not reliable.
Despite DW, Nascar does want to resign for another 5 years or so. A1GP, it appears to me, is actually growing. The problem is that by next year, there might not be anyone to talk with about an IRL race there.

I guess that part of the issue is that Mexico may not have a very strong or deep racing tradition .... I could be wrong, but that is what it appears to me.

[jarrambide]

I don't know the real numbers, but Nascar did better than GrandAm and A1GP appeared to be close to CC. That, mind you, is only from the photos or tv shots I have seen, so it is not reliable.
Despite DW, Nascar does want to resign for another 5 years or so. A1GP, it appears to me, is actually growing. The problem is that by next year, there might not be anyone to talk with about an IRL race there.

I guess that part of the issue is that Mexico may not have a very strong or deep racing tradition .... I could be wrong, but that is what it appears to me.


Mexico had F1 races in the 60´s and the 80´s and 90´s and more than a couple of national racing series well before that time, the problem is not that here is not a deep racing tradition, NASCAR, Grand Am and A1GP do not have a huge following in the country, F1 has a huge following since ever, CART was making a a great job of capitalizing all those OW fans, specially in the Fernandez days, years before the first CART race in Mexico (I´m not counting those 2 races in the 80`s), every CART race was shown live on Network TV, with huge ratings, then Monterrey had the chance to host a race and if not mistaken broke the weekend record of CART not counting when CART used to have the 500, and then Mexico City broke that record by a huge margin, you had Mexican companies fighting to sponsor cars, Herdez, Tecate, Corona, Nextel Mexico, Gigante, etc, etc.

The tradition, the fans and the following was there, but the truth is that the problem is that Mexico received a very different product, from CART to CC, the loss of great drivers, teams, sponsors, etc, etc, etc, from more than 20 cars to 20 to 18, add to that that the last races in Monterrey and Mexico City had horrible, horrible organization and you get why not many are fighting now to sponsor an IndyCar race, specially when OCESA is still controlling Hermanos Rodriguez.

[TioWoody]

Mexico had F1 races in the 60´s and the 80´s and 90´s and more than a couple of national racing series well before that time, the problem is not that here is not a deep racing tradition, NASCAR, Grand Am and A1GP do not have a huge following in the country, F1 has a huge following since ever, CART was making a a great job of capitalizing all those OW fans, specially in the Fernandez days, years before the first CART race in Mexico (I´m not counting those 2 races in the 80`s), every CART race was shown live on Network TV, with huge ratings, then Monterrey had the chance to host a race and if not mistaken broke the weekend record of CART not counting when CART used to have the 500, and then Mexico City broke that record by a huge margin, you had Mexican companies fighting to sponsor cars, Herdez, Tecate, Corona, Nextel Mexico, Gigante, etc, etc.

The tradition, the fans and the following was there, but the truth is that the problem is that Mexico received a very different product, from CART to CC, the loss of great drivers, teams, sponsors, etc, etc, etc, from more than 20 cars to 20 to 18, add to that that the last races in Monterrey and Mexico City had horrible, horrible organization and you get why not many are fighting now to sponsor an IndyCar race, specially when OCESA is still controlling Hermanos Rodriguez.

Jose you could have emphasized one other important factor. Mexican drivers. As one who attended four of the CART/CC races it became obvious that the race needed local heroes. The race in 2001 had three (if my old memory serves me right) contenders. The last race I attended (2006) had just Mario D - and few fans. In reality, the races in DF should have been called - and obviously included - Seria de Adrian. He is (was?) a national hero.

I know nothing about GF's ownership rights, but it would tick me off if he got in the way of a new race (sorry I have to say it) with turbos at Hermanos. There are just too many great fans and great restaurants that are deserving of the best the TG can offer.

[ShiftingGears]

It would be a pity if GF blocked using the Autodromo, it's one of the classic road courses of the world. The Peraltada is breath taking, the front straight is wide and Turn One is a great passing zone, the esses a great driving challenge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgfIry93cJA

Yeah, but when was the last time American Open Wheelers went through the Peraltada without that chicane?

With the chicane in place its just another corner.

[Rogelio]

The Mexican market needs to be exploited by the IRL. Champ Car was very popular and successful in the years of Fernandez, Jourdain, Dominguez and Lavin. The Latino market is something that the IRL should take into serious consideration. The West Coast along with the Southwest have an untapped market that can certainly bring a boost the series.

Monterey is a modern industiral city in the North of Mexico and if a street race can be done, then it would greatly benefit the series. As the series rebuilds and prospers, it should do its best to avoid the NASCAR dominated tracks. Hey once the series is healthy again, then bring on NASCAR.

[!!WALDO!!]

The Mexican market needs to be exploited by the IRL. Champ Car was very popular and successful in the years of Fernandez, Jourdain, Dominguez and Lavin. The Latino market is something that the IRL should take into serious consideration. The West Coast along with the Southwest have an untapped market that can certainly bring a boost the series.

Monterey is a modern industiral city in the North of Mexico and if a street race can be done, then it would greatly benefit the series. As the series rebuilds and prospers, it should do its best to avoid the NASCAR dominated tracks. Hey once the series is healthy again, then bring on NASCAR.

Didn't I read somewhere that Gerry Forsythe cannot show up in Mexico because he owes $1,000,000 or more to the government in the Monterrey area. It was all over the place at the time and the Jargon Joe was doing his bidding at these events.

I see that we need to dump those NASCAR tracks that sell 70,000 season packages in favor of races that we need to get 200,000 to break even.
So without building a racetrack then how many people are needed to cover a $400,000 net purse? Forget racetrack expenses as they have their money for the year and debt service thanks to that TV contract.

Then compare that to the LBGP with a net cost at around $7,000,000 and thanks to the IRL, $4,000,000 to cover purse and Atlantics left Kalkhoven and Forsythe with a $2,000,000 bill.

Both shows make/made money but believe it or not, Kansas will make 1.5 times more.

(NO REFERENCE TO ANY POSTER, LIVING, DEAD or NOT YET BORN.)

[jarrambide]

Jose you could have emphasized one other important factor. Mexican drivers. As one who attended four of the CART/CC races it became obvious that the race needed local heroes. The race in 2001 had three (if my old memory serves me right) contenders. The last race I attended (2006) had just Mario D - and few fans. In reality, the races in DF should have been called - and obviously included - Seria de Adrian. He is (was?) a national hero.

I know nothing about GF's ownership rights, but it would tick me off if he got in the way of a new race (sorry I have to say it) with turbos at Hermanos. There are just too many great fans and great restaurants that are deserving of the best the TG can offer.
You8 are right I missed that factor.

[nigelred5]

Yeah, but when was the last time American Open Wheelers went through the Peraltada without that chicane?

With the chicane in place its just another corner.

Yeah, I've never understood all the concern there. It's ok to do 220+ through the 4 corners at Indy for 200 laps with Zero runoff in the corners, but the Peraltada is too dangerous?

[Placid]

Yeah, I've never understood all the concern there. It's ok to do 220+ through the 4 corners at Indy for 200 laps with Zero runoff in the corners, but the Peraltada is too dangerous?
That is correct. The Peraltada is like the Parabolica at Monza. The difference
is that there is a gravel trap in the Parabolica. The Peraltada has the wall.

[Dave Brock]

I don't think GF is involved with Autodromo anymore.
I think the issue is that Nascar/GrandAm, and even A1GP, are now outdrawing North American OW there, too. Who will sponsor it ? Not racing there this year is not going to help matters, at all.

Hey I don't THINK that GF has a face or is alive anymore....and I also don't THINK A1GP is a real competition...
I also THINK than our southern neighbors are growing LESS interested in the export of NorthAmerican racing to their country....
AND I also THINK that what I THINK has as little value as that which you might conjure up.
I THINK that people who come here to see what other people might THINK are in all actuality unable to formulate a decision OR are looking for the largest bandwagon to jump on so that they can find accecptence & security in the number of people who THINK the same way.

FACTS not THOUGHTS are where the meat is...
Charlie Manson THINKS we should all be killed, and he is a famous person, does that make him right? or popular or even a consideration in terms of anything?
Prove to me that the guy you agree with here ISN'T the monster himself!
You need to come to these forums with facts or questions because opinions are only as valuable as phlogiston.
Of course this is all just MY OPINION, at least it isn't someone elses that I am promoting for the sake of publishing something on a web forum or sucking up to a virtual hero. ;)

[Jacques]

Hey I don't THINK that GF has a face or is alive anymore....and I also don't THINK A1GP is a real competition...
I also THINK than our southern neighbors are growing LESS interested in the export of NorthAmerican racing to their country....
AND I also THINK that what I THINK has as little value as that which you might conjure up.
I THINK that people who come here to see what other people might THINK are in all actuality unable to formulate a decision OR are looking for the largest bandwagon to jump on so that they can find accecptence & security in the number of people who THINK the same way.

FACTS not THOUGHTS are where the meat is...
Charlie Manson THINKS we should all be killed, and he is a famous person, does that make him right? or popular or even a consideration in terms of anything?
Prove to me that the guy you agree with here ISN'T the monster himself!
You need to come to these forums with facts or questions because opinions are only as valuable as phlogiston.
Of course this is all just MY OPINION, at least it isn't someone elses that I am promoting for the sake of publishing something on a web forum or sucking up to a virtual hero. ;)
Your desire would put an end to forums as we know them .....
... having said, I did ask a question ;)

Besides, facts are not everything. You should know that by now. :)