Indy at Daytona?

[MDS]

Most everyone remembers the test that happened at Daytona International a couple of years ago. Well, with DIS talking about repaving the track it supposedly opens up the idea of an IRL race at the Daytona road course again.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02021209.htm


Two years ago, the Indy Racing League staged a two-day test at Daytona, and those bumps were among the reasons given for the improbability that the low-slung Indy-cars could ever race here. A smoother track might bring that possibility back into play."Knowing it's $20 million," said (DIS President Robin) Braig, "and if you could fill the place up for Indy-cars . . . you need a return on your investment."


If they could somehow move the season ending race from Homestead to Daytona I think it would be a great thing for the sport and give the IRL another high profile event and a big stage to end the season on.

That said it will never happen. I don't have any faith in the management or Vision of Tony George.

[DanicaFan]

Interesting. I figured the banking is to high at Daytona for them to race there.

[Andrewmcm]

On the oval yes, they'd be doing 250mph or something daft. The road course package configuration would help to keep the speed down on the oval sections of the track if they ran the roval.

[MDS]

A two-hour or more event with 24-28 cars, a large purse and the Vanderbilt Cup awarded at the end, that would be a fitting way to end the season.

Hell while we're dreaming we might as well add Michigan, California and Montreal to the schedule too.

[DirtDevil5]

Most everyone remembers the test that happened at Daytona International a couple of years ago. Well, with DIS talking about repaving the track it supposedly opens up the idea of an IRL race at the Daytona road course again.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02021209.htm



If they could somehow move the season ending race from Homestead to Daytona I think it would be a great thing for the sport and give the IRL another high profile event and a big stage to end the season on.

That said it will never happen. I don't have any faith in the management or Vision of Tony George.


either do I,,,

don't forget about Cleveland (4th July weekend) to replace
any number of crap IRL cookie/cutter races & Sanoma

[champcarray]

I know that the Indy car series is weak, but I can't believe that NASCAR will ever let them race there. I still can't figure out why the Frances even let them test there...

[Rex Monaco]

I know that the Indy car series is weak, but I can't believe that NASCAR will ever let them race there. I still can't figure out why the Frances even let them test there...

TG could always use the BY400 as a weapon.

Oh wait, no he can't. How would he pay for the IRL?

[nigelred5]

I will comfortably use the word never here.

[Hoop-98]

TG could always use the BY400 as a weapon.

Oh wait, no he can't. How would he pay for the IRL?

Maybe he could get Andrew Craig to take the IRL public?

[call_me_andrew]

On the oval yes, they'd be doing 250mph or something daft. The road course package configuration would help to keep the speed down on the oval sections of the track if they ran the roval.

I was thinking about the notion of IndyCars on the oval just the other day. The oval is way too bumpy for IndyCar right now, but I'm sure they'll fix it soon. It's at the point where it's too bumpy for stock cars (but hey, there's still Talladega). I don't think they'd reach 250. Speeds would probably be closer to what they ran at Michigan.


I know that the Indy car series is weak, but I can't believe that NASCAR will ever let them race there. I still can't figure out why the Frances even let them test there...

TG let NASCAR into IMS. Turnabout is fair play.

And let's not forget that the was a USAC raced on the Oval in April 1959.

[ShiftingGears]

I'd rather the IRL get a better car so the races would be more spectacular, gaining more sponsors, resulting in more quality drivers in the series and less Milka Duno.

[Wade91]

i think it would be awesome to see indycar at daytona :)

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Would anyone show up at Daytone for anyting other than NASCAR? I mean look at the attendance of the Rolex 24 Hours. It's a world famous event, it gets good media coverage, it attracts the best drivers from all American motorsports and a 24 hour endurance race is always a unique experience.

[MDS]

Doc, Endurance racing rarely gathers a huge crowd. Oddly Le Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta has a bigger draw than the 24 hours.

Daytona hosts a well attended AMA race. Could they fill up the track, I'm not sure, but they could probably draw a decent crowd and good television numbers.

[nigelred5]

Would anyone show up at Daytone for anyting other than NASCAR? I mean look at the attendance of the Rolex 24 Hours. It's a world famous event, it gets good media coverage, it attracts the best drivers from all American motorsports and a 24 hour endurance race is always a unique experience.

As competetive as the racing actually is in Grand Am, and I do watch and follow it since it's the only major non-stock car, non-oval series that comes anywhere near me any more, they need to do something about the appearance of the DP's. They look like a bunch of cuttlefish lapping the track.

[F1boat]

It'd be cool if they use the roval :)

[FIAT1]

Problem with irl is irl. Why daytona? Why nascar type a racing. Why not Indycar as it should be, 1990 s.

[call_me_andrew]

Problem with irl is irl. Why daytona? Why nascar type a racing. Why not Indycar as it should be, 1990 s.

I think the only thing that separates OW from stock car racing is snobishness. NASCAR grew because it went to tracks like Fontana, Michigan, Loudon, and Indy. Before NASCAR went there, they were open wheel tracks. NASCAR boomed because it mimicked CART.

A few months ago I made a poll on the forums at Speedtv.com about what tracks they'd like to see IndyCar at. I named Road Atlanta and a lot of NASCAR tracks, and Road Atlanta won because as most responders claimed, "everything else was a NASCAR track". It's a good thing I don't believe in the "fear of success" that psychiatrists talk about, otherwise I might have to make a diagnosis.

[El Libertador]

I'd rather the IRL get a better car so the races would be more spectacular, gaining more sponsors, resulting in more quality drivers in the series and less Milka Duno.

I agree. The current schedule has flaws (no Road America, Cleveland, Mont-Tremblant, Michigan, Fontana, etc), but the real flaw isn't the tracks, but rather the cars. I could list a whole hell of a lot of entertaining road and street course races from ALMS, Grand-Am, Champ Car, even Formula 1. There's nothing wrong with those tracks, it's just the car was designed for ovals and it is underpowered.

As far as Daytona goes, I vote no. It looks like the future IRL package will have different horsepower for ovals and road courses, so what happens on a roval? With all the banking, they'll have to use the oval hp, but that'll make the cars sluggish and embarrassing on the road course part. And besides, I thought it was common knowledge that the ISC tried to (and sort of succeeded) in killing American open wheel racing and staying away from them was a good idea...

[call_me_andrew]

I'd just like to remind everyone of two facts:

1. The IndyCar test used the 2.95 mile MOTORCYCLE course, not the 3.56 mile SPORTS CAR course.

2. Banking speed is irrelevent due to the chicane. They won't hit full speed until well after the banking.

[F1boat]

I think the only thing that separates OW from stock car racing is snobishness.

I agree. Whenever an idea for a new race comes, I note that many people immediately mention the good ol' days. Nostalgia is nice, but for post-spilt fans it is pretty meaningless sometimes, like F1 fan who is constantly reminding fans for the 70-s and 80-s action and tracks...

[Rex Monaco]

NASCAR grew because it went to tracks like Fontana, Michigan, Loudon, and Indy. Before NASCAR went there, they were open wheel tracks. NASCAR boomed because it mimicked CART.

It's been over 10 years, but I can still recall that when Fontana first opened it's doors in 1997 it had both a NASCAR race and a CART race on it's first year schedule.

I'm not sure which series commited to the track first before it was completed but NASCAR was the first race at the track. So to claim this track was an open wheeled track before NASCAR arrived is just factually incorrect.

As for NASCAR supposedly mimicking CART, there are two major things that NASCAR didn't do. One it didn't go street racing and two it didn't expand into foreign markets.

With the exception of 2 road races one of which was on the schedule in the late '50's, NASCAR has remained an oval series. I don't think anyone would claim that CART was oval series.

Ironically, it appear's 'snobbish' of you to claim the reason for NASCARs success was that it mimicked CART.

NASCAR succeeded because NASCAR stuck to it's own strategy and expanded their series to new oval tracks in new markets. CART benefited from their success by getting to race on a few new oval tracks that would not have otherwise been built.

And some quick fact checking also shows that NASCAR raced at Michigan (1969) and Laudon (1990) before CART. And out of curiousity, I checked Watkins Glen (1958) and Sears Point.

While Sears Point could be considerd a race that NASCAR added after CART, it is also a road race they added to the schedule after the demise of their other west coast road race, Riverside. A race that dated back to the '60's.

So even the road courses on NASCAR's schedule predate the formation of CART.

[call_me_andrew]

It's been over 10 years, but I can still recall that when Fontana first opened it's doors in 1997 it had both a NASCAR race and a CART race on it's first year schedule.

I'm not sure which series commited to the track first before it was completed but NASCAR was the first race at the track. So to claim this track was an open wheeled track before NASCAR arrived is just factually incorrect.

As for NASCAR supposedly mimicking CART, there are two major things that NASCAR didn't do. One it didn't go street racing and two it didn't expand into foreign markets.

With the exception of 2 road races one of which was on the schedule in the late '50's, NASCAR has remained an oval series. I don't think anyone would claim that CART was oval series.

Ironically, it appear's 'snobbish' of you to claim the reason for NASCARs success was that it mimicked CART.

NASCAR succeeded because NASCAR stuck to it's own strategy and expanded their series to new oval tracks in new markets. CART benefited from their success by getting to race on a few new oval tracks that would not have otherwise been built.

And some quick fact checking also shows that NASCAR raced at Michigan (1969) and Laudon (1990) before CART. And out of curiousity, I checked Watkins Glen (1958) and Sears Point.

While Sears Point could be considerd a race that NASCAR added after CART, it is also a road race they added to the schedule after the demise of their other west coast road race, Riverside. A race that dated back to the '60's.

So even the road courses on NASCAR's schedule predate the formation of CART.

Fontana was built by Penske and Penske used his pulll with CART to get races there. NASCAR was just following along.

NASCAR didn't race at Loudon until 1993. CART was there in 1990.

You might want to take a look at the garages at Michigan. NASCAR teams frequently remark at how small they are because they were built for open-wheel cars. And USAC had an Indycar race at Michigan on October 13, 1968.

And the Daytona Beach Course was technically a street course. But that started before NASCAR. And if you want to talk foreign expansion, let's consider the Nationwide race in Montreal (technically a street course), the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and the NASCAR Corona Series.

[Rex Monaco]

NASCAR was just following along.

Ok, sure. NASCAR followed CART and the proof is that they both raced at Fontana the first year and some NASCAR drivers complained about some garages being too small back in the USAC days.

It is all very clear to me now.

[FIAT1]

[quote="call_me_andrew"]I think the only thing that separates OW from stock car racing is snobishness.


Irl 2nd problem, opinions like this one. Comparing 1990 OW racing to stock car is [with respect] idiotic. Snobishness? NO! Love for real racing with real race cars on the great race tracks like Road America would be more accurate.

[FIAT1]

I agree. Whenever an idea for a new race comes, I note that many people immediately mention the good ol' days. Nostalgia is nice, but for post-spilt fans it is pretty meaningless sometimes, like F1 fan who is constantly reminding fans for the 70-s and 80-s action and tracks...

Wrong. It is not obout something new or good ol days, it is obout what works and not. Packed stands, Indy was the race and sold in advance, latest tech ,broken records every year,fast cars with big hp, talent needed to drive them, turbo sound, Road America, Cleveland, Toronto, a nice place to be for the drivers,owners and a fans. Nostalgic? Very much, because what we have now is not a shadow of Indycar that I had privilege of watching. Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Alex Zanardi,Greg More,Paul Tracy and many other greats. Dear post Indycar fan, I hope that likes of Milka Duno,Foyt4 and rest of the jokers give some meaning to you , as for me I just want Indycar to be better not worse.

[call_me_andrew]

Ok, sure. NASCAR followed CART and the proof is that they both raced at Fontana the first year and some NASCAR drivers complained about some garages being too small back in the USAC days.

I don't mean they complained in the USAC days. They're still bitching about it. Of course it's not as bad as the garage at Watkins Glen, but in both cases they're forced to fit two cars to a bay.



Irl 2nd problem, opinions like this one. Comparing 1990 OW racing to stock car is [with respect] idiotic. Snobishness? NO! Love for real racing with real race cars on the great race tracks like Road America would be more accurate.

I have some bad news for you. It stopped being 1990, 18 years ago. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge anything but that as racing establishes you as a snob.

[FIAT1]

I have some bad news for you. It stopped being 1990, 18 years ago. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge anything but that as racing establishes you as a snob.[/QUOTE]



Bravo! Now read my post again. Oh yeah, I do acknowledge there is tractor race in my home town and I enjoy it wery much but for some weird reason I like to attend F1 race in Montreal better. See, I'm not as big of a snob.

[Lee Roy]

I know that the Indy car series is weak, but I can't believe that NASCAR will ever let them race there. I still can't figure out why the Frances even let them test there...

Why not? The France Family lets the IRL race at their tracks in Richmond and Homestead.

[Rex Monaco]

I don't mean they complained in the USAC days.

Of course you don't, because mentioning that NASCAR was racing at Watkins Glenn in the 1960's wouldn't have supported your flimsy claim that NASCAR was successful because it copied CART.

[Lee Roy]

Why not? The France Family lets the IRL race at their tracks in Richmond and Homestead.

And I forgot Chicago, Kansas City and Watkins Glen.

[PA Rick]

Maybe he could get Andrew Craig to take the IRL public?

Can I get in on the IPO again? I have some money they didn't get yet.