Chatter about a Nashville Street Race

[MDS]

Champ Car was trying to start a street race near LP Field in late April or early May 2009. I assumed this died when CC did because the common wisdom was it would have been a money loser.

Recently I was asked by a business associate if I was involved in trying to bring a ICS race to Nashville. I thought he meant the track, but he was actually talking about the street race. So I called around and there is a group working on it. Also, its getting reported by RM so its starting to look like a possibility.

The course is supposed to take advantage of the recently constructed Gateway bridge and the area in front of LP Field. I think one reason why it's making a comeback is Firestone. The Nashville race was a big thing for them but it was never successful My guess is they are willing to spend some serious money to sponsor it. It would explain why Firestone was willing to give up their company picnic at the speedway if they supported this plan.

[drewdawg727]

I don't think Indycar needs any more road/street courses. The split of races they have right now is fine IMO, they need more superspeedways if anything.

[ykiki]

Perhaps as a replacement for the Detroit street race (though I wouldn't mind seeing MIS added as well).

[maxmach]

They just tested at this Birmingham track, and everybody seems to think it's great, and the owner really wants a race, and he has the financial pull, and it seems like there was a good turnout, seems like this would have to be in the running.

[bblocker68]

No more street races!!!!! Except for Cleveland, but it's not really a street race, per se. I'd much rather see Cleveland, RA, Michigan, AAA, Miller Park or Laguna Seca over another street parade (And this is coming from a Champcar Homer!).

[Wade91]

i hope this happens, i went to the Nashville race every year and i really want the IRL to come back here

[SarahFan]

http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131499


^post #20 sums it up

[MDS]

While yes, there are a lot of tracks we would like to see the IRL race at, that's not the direction the management is heading in. MIS has publically said IRL managment told them they weren't interested. There hasn't been any noise about AutoClub or another of other tracks, and apparently the IRL said no to Las Vegas and Loudon. In their defense its hard to encourage adding ovals to the schedule when the only true sellout they have on the schedule is Iowa.

It's clear that there is a push by the management to go to more street races, in part because empty stands look horible I think, and crowds typically turn out, or their absence doesn't show as harshly, at road and street races.

As far as 2010 obviously Barber is trying to get on the schedule, along with Houston, Cleveland and potentially Nashville.

It would be nice if Eagle Eye, and his supposed great connection to Mike Lanigan, would provide some info about Houston and Cleveland, which I hear Lanigan is selling as a package deal.

[SarahFan]

it wouldn't shock me to see both Cleveland and houston on the 2010 schedule

[downtowndeco]

A couple points. The IRL didn't tell MIS they were not interested. They told them they were not interested in the dates MIS was able to offer.

Even NASCAR does not sell out the ovals any more. And it's easy for a race to look like a sell out when all you have is about 18k in high school type bleachers spread around a street circuit. It may look worse at a big oval with 50k seating capacity but if you sell 25k in tickets you're still ahead in sales. Maybe that was part of that other series (which shall not be named) problem. They were more worried about how it looked than what the bottom line was.

Again. IMO it will be many, many years before a new street circuit is added. When one is added to the schedule get back to me. Till then it's all just street festival pipe dreams. It ain't happening.


While yes, there are a lot of tracks we would like to see the IRL race at, that's not the direction the management is heading in. MIS has publically said IRL managment told them they weren't interested. There hasn't been any noise about AutoClub or another of other tracks, and apparently the IRL said no to Las Vegas and Loudon. In their defense its hard to encourage adding ovals to the schedule when the only true sellout they have on the schedule is Iowa.

It's clear that there is a push by the management to go to more street races, in part because empty stands look horible I think, and crowds typically turn out, or their absence doesn't show as harshly, at road and street races.

As far as 2010 obviously Barber is trying to get on the schedule, along with Houston, Cleveland and potentially Nashville.

It would be nice if Eagle Eye, and his supposed great connection to Mike Lanigan, would provide some info about Houston and Cleveland, which I hear Lanigan is selling as a package deal.