A new track in Canada

[Lee Roy]

Found this at Jayski:




Jeff Gordon involved in Niagra Race Track: New details surrounding a proposed $200-million, 65,000-seat international motor speedway in Fort Erie [Ontario, Canada] have surfaced. An article published in the inaugural edition of Professional Motorsport Circuit, an international trade journal, says NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is involved with the project. Gordon's name has been tagged with a signature speedway and a driving school that's part of the proposal. The article was written by Azhar Mohammad - executive director of Emirates Consulting, a Toronto-based subsidiary of Kuwaiti-based investment bank Bayt Al Mal Investment Co., that is financially backing the project. Mohammad could not be reached for comment Tuesday. "After carefully studying the pitfalls and successes of motor-sport initiatives in the North American market for almost two years, (Bayt Al Mal Investment Co.) assembled a high-profile team," the article states. "The team was spearheaded by multi-NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, flanked by Paxton Waters Architecture, Derek Daly Design, and Philips Engineering, and supported by a host of local and international strategic partners." Last October, plans were announced for a motor speedway on lands near the QEW, between Gilmore Road and Bowen Road. Bayt Al Mal, which has been assembling more than 600 acres of land for the project, has done numerous environmental, planning and engineering studies to support its application and has invested several million dollars. The proposal is working its way through the Town of Fort Erie's planning department. Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin confirmed there has been talks with Gordon's representatives. "We have met with them at the region, they have been here," Martin said Tuesday. "Through the proposal that's obviously coming on, we were aware that (Bayt Al Mal) were in talks with Jeff Gordon's (people)."(Niagara Falls Review)(4-8-2009)

A race here would make a lot more sense than one at the Kentucky Speedway.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Found this at Jayski:



A race here would make a lot more sense than one at the Kentucky Speedway.


Yes and no Lee Roy. It is 2.5 hours from Watkins Glen, 6 from New Hampshire, 5 from Pocono and about 6 from Michigan. So like Kentucky there would be competing tracks. Kentucky exists and is a nice track which has hosted all but Cup.

Being in Canada would be historic and something I would love yes.....but you couldn't be any less inside Canada than this location. From where this location is, you are able to see the skyline of downtown Buffalo across the river.

This project has been kicking around for over a decade. At one point, Senator Trevor Eyton ( a man of considerable wealth and influence within the Canadian business community ) was onside with this effort. Nothing ever comes to it. I bet Jeff Gordon will buy in only if the place actually has the sod turned.

Lee Roy, what many people keep missing in this effort or any other, is that for it to get investors from the Toronto business community (where most of the money in this country likes to play), you have to be in THEIR backyard. That is, closer to Toronto. Fort Erie isn't far, but far enough away from Toronto that the media attention and influence for this project isn't there.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't see a track there any time soon. It is the reason NASCAR and ISC went to Montreal for the Nationwide race. There are no ovals in Southern Ontario worthy of mention and no road course in NASCAR's eyes that is suitable for NASCAR. Mosport would be in MY eyes, but I know the infrastructure there isnt' enough, and I know that the current ownership ( the Panoz group ) hasn't always gotten along with the France family.

No, if these guys want to build an oval in Southen Ontario, they move 20 miles north of the GTA and they wont need Americans to come over the border to help fill the seats ( part of their reason for going to Fort Erie...a town so dull that Buffalo looks exciting ). There as many short track ovals in Southen Ontario as any place in the US per capita, we just need someone to build us a track that can make money and isn't just a pipe dream for a bunch of guys with land and no cash.....

[Mark in Oshawa]

Oh yes...one more point. Jayski says Jeff Gordon is on board. The Toronto media, all 4 papers, two with motorsports columnists has not mentioned this project in ages.....and certainly no mention of Jeff. The guys who own this land either are idiots or need a PR guy.....or both.

We wont see a Cup date up here unless ISC realizes they should build a track up here. They keep trying to build in New York and Seattle. I have news for them....make friends in Ontario....build it...and they will come....

[RaceFanStan]

It is hard for me to believe that there will be a Cup points race in Canada.
An invitational non-points exhibition race could happen in Canada during the off-season I suppose ... :s

However I think a Cup points race @ Kentucky Speedway would be a great idea. :D
The Nationwide Series & Truck Series races there were fantastic.



http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/track/ky.jpg

[harvick#1]

woohoo, another cookie-cutter track. the cars today sure do bring out the boredom in these types of tracks,

adding Kentucky would just be another snoozefest, unless is replaces Calibornia

[Mark in Oshawa]

Stan...they cant come to Canada in the offseason unless you put Snow tires on the cars.

As for you wanting a race at Kentucky? Bruton can put one there tomorrow, just has to take one away from Atlanta or Infineon. I don't see a point tho and agree with NASCAR on this really. Within 6 hours drive of Kentucky you have Michigan, Bristol, Indy, Chicagoland, and Martinsville. You can make Charlotte in about 8 and Dover or Pocono within a day's drive, not to mention Watkins Glen. Race fans in Kentucky are gonna hate hearing it, but they are luckier than most in a lot of parts of the USA.

As for a race in Canada? Well it all comes down to who is going to lose a date. Too many tracks with two dates a year means eventually a log jam for dates was inevitable.

I have always been of the opinion that there as many NASCAR fans in Canada per capita as anywhere and it is a damned shame Daytona Beach head office didn't figure it out years ago. It took til 2007 for them to figure out maybe a race in Canada would work, and then people all over NASCAR were surprised at the large sell outs for a ROAD COURSE Nationwide race in Montreal. The number of short track ovals in Ontario and the lively level of competition on those tracks and for fans in the stands should have told them all the market research required years ago and investigating a way of putting a race in Canada 15 years ago.

I have always been of the contention that if ISC had put the effort into putting an oval in Southern Ontario instead of New York or Seattle, they would have it built already. This market is ready for NASCAR. If you don't believe me, don't look any further than the migration south for EVERY NASCAR race of Canadians. We travel further, pay with an 80 Cent dollar and put up with the hassle of customs and still go. You think for one second there isn't 10 for every one going south who would love to see a race up here?

This project was talked about in Dean McNulty's motorsports column in April 9's Toronto Sun and its connection with Jeff Gordon. So I guess the PR aspect of this deal has picked up their game.

That said, I stand by what I said. They are talking about all the money they have behind them and how they will open the track in 2011, but I haven't seen the sod turned yet. I bet if someone contacted the Region of Niagara or the Town of Fort Erie, they will find no building permits have even been requested. I suspect this hasn't even hit the planning stage with the municipal governments involved....

[Mark in Oshawa]

woohoo, another cookie-cutter track. the cars today sure do bring out the boredom in these types of tracks,

adding Kentucky would just be another snoozefest, unless is replaces Calibornia

Now Harvick, don't get nasty now. It isn't nice to point out these things......

Cookie cutter 1.5 miles wont be going away any time soon.

AT least this Canadian oval is going to be a mile track, likely with progressive banking similar to Homestead. That said, in the PR blurb link that was given on the Indycar forum, the prospective project gives no mention of the banking, just that the track is a mile.

I say make it a 3/4 or 2/3 mile similar to Richmond.....and put it on the NORTH side of Lake Ontario just north of Toronto. No one would be disappointed trust me....

[tstran17_88]

As for you wanting a race at Kentucky? Bruton can put one there tomorrow, just has to take one away from Atlanta or Infineon.My money is on New Hampshire losing a date with Atlanta being a close second. I don't think OBS will take Infineon's only date away.

If OBS had his way...they'd be Cup racing this year at KY. Nascar said no, under the guise that the schedule had already been set. I don't buy it. Outside of Daytona, I'm guessing no other track had renewal forms printed up, much less sent out when he purchased KY last May. (It was at least four months before my Bristol and Michigan renewals came in the mail.)

I can't even think of any other logistics that would be a concern for the tracks and Nascar since they get first dibs at all of their tracks and if they decide to change something late in the game...no problem. Heck, they did a weekend flip on the Phoenix tickets I bought last April from what was printed on the renewal...good thing I hadn't booked my flight until the 'official' schedule came out.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Tstran, if New Hampshire loses a date, it would be a lie that Bruton Smith told people there not too long ago. I think originally that was his plan but as he saw the sold out 100000 plus crowds he is going to get there TWO times a year, he probably is of the opinion he cant risk losing one of those paydays to spend a lot of money to get the same in Kentucky. No, Atlanta will lose a date. The people there don't fill that track to what Bruton wanted and I think the Spring race might be in trouble. Also, he wants a second date for Vegas as well.

I wonder tho, could Charlotte lose its fall date? That might be an option when you consider the Lowes track has the drag strip and dirt track bringing in revenue and the track at Lowe's has been basically paid for 2 times over.

I will also tell you this much. NASCAR wont help him. They never have. There I will agree with you. ISC gets their dates looked after but Bruton's tracks fight all the time for dates. Bruton has only gotten more dates for his empire from buying tracks. Since the last two independents who MIGHT sell are Dover and The Mattioli's with Pocono (the Speedway will NEVER be out of the George/Hulman family hands)and both say they wont. Something has to give. I figured it out a long time ago that having two dates per track at many venues is choking the potential to reach new markets. NASCAR has backed itself into a corner for growth when it comes to new markets.

[tstran17_88]

The latest on Kentucky, but it's about a month old now...


NASCAR has not received an official request to realign a Sprint Cup race to Kentucky Speedway, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said today.

Speedway Motosports Inc., in its annual report filed Friday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, indicated that it had asked for NASCAR to realign a Cup date to the track at the earliest possible time, and it also said it would consider “all options” if NASCAR denied a request.

Poston, however, said in an email that no formal request has been received.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France has said NASCAR would not consider a realignment request for the track until a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by Kentucky Speedway’s founders is resolved. SMI bought the track in December and a condition of the sale allowed the founders to continue with the case, where SMI is still considered a co-conspirator.

NASCAR traditionally begins its sanctioning process for the upcoming year in April or May. Without a settlement, which is not expected, the case won’t be resolved until May at the earliest and possibly much later into the year.

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/NASCAR_No_request_yet_for_realigning_a_Cup_date_to _Kentucky.html

[Mark in Oshawa]

The problem for SMI is that the founders of Kentucky Speedway technically don't own or control the track, but they are bound and deterimined to prove something...