what a weekend

[DavePI2]

I have been to quite a few races over the last few years but I must confess this was the best weekend I have ever had at the races. Greatest track in the world(well certainly of all the ones I have been too anyway),beutifull weather, three great days of watching racing qualifying and practice from 2 major racing series of different sytles. I know a lot of people didn't like it watching on tv but if you had been down in the esses where I was at MidOHio you would never say that, saw a lot of good action there. Freinds at the keyhole and carosel said the same thing. Birds eye view of opening accident in the irl race. The ALMS race is always a great exsperience also(cars are the stars). First time I have been to a IRL race in the last 2 years I didn't see Danica haters, nice to see. Most were for Sam naturally but a lot of us were for tony and were dissapointed the pit stratagy didn't work out. In the ALMS race the p2's still have audi's # but the pass that was make early by the top audi showed the differance in power, amazing what all that exstra horse power will do for you on a long straight. Oh one last thing , what can you say about the crowd. Simply amazing, ohio turned out strong on Sunday. Trully a great site to look out at the other side of the track and see so many people. IRL lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !. Please come back next year Tony. OH and I am sorry , I can't believe I forgot it, this was my oldest daughters first exsperience at a race. What a wonderfull way to get to know your girl better and introduce her to the greatest sport in the world. She loved it and wants to return.

David

[DavePI2]

I keep forgetting things, sorry for that but one other thing. I was able to meet Scott Goodyear on Friday morning, very nice gentleman. Was nice to meet him and hear him say "It's good to be back at MidOhio, one of my favorite tracks."

David

[keysersoze]

Glad you enjoyed yourself, Dave. I went to Nashville last week and brought my new bride to her first IRL race--we had a terrific time in spite of the weather.

Most would have us believe that the large crowd at Mid-Ohio was due to the freebies.

[DavePI2]

Interesting point and while there were some freebies I'm sure( all events have them, even nascar) I don't believe this was the case. Central Ohio loves racing and is the home of Rahal racing. We have been waiting here for the return of open wheel ever since champ car left. In it's heydey MidOhio drew large crowds for that race, and the crowds for the ALMS races have been respectable in the past also. The fact is there is only one other big race in Ohio and that is Cleveland. People want to say the same thing about CLeveland but it just isn't true. There are plenty of people in Ohio that love open wheel racing and are glad it is back. Enjoy the fact there was a huge crowd people, it is a great sign. Open wheel is comming back, ALMS is growing, so will open wheel. Sooner or later people are going to get tired of fixed races in nascar and come back to the real thing, and it is happening now in Ohio. Say what you want, we turned out and everyone had a great time. Next year everyone should come here to enjoy the exsperience of the race at the beutifull little track in the middle of Amish country.

[CARTDM15]

Don't get to excited just yet.Mid-Ohio was starving for open wheel racing.Lets see what happen five years from now.Honda wanted this race and they were going to make sure that it was a sucess.As long as Honda is giving away massive amount of tickets the event will do well.

[mark123]

I beleive that the key to success is to have a full card of racing for the fans. I see at some meetings (like some oval races), the fans pay good money to come along and see one race. sorry, thats not good enough. here in NZ, the summer motorsport series has a full day of racing for your $25 entry. that means racing starts at 10am and goes all day and finishes at 4:30pm. that is value or money. with the IRL oval races, the drivers do autographs at 9am, then everyone sits around doing nothing until the race starts in the afternoon, and you wonder why no one turns up. why they don't run the IPS race immediately prior to the IRL race is beyond me. like it or not, all sport is now about entertainment and value for money for the most important people - us the fans.

Getting some of these different series racing on the same weekends (and day) is the key. I guess it comes down to who pays the sanctioning fee to who? anyway, it looked like a great weekend.

anyway, thats just my opinion.

[DavePI2]

Well along with IRl we had IPS the same day, ALMS the previous day and three other sport car races too go with it as well, one of which was a walk out race.

David

[jimbo111]

Mid-Ohio was a great time. A full weekend of racing. Cars were on track from 7:30am to 6:00pm

Too many positives to list.

The viewing points were outstanding.

It was a perfect weekend all the way around. Mid-Ohio is on my calender for next year.

The only negative, is they did not allow Sunday night camping and being from out of town with a 12 hour drive ahead of us it made for some hardship.

-=-

[O&A Virus]

No worries. Mid-Ohio is on the schedule for 2008. ;)

[ChampUSfan]

No worries. Mid-Ohio is on the schedule for 2008. ;)


Does someone remember when the next year schedule is presented?
Late August I think...

[Mark in Oshawa]

One of the smartest moves the IRL did was taking up the option on this track. One of the DUMBEST things Champ Car did was leaving this track....but of course, I don't know the business angles. I do know that if Honda wanted the race in Mid Ohio, good on em for the track is a treat to watch live and even on TV.