IRL at Daytona in '08??

[Ant]

Does anyone know if there are any plans for the IRL to race at Daytona in 2008 after the successful compatability test in January?? Or even test there again in Jan '08??

[CCFanatic]

I really doubt the IRL will return to the track in any situation. The track is uncomparible to any circuit they have avalible in 2008.

[geek49203]

Does anyone know if there are any plans for the IRL to race at Daytona in 2008 after the successful compatability test in January?? Or even test there again in Jan '08??

I'm pretty sure that the IRL wouldn't want another Florida race. They already have Homestead and St. Petes early in the season, and unless they want a late-season final race in Daytona, I don't see it as a fit in the schedule.

Furthermore, the ISC tracks don't do well with IRL races. In the case of Daytona, the track's first priority is to sell out 2 NASCAR races, one of which hasn't sold out in some time, plus the GrandAm races. Only after they sell out those races would they be much interested in promoting other events.

[mark123]

I read somewhere that the race will be on the west coast - maybe a street race in LA? I am not from the USA so I don't know the area - is there any suitable venues? (other then long beach)

[geek49203]

I read somewhere that the race will be on the west coast - maybe a street race in LA? I am not from the USA so I don't know the area - is there any suitable venues? (other then long beach)

There are tons of good places to hold a race near LA. Laguna Seca comes to mind, as does California Speedway. It wouldn't be outside of the imagination to run one on a temporary road circuit.

However, LA is strange when it comes to pro sports. They are car crazy -- they started the hot rod craze -- but California Speedway has trouble selling tickets. LA also lacks an NFL (American football) franchise even though it has great college football teams.

[mark123]

i don't know why they don't run the road course at indy??

[geek49203]

i don't know why they don't run the road course at indy??

Uh, "who" will run the road course? The IRL?

1. The IRL already has way too many races within a day's drive of Indy. That market is saturated.

2. That would take away from the 500.

3. Having that race with the 100k or less that would show up would show the IRL with 2/3 of the stadium empty. That's not gonna happen -- it's akin to taking a picture of a supermodel next to a portajohn.

[mark123]

yeh your probably right. it was just a thought.
I beleive that they will look to the West for their new race.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Daytona is a non starter.

I am thinking that if the IRL wants to try to push things into new worlds, they would head for the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, Vancouver? Portland? Think outside the box.......

[jeffconn]

I'm pretty sure that the IRL wouldn't want another Florida race. They already have Homestead and St. Petes early in the season, and unless they want a late-season final race in Daytona, I don't see it as a fit in the schedule.

Furthermore, the ISC tracks don't do well with IRL races. In the case of Daytona, the track's first priority is to sell out 2 NASCAR races, one of which hasn't sold out in some time, plus the GrandAm races. Only after they sell out those races would they be much interested in promoting other events.

DIS definitely has variety. Besides the 2 NASCAR dates, there is BikeWeek in the spring and another motorcycle weekend in the fall, Karting, and a few nostalgia races in there too.

As for IRL racing there, i'd think the G's they would pull would be the main deterrent to racing the oval. And the road course is a problem too. IIRC, the transition from the tri-oval to the road course is really nasty.

By the way, is Road Atlanta a non-starter too? i'd think that would be a good fit for either one of the OW series.

[jso1985]

With Michigan now gone I wish another superspeedway will be added. the only ones I know besides Indy, Texas, Micigan and Daytona are California Speedway and Talladega.
is there are any other superspeedway where the IRL could run?

[LTalbot]

Gotta agree with Mark almost, GO WEST! I would love to see the IRL at Laguna Seca or Portland now that it appears Champ Car will not return there. If Penske could get involved and repeat the great success that Belle Isle seemed to be, I would have another race close to home in Northern California.

[geek49203]

With Michigan now gone I wish another superspeedway will be added. the only ones I know besides Indy, Texas, Micigan and Daytona are California Speedway and Talladega.
is there are any other superspeedway where the IRL could run?

'Dega and Daytona are probably beyond the scope of even the IRL spec. Given the amount of griping over the 2-mile, 18-degree MIS, I doubt that they'd consider going to a 2.5 mile, 31-degree Daytona, or a 2.66 mile, 33-degree 'Dega.

Texas is 1.5 mile as I recall. California is 2-mile, 15-degrees, build specifically by Penske allow CART cars to run with less speed than MIS (it didn't work). California has proven to be a tough market for NASCAR, CART, IRL, etc.

Phoenix would still be nice, but that market is tough, as CCWS just found out.

Pikes Peak is dead.

Miller (Utah) has possibilities, but it's not an oval. I'd love to see a race there if a good SLC promoter can be found (Mariott Hotels?).

[jeffconn]

With Michigan now gone I wish another superspeedway will be added. the only ones I know besides Indy, Texas, Micigan and Daytona are California Speedway and Talladega.
is there are any other superspeedway where the IRL could run?

Pocono maybe. It's flat, and they would have to break in the corners. Did someone burn that bridge already?

[geek49203]

Pocono maybe. It's flat, and they would have to break in the corners. Did someone burn that bridge already?

A couple of times. First, it was the infamous last race of USAC circa 1982. USAC had to use sprint cars to make a field to run the race. And, Pocono was declared unsafe by CART due to rough pavement in 1989.

By the time that Pocono got its act together again, NASCAR had taken off, and the ownership of Pocono was much more interested in keeping its two NASCAR dates sold out.

With the new pavement, and the SAFER barriers, there might be some interest in an IRL appearance. I don't think that Pocono has an interior road race track that is up to FIA specs, so it would take some improvement to run IRL or CCWS.

[Peter Olivola]

Are you English? I ask because this is without a doubt one of the funniest statments I've ever seen, in a pecularly understated English kind of way.


I don't think that Pocono has an interior road race track that is up to FIA specs, so it would take some improvement to run IRL or CCWS.

[mark123]

i'm picking that the 17th race will be on a road/street course. probably a temp street circuit.