NASCAR running thread

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Wasn't Tony George pretty solid on keeping the Nationwide race at IRP?

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

If Tony George was against it, I am for it.

Basic math.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Logistically, it was always a nightmare for those of us who had to get our stuff filed at IMS, fly down Crawfordsville Road to IRP, cover the race, and then wash, rinse, repeat the next day. Having everything at one site will certainly make things easier, although IRP was a great race and a Nationwide race at Indy ... not so much.

Indy was the only race weekend where there were two sites going on in the same city. The Speedway & IRP have long worked together pretty well, but the 400's post-tiregate attendance hasn't helped matters (plus the recession has probably hurt the NASCAR fan demo harder than just about any other group -- NASCAR attendance is way down everywhere).

Read one of the local stories where Mike Helton said he'd like to actively pursue getting a different weekend at IRP for trucks/NNS. IRP/Lucas Oil Raceway said they'll still plan on offering some racing that weekend. They've had a USAC Silver Crown race on pre-Brickyard Thursday for years. Wonder if the IRL will offer up one of its minor-league series -- Star Mazda or Indy Lights -- to possibly fill a date (and while it wouldn't pack the place, it would bring in a different crowd. There's a small base of hard-core open-wheel fans in Indy who think the closest a fender should get to the racetrack is on the infield stage who would support it)? Trying to drag a series like ARCA or USAR might not be a bad idea, either.

Don't like the idea of "minor-league" series racing at Indy, whether it be NNS or Indy Lights, but that ship left the barn in 2003, which has been ignored in a lot of the coverage I've read -- forgetting about the Freedom 100 in what is basically IndyCar's version of the Nationwide series (except it doesn't have double-dippers).

I am intrigued about the Grand Am race. Never have been a big sports car follower, but there could be a lot of crossover drivers -- much like in Daytona -- especially if IndyCar is off that weekend. The Daytona 24 has basically become the new IROC, but a 3-hour race on the Indy road course certainly could bring some appeal with an Indy driver or a Cup regular showing up.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

IIRC, that was at Texas. Remember it well -- Arie was celebrating a win, and A.J. walked into Victory Lane and basically told him to beat it because Billy Boat had rightfully won the race.

A.J. was right -- USAC screwed up the scoring and changed the results the next day. IRL took race officiating/sanctioning in-house immediately after that.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

While NASCAR dislocates its shoulder patting itself on the back this week, Montreal is about to say au revoir:

The Associated Press

The Quebec government on Wednesday rejected developer Francois Dumontier's request for $1 million in government assistance, half each from Quebec and Ottawa, to help offset an anticipated $1.6 million deficit caused by the staging of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Montreal.

"The developer has not satisfactorily proven to the Department of Tourism that it would be profitable for them to invest in the event," said Isabelle Lord, spokeswoman for Tourism Minister Nicole Menard.

This funding shortfall likely means August's Nationwide Series race will be the end of NASCAR racing at the Gilles Villeneuve track on Montreal's Ile Notre-Dame.

The city of Montreal's contract with International Speedway Corp. and its promoter expired June 30. It is the only such event in the country.

The city reacted strongly several years ago when it lost the Formula One Grand Prix, which brings wealthy international tourists and huge parties to Montreal. The city did get the F1 race back.

Montreal's mayor, however, seemed unfazed by the possible loss of the NASCAR race.

"Efforts were made," Mayor Gerald Tremblay said. "It's unfortunate, but maybe there will be other events in the future."

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

First words by the TNT crew came five laps into the race. Prior to that, it was all radio transmissions and sounds of the race.

Wonder if anyone else is noticing how that's working.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

Given Montreal is only allowed two race weekends (the Canadian GP is one), wonder if this might be the IRL's opening to slide into that second race date.

IndyCar had some interest in doing a double-bill at CGV with Nationwide in the past, but only in a co-headliner format (and only if IndyCar ran on Sunday and NNS on Saturday). From what I remember, NASCAR balked at giving up any co-billing, they wanted IndyCar to be billed as a support race, so the deal fell apart.

 

Re: 2011 NASCAR running thread

http://www.nascar.com/video/tnt/inside-trax/110710/cup-ken-tnt-inside-trax/index.html