  Genesyxx Member Username: Genesyxx Post Number: 474 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 12.2.196.17 |
From today's Free Press: MIKE BRUDENELL: City needs to restore the roar It's time to restore the roar of racing to the streets of downtown Detroit. If necessary, put a race back on much-maligned Belle Isle, where the Detroit Grand Prix was run in 1992-2001 despite catfights about the width of the track, pit-lane facilities and parking. Two races last weekend -- the Australian Grand Prix from Melbourne and the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida -- were reminders that the Motor City needs to get with the program. Someone from Detroit should bang on the doors of the Indy Racing League and/or Champ Car and get a race here next year or in 2008. Another Formula One race in Detroit, like those in 1982-88, would be preferable to an F1 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, current venue of the U.S. Grand Prix. I know times are tough, money is tight and CART pulled the plug on the Detroit Grand Prix after 2001, demanding more dough and upgrades to stay at the Belle Isle circuit. (CART later was taken over by Champ Car.) But how can such automotive giants as St. Pete, San Jose and Houston hold a race downtown and the home of the Big Three can't? Look, Detroit successfully hosted a Super Bowl and a baseball All-Star Game. With Birmingham businessman and race team owner Roger Penske taking the reins, Super Bowl XL was fun and marketable. Yes, we do have major league racing in the state -- two NASCAR races and an IRL event at Michigan International Speedway in rural Brooklyn, and that's fine and dandy. You could hardly run a big stock car downtown anyway, although the sight of Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon banging fenders on Congress would be priceless. I also realize that, with perhaps the exception of Ford, a series sponsor of Champ Car, Detroit's auto manufacturers are spending most of their racing budgets on NASCAR. Chevrolet will leave the open-wheel IRL series at the end of this year. We've tried Formula One and CART, I hear the doubters screaming, and it worked and then it didn't. So what? No one says a return to racing in Detroit would be easy, but it can be done, and it would attract fans, business and worldwide publicity. Cleveland and Long Beach have been doing it for years, and people still turn out. I presented the idea of another downtown race to friends at my favorite watering hole Sunday, and they promised to come along -- if I bought another round of drinks. But honestly, most thought racing belonged in Motown, as much, if not more, than baseball, football, hockey or basketball. IRL and Champ Car executives have told me they would seriously consider a return to Detroit -- if the city were interested and the right deal could be struck. Naturally, there are obstacles to overcome, including those city officials, state politicians and do-gooders who are suspicious of bringing a high-end sport back to Detroit when the city is struggling. But racing adds glamour, and glamour attracts attention, and Detroit needs more good press, more visitors and more incoming capital. If you support a Detroit racing renaissance, e-mail me at mbrudenell@freepress.com. If you think it's a waste of time and money and a traffic snarl, do the same. Please include your address and phone number. We'll run some comments on our Friday racing page. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2427 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.14 |
Why not restore the whisper, a race of electric or non fossil fuel vehicles? The IRL is symtomatic of all that is wrong with Detroit auto manufacturing - loud bloated imported gas guzzling engines polluting the enviroment. Time to leave the past and respond to the future. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 983 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.20 |
Auto racing should be in Detroit. Champ cars run on methanol, not petroleum distallates. Or how about the American LeMans Series with the leading diesel powered Audi R10 (it runs with full emissions and particulate filtering systems)? http://www.speedarena.com/news /publish/sportscar/article_632 4.shtml its not quite that cut and dry there lowell ;) (Message edited by gravitymachine on April 04, 2006) | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 9975 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Lowell, Are you one of them tree huggers I've heard about? | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 96 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 209.220.229.254 |
Non-automotive sporting events use a ton of electricity... | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 163 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
Belle Isle is a park, not a race track. Maybe downtown, but please not Belle Isle! Belle Isle needs narrower roads to reduce speeding, sidewalks, running paths, peace and tranquility. The big racetrack roads on it are a scar on the island. Please, anywhere but Belle Isle. I emailed him with my thoughts BTW. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 776 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.39.170.77 |
I think I can safely say that they'd never go back to Belle Isle... Digging the transporters out of three feet of mud just isn't worth it. A Downtown race would be nice, but how many street circuits do either of these series need? St. Petersburg was boring as hell. Whenever anyone looked racy they crashed and their track seemed fairly wide in comparison. I just don't see it happening any time soon. | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 57 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 69.136.139.235 |
the US could have 3 Formula 1 races if people started to shift their tastes from NASCAR. There is a huge racing fan base here it is just all tied up in NASCAR. I could throw the usual jabs at NASCAR but I won't go there for now. I have been to the Grand Prix in Montreal with Formula 1 and it is run on an island similar to Belle Isle with few ill effects it appears. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 777 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.79.81.236 |
Open Wheel racing is dying in the United States. They did it to themselves. Danica Patrick has helped the IRL but who really even follows CART anymore? Indy is a horrible track for F1 but that's what they picked. I've never been in the pits and paddock at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to see if they deal with the same issues as the CART teams did on Belle Isle. Fortunately for them, F1 can run street courses and keep it interesting. Road courses and ovals (natch) seem to only work for the CART/IRL guys. On a semi-unrelated note though, there's a new commerical for Intel that I just saw for the first time tonight with Jacques Villeneuve sitting on some dude's lap. Unfortunately, I didn't hear what he was saying because I was on the phone. | ||
River_rat Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 91 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 71.126.176.158 |
Lowell, Detroit is/was "The Motor City". It has been correctly pointed out that Indy cars do not run on petroleum, they run on methanol or next year, on ethanol. I do not think you mean to decry our history as the city that put the world on rubber-tired wheels. This entire forum is to the history and past, present and hopefully, future of this the Motor City. However, I agree that there really is no place to have a race in Detroit; a few years ago, someone tried to establish a track at the fairgrounds. The NIMBY's ended that idea fast. I would ask, "does Detroit want to break from it's automotive (and hence, racing) history, or does it want to try to recapture some of the past glory. Maybe it is too late. the river rat | ||
River_rat Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 92 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 71.126.176.158 |
I might add, stay away from Belle Isle; my group is still trying to save Detroit financially by buying from the city after we establish it as a separate governmental unit. Think of all the good the politicians of Detroit could do with the One-half Billion Dollars we are offering. the river rat always wants Belle Isle | ||
Gotdetroit Member Username: Gotdetroit Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.61.224.132 |
"Think of all the good the politicians of Detroit could do with the One-half Billion Dollars we are offering." Your not really serious, are you? They'd waste the money in a matter of days on silly hats alone. As for racing...bring back F1 if you're even going to bother. Downtown racing. The U.S. Monaco. I know...no need to say it... | ||
River_rat Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 94 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 71.126.176.158 |
About buying Belle Isle --- serious. About politicians doing good --- not. the river rat | ||
Dday Member Username: Dday Post Number: 823 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 65.209.165.170 |
From what I understood (and Susanarosa pointed out above) the one thing that went furthest to killing the GP was the fact that CART could not put a concrete paddock along the course in front of the casino. One that have had grass growing on top of it when not in use. Just a little bit of rain would turn the dirt paddock into a mudpit. With all the money invested in those cars, mud is no friend. The drivers complained about the track, but they complain about every track. Emerson Fittipaldi said it was his favorite track to drive on because of the views it afforded. There used to be a pretty big festival in Hart Plaza during race weekend. It was discontinued when it moved to Belle Isle and that, I believe, went a long way to people not coming down for the race. If you ask me, as far as racing goes, get the boat races back on track and get people going to them before bringing back open wheel racing (Message edited by D-Day on April 05, 2006) | ||
Canuckr Member Username: Canuckr Post Number: 19 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 209.69.34.80 |
What about Waterford Hills? It would be great seeing 2 car's battle it out going into Hilltop or Swap. Forty to fifty second lap times would be pretty interesting...:P I would love to see some kind of race here; it doesn’t matter where (downtown, Belle Isle, etc) or who (CART, Le Mans, Grand AM, World Challenge, etc. Just no IRL). If Montreal can do it, why cant we? | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 778 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.39.170.77 |
Waterford Hills is way too small. You have to consider that sponsors and vendors need space for their hospitality tents, etc. on top of the space the teams and drivers need to comfortable. I don't think we'll ever get an international series to come to Detroit again. We could try to get CART again... but why? That series has been decimated to nothing. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 987 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.20 |
waterford also has noise restrictions... | ||
Canuckr Member Username: Canuckr Post Number: 20 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 209.69.34.80 |
It was more of a joke then a actual suggestion. But you have to admit, it would be pretty interesting to watch a CART (or any top level series) race there or even watch one turn a few laps.. On top of the noise retriction; there is a time retriction from 10-5 (might be 6) | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2430 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.14 |
Okay, I stand educated.  Allow me to rephrase: Why not restore the whisper... The IRL is symtomatic of all that is wrong with Detroit auto manufacturing - loud bloated Time to leave the past and respond to the future - non imported, non-nuclear / fossil fuel energy resources. Pretend it is like WWII, like when rubber from the far east was cut off. This country could still do it. | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 878 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.184.29.148 |
Way too tight and offers little runoff. That course is a challenge to some of the smaller GT cars. WHRRI has sound restrictions due to the people who bought a house next to a race track! Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario was a track that was host to F1 racing. It is by far one of my favorite tracks to drive. | ||
Spacemonkey Member Username: Spacemonkey Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 63.102.87.27 |
I love IRL. I'd like to see it run at the State Fair grounds or the streets of Detroit. Also, why not hold dirt track midget races at old Tiger stadium? | ||
Canuckr Member Username: Canuckr Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 71.67.157.248 |
"Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario was a track that was host to F1 racing. It is by far one of my favorite tracks to drive" Never been to Mosport. Ever year I plan on going, but never do. Watkins Glen use to host F1 also. The Glen is my favorite track to drive. The esses are a aboslute blast. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 989 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.20 |
<--grew up near the glen (relatively near anyways) While I've never driven it, I've seen many a sports car race there, and the porsche 50/50 several years ago | ||
Cushkid Member Username: Cushkid Post Number: 40 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 136.2.1.153 |
Lowell, Gasoline tractors can be run on ethanol. Gas tractors are carburated and therefore no problem. Most tractors are diesel and they are growing corn reguardless, so instead of exporting it we are keepin it here. |
