Excitement!

[drewdawg727]

I just got finished watching the 1995 Indycar race at Belle Isle, and i just pictured the 100% ethanol indy cars running around there yet again this year. I really like the track. There are a lot of beautiful sites and the track is really unique. Do you think that the race at Belle Isle this year will be a success?

[Easy Drifter]

Might be a good race. Access is a problem for spectators. It is an island with very limited access. Even the approaches are not that good. Doea have a neat Aquarium though.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It isn't a great layout for passing. Lots of twists and interesting corners, but it is a bear to get by someone on. I liked the track there whenever I watched it on TV, but the impression I got was the teams got tired of the Mud. Penske was one of the biggest critics of the old track, so I find it funny he is one of the guys bringing it back.

[T-D]

from a pure racing perspective this will be an unmitigated disaster.

[Jag_Warrior]

I just got finished watching the 1995 Indycar race at Belle Isle

Sounds like we need to do some tape trading. I watched the '96 Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead) yesterday. Today's race is the 1996 Rio race. I'm still watching it... so don't tell me who wins ( ;) ).

[Mark in Oshawa]

T-D, hard to say if it will be or not. The IRL cars on a road course seem to race different than a Champ Car would. They come off the corners with more bite initially and less thrust at the end of the straight. They corner maybe a bit slower, but maybe not as much. It could make zones where a Champ Car might not get by usable for an IRL car. One of the main reasons I have turned onto watching the IRL events is to see these cars race on a road course. From watching the race at St. Petes, the only course I had seen a Champ Car event on (TV) of course I think the IRL guys were able to put on a hell of a show. So lets just wait and see what goes down at Belle Isle.

Every race track races different for a different type of car. Some courses put on great shows no matter what, but I think until you see the cars on the track, it is hard to say how much of a procession this could be.

Of course, if you are one of those fans who loves only ovals, well, I cant help ya then....

[drewdawg727]

Sounds like we need to do some tape trading. I watched the '96 Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead) yesterday. Today's race is the 1996 Rio race. I'm still watching it... so don't tell me who wins ( ;) ).

My lips are sealed. There was a pretty nasty crash though in that race..

[Quetch]

The IRL will use the old Belle Isle layout, not the later one with the long straight after Turn 2.

[Chamoo]

Just pray it doesn't rain. The one rain race CART ran was the pits. Mud up to your knees and the track drainage was pretty poor too.

I thought I heard somewhere that they were going to pave the infield to avoid the mud and such?

[Mark in Oshawa]

They should be using the longer Belle Isle circuit, that extra section has better passing in it.

AS for the paddock, hope for a dry spell, because although adding maybe a parking lot would work that could be used as a paddock, the City of Detroit doesn't seem to agree.