When will we see another Oval added to the schedule?

[SarahFan]

anyone have any insight on whether Tony and company have an Oval in the works for the 2010 season?

[Easy Drifter]

I doubt it. TG just seems to lose races and can't be bothered to even try and replace them. (Aust. Detroit)

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Well, we could have had two more ovals in 2009 but the League turned down SMI's offer to race at New Hampshire and Las Vegas. They're both big, 100K+ facilities and they said IndyCar would somehow "look bad" with most of the seats empty. I guess it looks alright at Texas and Richmond. So if the IRL sticks to its policy of being small time, I don't see a lot of potential oval venues, apart from returning to minor markets like Nashville or Pikes Peak.

[DBell]

Well, we could have had two more ovals in 2009 but the League turned down SMI's offer to race at New Hampshire and Las Vegas. They're both big, 100K+ facilities and they said IndyCar would somehow "look bad" with most of the seats empty. I guess it looks alright at Texas and Richmond. So if the IRL sticks to its policy of being small time, I don't see a lot of potential oval venues, apart from returning to minor markets like Nashville or Pikes Peak.


I don't think Pikes Peak is in play anymore. It was bought out and shut down a couple of years ago.

[DanicaFan]

Not soon enough. I want more ovals. I say bring in Phoenix and Michigan.

[Atomic Mutant]

Hopefully never ....

Another 500 miler at Fontana or Michigan could be good, but as long as the idiots in charge there won't be another 500 mile race.

[Chamoo]

We'll see some new races in the next schedule. That was the plan, let some of the contracts run out then hit some new tracks.

[DanicaFan]

Hopefully never ....

Another 500 miler at Fontana or Michigan could be good, but as long as the idiots in charge there won't be another 500 mile race.
If you think ovals ***** in racing, then you obviously dont know racing or have never watched an oval race.

They are much more exciting than a road course, ovals have faster speeds, side-by-side racing, better passing.

[harvick#1]

Phoenix is not a good track for indycars, the track is too tight and they run single file.

I'd rather see a wide open oval than a short track anyday added, I went to joliet and that was just an awesome race to watch, 3 wide for the lead for about 7-10 laps

[SarahFan]

Phoenix is not a good track for indycars, the track is too tight and they run single file.

I'd rather see a wide open oval than a short track anyday added, I went to joliet and that was just an awesome race to watch, 3 wide for the lead for about 7-10 laps


I disagree.... I love Phoenix..

it has two distinct corners and add in the dogleg and it has touch of a 'roadcoarse' feel.......

for me the pedal to the floor cookie cutters are boring...

*just an example of why diversity is key, it sure would be boring if we all were the same

[SarahFan]

Phoenix is not a good track for indycars, the track is too tight and they run single file.

I'd rather see a wide open oval than a short track anyday added, I went to joliet and that was just an awesome race to watch, 3 wide for the lead for about 7-10 laps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh32mWpyjA&feature=PlayList&p=BA3189423EE93350&index=3

^if you have 37 min it's worth the watch.... far from follow the leader

[nigelred5]

I don't think Pikes Peak is in play anymore. It was bought out and shut down a couple of years ago.


It was purchased and reopened last year for local/regional racing and clup type use but I doubt we'll see anything major there for a while. Once ISC was shown the door from the Denver area, I guess they had no reason to hold on to it just to keep it shut down.

[nigelred5]

Phoenix is not a good track for indycars, the track is too tight and they run single file.




You're probably gonna get a lot of disagreement with that statement. It was far from single file when the cars were allowed to run a proper downforce package on the track. New Hampshire, Phoenix and Nazareth were probably my three favorite tracks in the early 90's. There were great races at all three tracks.

Personally, I detest the smooth egg shape lowbanked 1.5 mile Nascar cookie cutter tracks like Joliet, Kansas, Kentucky and Las vegas for openwheel cars.

Until the economy rebounds significanty, Especially in the automotive sector, I wouldn't count on new races on ANY type of track any time soon.

[Rex Monaco]

If you think ovals ***** in racing, then you obviously dont know racing or have never watched an oval race.

They are much more exciting than a road course, ovals have faster speeds, side-by-side racing, better passing.

Oval races have more passing but the better passing, when it's done, is done on a road/street course.

Anyone who knows racing or has actually watched a road race knows that! ;-)

[harvick#1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh32mWpyjA&feature=PlayList&p=BA3189423EE93350&index=3

^if you have 37 min it's worth the watch.... far from follow the leader

that vid is 16 years ago, sure the track can produce good races from time to time, Indy cars should be run on big fast tracks, with maybe 1 or 2 short tracks at most, but with also a good mix of road courses, I'd rather see Road America or Cleveland come back before Phoenix or NH anyday

[The instant classic]

Not soon enough. I want more ovals. I say bring in Phoenix and Michigan.
I agree with ya! more ovals the better
road racing puts me to sleep :(

[SarahFan]

that vid is 16 years ago, sure the track can produce good races from time to time, Indy cars should be run on big fast tracks, with maybe 1 or 2 short tracks at most, but with also a good mix of road courses, I'd rather see Road America or Cleveland come back before Phoenix or NH anyday

i'm confused about your point of being 16 yeras old...

those cars were the same realitive weight, length and width of the current IRL.... produced 25% more horsepower... less downforce... and raced and qualified at faster speeds...

Mix in Tony doesn't seem to be able to make the 'Big' ovals (michigan and Fontana) work and hasn't run 500 milers either it seems the 'big fast tracks' are a thing of the past...

[SarahFan]

I agree with ya! more ovals the better
road racing puts me to sleep :(

are you holding out hope the IRL will return to being Ovalcentric?....if so how and why?

[garyshell]

Hopefully never ....

Another 500 miler at Fontana or Michigan could be good, but as long as the idiots in charge there won't be another 500 mile race.


If you think ovals suck in racing, then you obviously dont know racing or have never watched an oval race.

They are much more exciting than a road course, ovals have faster speeds, side-by-side racing, better passing.


Which part of "THOSE" didn't you understand? Especially when in the next sentence Atomic calls for races on an... wait for it ... OVAL!

Another case of ready, fire, aim.

Gary

[call_me_andrew]

I don't think we'll see an increase in ovals until the plans for the new car are finalized. Ovals present a higher risk of damage so expect to see a bunch of them lumped together so owners can liquidate their Dallara fleet.

[The instant classic]

are you holding out hope the IRL will return to being Ovalcentric?....if so how and why?
No i don't think the IRL will ever return to the ovalcentric i just more miss tracks like MIS and Nashville.But i guess that comes from my nascar roots for so many years watching ovals only you kind of like them more then anyother type of track, im sure the old CART fans could say the same for road racing back in the day

[Mark in Oshawa]

Ovals will be a factor but I think the IRL will be addicted to big sanctioning fee's from track owners and promoters and big crowds. If an oval doesn't pack them in, it wont stick. I think business principals will determine how many ovals will stick around. I hope about half the sched always is ovals. That is about where it should be and where it was during the glory days.

As for another 500 mile race, there should be but if Tony wont allow it, that would say VOLUMES about why CART ignored him in 95 wouldn't it?

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Ovals will be a factor but I think the IRL will be addicted to big sanctioning fee's from track owners and promoters and big crowds. If an oval doesn't pack them in, it wont stick. I think business principals will determine how many ovals will stick around. I hope about half the sched always is ovals. That is about where it should be and where it was during the glory days.

As for another 500 mile race, there should be but if Tony wont allow it, that would say VOLUMES about why CART ignored him in 95 wouldn't it?

That makes sense. But they didn't turn down SMI's five-race package for 2009 because of the low sanctioning fee, they did it because they were scared. They were afraid that all the empty grandstands at LVMS and NHMS will make IndyCar look bad. These tracks are big, 100K+ facilities, and nowadays most of the ovals are. As I said, the IRL has a policy of being small time. That's why I don't see many ovals added to the schedule.

To reflect on a reply to my previous post, as far as I know, Pikes Peak reopened.

[nigelred5]

They should add New Jersey, Barber, Road America, and Miller.

[Wade91]

the IRL needs to bring back the ovels they have dumped over the past few years, like, Nashville (which i went to every year) Michagan, Phenox , calaforna, and then add NH and las vegas,

[dataman1]

I am going to open my crystal ball and say that if the economy continues to go downhill, we may see a repeat of history, of sorts. I would say that a great number of fans of this series reside in the MidWest, close enough to drive to Indy. The teams for the most part are in the Midwest. I can see a future of putting tracks on the calendar that are closer to home court, Indy, thereby reducing travel costs for the series, teams and fans.

So my prediction is that Nashville, Cleveland, MIS, and Elkhart could all come into play as the current contracts run out. This would still make for good TV and allow for diversity in racing.

I could also be all wet.

[Griffon]

Pikes Peak is not open for major professional racing. Just club road racing and possibly local stock cars. The seats for 42,000 are being removed. This is a condition of the sale by ISC to the new owners.

[wbcobrar]

I love oval racing , but they NEED to run at Road America .

[Pat Wiatrowski]

I love oval racing , but they NEED to run at Road America .

No they don't. The irl sleds would be so slow it would be funny!

[nigelred5]

Pikes Peak is not open for major professional racing. Just club road racing and possibly local stock cars. The seats for 42,000 are being removed. This is a condition of the sale by ISC to the new owners.
They need to tell ISC to go EFF them self. Apparently no one in the Denver area wants them there.

[Chamoo]

They need to tell ISC to go EFF them self. Apparently no one in the Denver area wants them there.

Obviously no one in Denver wants them there because they simply bought the track to f**k them all over in the first place. They bought the track to move the Bush League series out of there to one of their more prominent tracks, then shut the place down.

I wish Tony George would think about buying up a couple of race tracks and form a bit of a consortium of tracks like ISC does. It would bring in more funding for the IRL and provide them a place to run ovals out of non-ISC venues.

[SarahFan]

Obviously no one in Denver wants them there because they simply bought the track to f**k them all over in the first place. They bought the track to move the Bush League series out of there to one of their more prominent tracks, then shut the place down.

I wish Tony George would think about buying up a couple of race tracks and form a bit of a consortium of tracks like ISC does. It would bring in more funding for the IRL and provide them a place to run ovals out of non-ISC venues.

didn't he have an equity stake in Chicago and sell it?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Ken...here is a question: Did TG sell that stake in Chicago to ISC to plough the proceeds into keeping the IRL alive? Ask that question enough...and people start getting uncomfortable.....

[Mark in Oshawa]

As for more ovals, I like Dataman's theory that they may start running more races closer to home which would be ideal for Nashville.....

[SarahFan]

As for more ovals, I like Dataman's theory that they may start running more races closer to home which would be ideal for Nashville.....

China, Brazil, Houston, Alabama........and the possibility of a 'Mock0-Oval at the cleveland airport.....

[jarrambide]

China, Brazil, Houston, Alabama........and the possibility of a 'Mock0-Oval at the cleveland airport.....

Bring races back to Houston, I need a local race, making me go to Dallas is humilliating, Dallas, they are not even Texans I´m telling you.

[SarahFan]

Bring races back to Houston, I need a local race, making me go to Dallas is humilliating, Dallas, they are not even Texans I´m telling you.

who/what races in Dallas?

[jarrambide]

who/what races in Dallas?

OK, technically not in Dallas but still part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the closest race is in the Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth, the Bombardier Learjet 550, but this year I don´t know if I will go, supposedly I will still have the sling.

[SarahFan]

OK, technically not in Dallas but still part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the closest race is in the Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth, the Bombardier Learjet 550, but this year I don´t know if I will go, supposedly I will still have the sling.

you dont watch with your Arm!!!!!

[jarrambide]

you dont watch with your Arm!!!!!

But it hurts like crazy if I bump with someone, I bought tickets and will wait to see what my doc says, good thing is that in June I´m on vacation time baby.

[SarahFan]

But it hurts like crazy if I bump with someone, I bought tickets and will wait to see what my doc says, good thing is that in June I´m on vacation time baby.

5 or 6 weeks until texas.... I suspect it will feel a bit better by then


you should go...

I had a great time at LB... and I'm looking forward to Indy!

[Easy Drifter]

How about Tony Stewart's Eldora?

OOOOOPPPS. I theenk I jussss might have had, hic, a weeee tech toooo much Brandy!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Chamoo]

I suspect you'll see a new one for 2010.

[SarahFan]

I suspect you'll see a new one for 2010.

hmmm

which one?

will cleveland count?

[BobbyC]

Honda might (gasp!) want a race in Darlington because of the ATV plant in the Florence area off Interstate 95 (Exit 154). The government built roads and an interchange for that factory. That's just ten miles from Darlington Raceway (Exit 164), which is officially in the Florence suburbs. Plus there's enough time for families to spend in Myrtle Beach (resort).

I wouldn't be surprised if Pikes Peak and IRL get together to repave and build a new grandstand. The old grandstands were removed by ISC to put at another track under pressure. The Rocky Mountain market would be necessary.

But Nashville is what Firestone wants back -- the word is home.

[nigelred5]

Honda might (gasp!) want a race in Darlington because of the ATV plant in the Florence area off Interstate 95 (Exit 154). The government built roads and an interchange for that factory. That's just ten miles from Darlington Raceway (Exit 164), which is officially in the Florence suburbs. Plus there's enough time for families to spend in Myrtle Beach (resort).

I wouldn't be surprised if Pikes Peak and IRL get together to repave and build a new grandstand. The old grandstands were removed by ISC to put at another track under pressure. The Rocky Mountain market would be necessary.

But Nashville is what Firestone wants back -- the word is home.

Firestone may want nashville back, however unless a BIG sponsor steps up to support a return to Nashville, I think the testing sessions seem that it's more likely they'll end up a little under three hours down I-65 at Barber Motorsports Park. I might even be willing to visit my inlaws in Mississippi if they go to Barber.