Talks continue about double-header at Cleveland

[MDS]

If and when the Grand Prix of Cleveland returns to Burke Lakefront Airport, it could do so as an all-star event of open-wheel auto racing -- a unique event featuring an oval race and a street-course race, all in the same weekend. Talks continue between Cleveland representatives and the Indy Racing League, which expects to announce its 2010 schedule in July, about what role the city will play. Some proposals on the table:
• The IRL wants to put a one-mile flat oval, with no walls, inside the existing 2.47-mile Burke street course layout and have an oval race.
• One day later, the IRL would hold the traditional 2.47-mile street course race.
• Included with those two races could be other potential wrinkles, which would add up to an All-Star weekend of open-wheel racing.

At least it would be unique, and a potential marquee event that the league clearly needs more of.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/05/start_your_engines_promoters_a.html

[Mark in Oshawa]

At least it would be unique, and a potential marquee event that the league clearly needs more of.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/05/start_your_engines_promoters_a.html


Unique, but I fail to see the point of the oval idea. I guess this is paying lip service to the original thought that the IRL was an oval series?

Burke was/is fun, and although I think it is an interesting thought to have a double header, it is a bit much to expect the teams to be able to make all the adjustments and change the parts to run two races on the same weekend with an oval setup and a road course setup. If this ever happens, Penske or Ganassi will win. No other outfits have the techinical jam or resources to make a car competitive from one circuit to the other that fast.

This idea will die....too much $$$ for the teams to have to plough into a really intersting idea...

[NickFalzone]

I think an oval without walls is a great idea. Not sure how the fans would fit in, or the camera/crew people, but it would be great for the racing.

[garyshell]

Unique, but I fail to see the point of the oval idea. I guess this is paying lip service to the original thought that the IRL was an oval series?

Burke was/is fun, and although I think it is an interesting thought to have a double header, it is a bit much to expect the teams to be able to make all the adjustments and change the parts to run two races on the same weekend with an oval setup and a road course setup. If this ever happens, Penske or Ganassi will win. No other outfits have the techinical jam or resources to make a car competitive from one circuit to the other that fast.

This idea will die....too much $$$ for the teams to have to plough into a really intersting idea...

Unless you do as someone else suggested and impound the cars after the first race. That way the teams have to set up for a compromise for both races and the playing field gets leveled a bit. Since the "oval" would be really a "roval" I think this could actually work and again add to the unique nature of such an endeavor.

Gary

[SUBARUTEAM]

Unless you do as someone else suggested and impound the cars after the first race. That way the teams have to set up for a compromise for both races and the playing field gets leveled a bit. Since the "oval" would be really a "roval" I think this could actually work and again add to the unique nature of such an endeavor.

Gary

Gary - this was my thought in a previous thread. I agree that it would be a great equaliser to impound the cars so that the setup is a compromise. Actual, given that its a flat oval, i don't think that the setup would be all that different. This would avoid the cheque book racers from cleaning up.

[jimispeed]

Unless you do as someone else suggested and impound the cars after the first race. That way the teams have to set up for a compromise for both races and the playing field gets leveled a bit. Since the "oval" would be really a "roval" I think this could actually work and again add to the unique nature of such an endeavor.

Gary


Great idea Gary!! Wasn't/isn't there a roval in Rio or Germany???

[MDS]

My thinking is that the Friday night "oval" race would be an all-star race of some kind. Like only invite race and pole winners from the year before, so that way you're only burdening the teams that can afford and prepare for it.

[garyshell]

Gary - this was my thought in a previous thread. I agree that it would be a great equaliser to impound the cars so that the setup is a compromise. Actual, given that its a flat oval, i don't think that the setup would be all that different. This would avoid the cheque book racers from cleaning up.


Great idea Gary!! Wasn't/isn't there a roval in Rio or Germany???


Not my idea, but great nonetheless. As I said in my message I knew someone else had suggested it before, I just couldn't remember who. 'Twas SubaruTeam who had the idea. Props to him/her.

Gary

[garyshell]

If you impound the cars there is no additional burden. Playing field is leveled in one fell swoop.

Gary

[nigelred5]

Works for me! I just hope the cleveland event will fall on a date other than the weekend of/preceeding the 4th of july so I might once in my live be able to attend a race at Cleveland. That is the one weekend of the year I absolutely cannot leave town.

[SUBARUTEAM]

i race rally cars here in New Zealand and on a couple of events, we have raced on sealed roads in the morning, and then gravel roads on the afternoon - with a 20 minute service in the middle. The chellange is to find a setup that kindof suits both gravel and tarmac. I see this event as been similar - eg you can only bring one car and a backup that can only be used if the primary car crashes. In addition, you can only give your car a quick service after the oval race before it gets locked down.

Its a new concept and all the teams will need to buy into the idea - but the double header idea is without precedent in open wheel racing so we can start with a clean sheet of paper to draw up some rules and regulations.

[Chamoo]

Anything that gets the Cleveland Road Course back on the schedule is a positive in my opinion. Also, with the 2 races in a weekend, it gives the IRL/Versus a cheap way to put on 2x the amount of TV over a friday, saturday, sunday.

Add to that the Roval or Oval would be pretty fun to watch too I would think. That track just seems to be fun no matter what happens. I sort of wish they'd run the road course under the lights again though.