Indycar (back) to belle isle in 2011?

[SarahFan]

http://www.whtc.com/news/articles/2010/jun/07/penske-pushing-return-indy-car-race-belle-isle/


*lets hope this is actually just some random piece of fiction from an obscure blog

[TURN3]

I've seen 4 races on Belle Isle and it is by far the worst event I've ever attended. Randy, Indycar, if you're reading the forums, please don't go back there. You can come up with something much better (i.e. MIS or even a new course downtown Detroit if it is that important to be there).

[MDS]

What I've never understood about Belle Isle is it's a park, there is no reason why they can't build up the roads on the Island to be a really good road course. Most of Belle Isle is undeveloped green space. There is plenty of room to develop a simi-permanent course like Circuit Giles Villeneuve without a lot cost, massive change to the Island's infrastructure or significant environmental effects.

The addition of some permanent seating, some walls and other facilities would cut down on the costs the Grand Prix,the course could be altered for better racing and if it could be used several times a year for other events it would increase the chance of whomever would be running it to make a profit.

[mileman]

All things considered, this sounds like a bad idea - especially for the series. Roger may be trying to help out Detroit - but this event won't make a big difference. In the regional "neighborhood," I'd rather see MIS or Cleveland again.

[Chamoo]

Agreed, this track is not wide enough, or racey enough for Izod Indycar's, and even FIL cars. I do like MDS' idea of turning Belle Isle into a Circuit Gilles Villeneuve type semi-permanent track, purpose built for Indycars.

But, MIS should be first on the list of Detroit area tracks we get back to, especially if you want excitement.

[nigelred5]

Agreed, this track is not wide enough, or racey enough for Izod Indycar's, and even FIL cars. I do like MDS' idea of turning Belle Isle into a Circuit Gilles Villeneuve type semi-permanent track, purpose built for Indycars.

But, MIS should be first on the list of Detroit area tracks we get back to, especially if you want excitement.

I'll third that. Belle Isle is about 3/4 of the way to being a great race venue, (Detroit itself aside) that could be an even better track than CGV. Widen the track, create a couple new, dedicated sections of race surface, and construct some permanent multi- use facilities for the track. I'd love to see another multi use recreation facility similar to Hermanos or like Fundidora Park was in Monterrey. I've been connected to a local parks and recreation council for over 30 years. Cities can find plenty of use for the track surface in such a facility. Marathons, bike races, concerts... I've called out a couple places in this area that could accomodate such a venue.

[bblocker68]

Can we please get Cleveland instead????

[00steven]

Personally, I like ovals better but, some road races are very good. Unfortunaltly, Belle Isle isn't one of them.

[Bob Riebe]

I'll third that. Belle Isle is about 3/4 of the way to being a great race venue, (Detroit itself aside) that could be an even better track than CGV. Widen the track, create a couple new, dedicated sections of race surface, and construct some permanent multi- use facilities for the track. I'd love to see another multi use recreation facility similar to Hermanos or like Fundidora Park was in Monterrey. I've been connected to a local parks and recreation council for over 30 years. Cities can find plenty of use for the track surface in such a facility. Marathons, bike races, concerts... I've called out a couple places in this area that could accomodate such a venue.
Destroy the island for a race, that would be foolish.
It is a park, leave it as such.

[MDS]

Destroy the island for a race, that would be foolish.
It is a park, leave it as such.

You can have both, look at Circuit Giles Villeneuve, the race track hosts a number of runs, competitive cycling events, concerts and other events, and there's no reason why Bell Isle can't be upgraded in a similar way.

It wouldn't take much to expand and straighten The Strand to eliminate turns 8-12 and make the Casino turns into one big hairpin with permanent seats for a concert area. It wouldn't take much

[Bob Riebe]

You can have both, look at Circuit Giles Villeneuve, the race track hosts a number of runs, competitive cycling events, concerts and other events, and there's no reason why Bell Isle can't be upgraded in a similar way.

It wouldn't take much to expand and straighten The Strand to eliminate turns 8-12 and make the Casino turns into one big hairpin with permanent seats for a concert area. It wouldn't take much
Part of Belle Isle is still-- a park -- you know with trees etc.
Do what is listed above and that is gone.
It become another glorified parking lot with a few trees here and there.

[EagleEye]

Belle Isle was always intended to be a corporate event for the automotive industry. In addition to the car makers, you have all the tier 1 and 2 suppliers supporting the race.

While Cleveland is a no brainer from the fan stanpoint, a race in Detroit would have strong corporate support. The poor economy, expecially within the automotive industry is the main reason it went away.

While you can not see a thing while you are there, there have been some good races that made for good TV.

[nigelred5]

Part of Belle Isle is still-- a park -- you know with trees etc.
Do what is listed above and that is gone.
It become another glorified parking lot with a few trees here and there.


Monza is a park.................. with far more trees.


We're not talking about making it a Tilkedrome with a 100 foot wide racing surface..I'm hardly advocating destroying a park. Both can co-exist and both can improve upon one another. It's pointless as neither are going to happen in this decade or likely the next.

[mileman]

Can we please get Cleveland instead????

I've only seen one race at Burke Lakefront in person and it was great stuff.

"They're going 7 wide into turn one." Ha!

Bring it back! Please!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Go back To Cleveland and forget Belle Isle. All this talk of making it a better racing track presupposes two things: ONE, someone will pony up the money to make all these changes, pave new track, put up a pit complex and the like. If the money was there, the money would be in supporting teams. The money would be in the economy and maybe teams would have sponsors. No one is going to pay to remediate Belle Isle into having a better racing track when Detroit is broke, corrupt and needing the be swept clean of the vermin who inhabit it's city government. TWO, putting the race back on Belle Isle is also presupposing the obvious issue that you assume it was a good race to watch on TV or in person in the past. It was neither.

AS much as I don't mind road courses, I do think the ovals have to be in balance for entertainment value. Go back to MIS if you are so desparate to race in Michigan...

[Bob Riebe]

Monza is a park.................. with far more trees.


We're not talking about making it a Tilkedrome with a 100 foot wide racing surface..I'm hardly advocating destroying a park. Both can co-exist and both can improve upon one another. It's pointless as neither are going to happen in this decade or likely the next. When was the race track at Monza built?
Why does it have chicanes that destroyed the nature of the track?

Road America was butchered for Indy cars, what they would do to that park because the trees would make it either a walled joke, or they would cut the trees down so the cars would not fly into them.
The faster they go, the greater a joke a track becomes now for "safeties" sake.
Too many Chicken-Littles set the standards nowadays.

Bring up a satellite picture and look to see how many trees would be cut-down for ANY widening or paved-over additions.

[jwhite9185]

i seem to remember there being a good finish in 1997 - although that had nothing to do with the track!

when the race came back a few years ago was the paddock area still grass and spectators had to park in the city and catch a bus in?

[nigelred5]

When was the race track at Monza built?
Why does it have chicanes that destroyed the nature of the track?

Road America was butchered for Indy cars, what they would do to that park because the trees would make it either a walled joke, or they would cut the trees down so the cars would not fly into them.
The faster they go, the greater a joke a track becomes now for "safeties" sake.
Too many Chicken-Littles set the standards nowadays.

Bring up a satellite picture and look to see how many trees would be cut-down for ANY widening or paved-over additions.


You mean The Monza that is still the fastest track in F1? It has chicanes because Italian law allows prosecution if a driver is injured and a certain accident in 94 scared the bjeezus out of the sport. Why does IMS have safer barriers?


Already have looked at satellite pics. Many times actually. Considering I can count individual trees in many of the areas of the track on Google, Bing and Yahoo, Not nearly as many as you would make it sound. The track doesn't take up even a 1/4 of the island and much of the area already is developed, and the paddock area was already paved which doesn't show in the images. Trees can be moved as well. We moved 25 40+ foot tall trees recently when we built a new multi purpose facility with seperate soccer, football and baseball fields.

Again, we don't have to worry aout it because Detroit isn't recovering enough to support any race anytime soon, and there isn't a loader big enough to dig all the corruption out of Detroit's government. Belle Isle will continue to decay just like the city it's a part of.

[MDS]

Bring up a satellite picture and look to see how many trees would be cut-down for ANY widening or paved-over additions.

Heaven forbid we ever cut down a tree....

Seriously, whatever trees would have to be taken could be moved and planted elsewhere. Many parks have large amounts of hardscape, the example that comes to mind for me is Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, lots of concrete and very few trees.

[Bob Riebe]

Heaven forbid we ever cut down a tree....

Seriously, whatever trees would have to be taken could be moved and planted elsewhere. Many parks have large amounts of hardscape, the example that comes to mind for me is Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, lots of concrete and very few trees.
That is an obtuse statement.

Lets see, how long does it take to grow a sixty-foot tree, oh yeah, a year or two so just plant some more.

Have you been there, I have, racing there, much less spending millions, to ruin an existing park, for a half-assed racing series is asinine.

[nigelred5]

http://willeybigtrees.com/reduced%20pixel%20truck%201.jpg?nxg_versionuid=pub lished

You don't cut them down.

[Bob Riebe]

http://willeybigtrees.com/reduced%20pixel%20truck%201.jpg?nxg_versionuid=

You don't cut them down.
Evergreens are moved easier than deciduous, because of the shallow roots.
Belle Isle is not a evergreen forest.
Deciduous trees are extremely finicky.
Balled young trees have high death rate.

I have worked with transplanted large trees.

[nigelred5]

In additon to something in the range of 50 mature cypress, cedar, white pines and silver maples, we moved around 25 large Oak trees less than a year ago at the new facility. All are doing fine this spring.

I moved a dogwood my grandfather planted next to my house 50 years ago 10 feet. It's just fine.
You know it can be done. It's all in the quality of the arborist and the size of the tree spade being used. $$ makes it happen.

Again,this is all academic, as none of it will happen.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Belle Isle is like Detroit. It has seen better days, and I hope the people in Detroit have better ideas than putting Indycars back on Belle Isle.