Baltimore Race Still On Shaky Ground?

[DBell]

I saw this article from the Baltimore Sun. It's from 4/16/12. It looks like the GP there is still very much up in the air.

Baltimore Grand Prix group in turmoil - baltimoresun.com (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-ci-grand-prix-shakeup-20120416,0,4829045.story)

Starter, other people from the area, what are you hearing?

[nigelred5]

Lots of speculation. Reports of ongoing disagreements between Dillon and Felix Dawson( the local guy with the money.)zero information from the promoters themself. Noinformation about ANY plans for the race. Not good.

[Nikki Katz]

If this gets cancelled won't the IRL be in contract breach because there'd only be 15 races? I hope it goes ahead!

[garyshell]

If this gets cancelled won't the IRL be in contract breach because there'd only be 15 races? I hope it goes ahead!

No, but the Indycar Series might. ;)


Gary

[dataman1]

IMO the contract with IZOD has to include a minimum number of races. With no news from China and bad news from Baltimore they have to be scrambling for someplace to race.

[nigelred5]

Baltimore Grand Prix's community relations head resigns - Baltimore Business Journal (http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2012/04/20/baltimore-grand-prixs-community.html)

[FIAT1]

IndyCar race in Baltimore still on, Bernard says - Autoweek (http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120423/INDYCAR/120429929)

[Nikki Katz]

All press is good press?!?!?!

I hope they have a backup plan for at least one race if they don't want to annoy IZOD.

[DBell]

IMO the contract with IZOD has to include a minimum number of races. With no news from China and bad news from Baltimore they have to be scrambling for someplace to race.

That's a good point about China. Since the announcement, there hasn't been a word said about this race. Why do I feel I've been down this rabbit hole before?

[Mark in Oshawa]

This rabbit hole was one I thought was behind us...

[anthonyvop]

Not looking good

IndyCar scouts for new Baltimore Grand Prix organizer | WYPR (http://www.wypr.org/news/indycar-scouts-new-baltimore-grand-prix-organizer)

[00steven]

I think Indycar will end up sanctioning this event. It was a success last year and can only get better with the new car.

[nigelred5]

from what I've read, my synopsis:
Money lost/poorly managed by original promoters of an outwardly suuccessful race from the team and fan perspectives.

City signs a new promoter, essentially of Indycar's picking.
Downforce racing has a partially signed deal with the city-2 of 3 partners(The money) wants the 3rd partner(with the experience of organizing and running, but not promoting street races) out.
same 3rd partner is reportedly the only party that hasn't signed the deals with the city to move forward. (Could he be resistant to accept 50% of the liability along with his 50% share of DF racing?
Indycar has stated they have NO CONTRACT with Downforce racing, which I presume means they also have no deal with THEIR GUY, Dillon. IIRC, the Indycar contract is directly with the City, not DF racing
Dillon has had split priorities/agendas between Baltimore and Ft Lauderdale. He had even lobbied for FTL taking Baltimore's date.

Purely my reading between the lines from what I've read and heard on the street in B-more, but long story short, we currently have a date but NO race in the works in Baltimore.


Sounds like a total clusterF- to me. I'm thinking those September 1ST tickets to see Stone Temple Pilots, Three Days Grace, Seether, Buckcherry, Daughtry, Fuel, Puddle of Mudd, Black Stone Cherry, Foxy Shazam, Redlight King, are looking better and better every day.

[Mark in Oshawa]

This goes back to the argument that some have that street races don't make money. LBGP and the race in Toronto for years proved that they could pay their own way at least, just based on the years of the event being held. However, it is a tenuous existence, and I know no one makes a killing off of one of these deals on a one year basis. It takes years of spreading the cost of building the infrastructure to pull it off to get your money out.

This will be a shame, but hey, this is part of why the IRL needs to be really strict and do their due diligence with prospective partners for races. Find people with deep enough pockets and some maturity to understand what they are getting into.

[FIAT1]

Michael Andretti to lead new Baltimore Grand Prix team - baltimoresun.com (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-ci-third-grand-prix-team-20120509,0,3862083.story)

[nigelred5]

:)

[anthonyvop]

Michael Andretti to lead new Baltimore Grand Prix team - baltimoresun.com (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-ci-third-grand-prix-team-20120509,0,3862083.story)

Not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination.

[heliocastroneves#3]

Michael Andretti to lead new Baltimore Grand Prix team - baltimoresun.com (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-ci-third-grand-prix-team-20120509,0,3862083.story)
Good news! :)

[FIAT1]

Not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination.

Perhaps not, but group that obviously knows how to put up racing event is involved ,is a point in right direction, and I see it as positive.

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[Chris R]

Not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination.

no, but a definite positive step in the right direction.....

[Mark in Oshawa]

I believe this is Mikey taking one for the team, and next year they will try to figure out how to either make money or do one or two more before selling it off to some other suc I mean interested party...

[Marbles]

Perhaps Toronto has been more successful for Mikey than we are lead to believe and he sees a similar opportunity in Baltimore. I don't know, just spit-balling.

[FIAT1]

Race On and Andretti Sports Marketing confirm details for Baltimore GP - Racer.com (http://www.racer.com/race-on-and-andretti-sports-marketing-confirm-details-for-baltimore-gp/article/241442/)

.... looky looky, it's on!!!