Race of Champions @ Marlins Stadium | FerrariChat

Race of Champions @ Marlins Stadium

Discussion in 'Florida' started by WILLIAM H, Oct 30, 2016.

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  1. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Miami

    Seems an odd venue seeing as we have Homestead Speedway nearby.

    I'm going w Bubbles, See you there
     
  2. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Since 2004, the Race of Champions events were moved from their first base on the
    Canary Islands to sports stadiums around the world to create a more intimate atmosphere
    so fans may come out and be close to the action.

    Previous versions of stadium ROC races were held at Paris, London, Beijing, Bangkok,
    and back to London again.

    Homestead, being an ISC track would have no interest in hosting any sort of major
    international racing happening such as this as their sole emphasis is on NASCAR.

    It's being covered in the racing section.

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/other-racing/530822-2017-race-champions-miami.html

    BHW
     
  3. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    NASCAR is their main emphasis, not the sole emphasis.

    Theyve had Indy & IMSA races there.

    FARAs field is impressive w Daytona Prototypes, DPi, Lambos, Ferraris. Porsches, Astons, Corvettes, BMWs etc all battling it out.

    They also have Friday night drag racing
     
  4. blackbolt22

    blackbolt22 F1 Veteran

    Sep 25, 2007
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    Mr. Anderson
    Just found out about it tonight. May check it out.
     
  5. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    There hasn't been a sports car race or Indy Car race at Homestead since the ISC/NASCAR
    kicked Indy Car out of all but two of their circuits several years ago now. It's an all but
    distant memory but Homestead even hosted FIA GT (now Blancpain) and even with those
    cars, hardly anyone turned out.

    Grand Am raced at Homestead, but calling that sports car racing is a reach. I attended
    one of these events back around 2010 as a guest of one of the teams and I've seen more
    spectators at club events there than were at that race and I don't recall IMSA having ever
    raced there.

    A circuit which regularly had crowds of 100+K for CART races at their height, were lucky
    to get 10K for IRL/Indy Car as they simply have no interest in promoting these types of
    events as they see a dollar spent on anything other than NASCAR as a dollar out of their
    pockets which they will stop at nothing to recoup.

    Outstanding facility, no doubt, but a pity what has happened there since the ISC takeover.

    BHW
     
  6. racergirl

    racergirl Karting

    Feb 24, 2005
    127
    #6 racergirl, Nov 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I received the attached brochure for VIP packages. I had Diamond Club season tickets for the first 3 years of the new stadium (until they got so bad that I had to practically pay people to go to the games with me), and it was fun. The dining room is nice, the service is good, the seats are comfy, and they were right behind home plate. I don't know how that translates on the race course, but it looks like a hairpin and straightaway are right in front of you. I'd do that option if other people are going. Has anyone done anything about getting tickets?
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  7. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    We've ordered tickets anticipating a large European and Brazilian contingent coming to
    see the event but they're cheapish seats. Haven't gotten any news as to how ticket
    sales are going but we're in so no worries.

    Some of our Danish and English friends made their plans to attend the minute the
    announcement about the event went live so there will be some crazy Danes supporting
    Tom Kristensen and Brazilians supporting Filipe Massa and Tony Kanaan.

    There will be more coming as we're discussing doing an extra curricular event around
    the ROC.

    BHW
     
  8. racergirl

    racergirl Karting

    Feb 24, 2005
    127
    My Ferraristi friends want to see Sebastian Vettel. Is anyone else planning to go?
     
  9. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
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    There's FARA which has impressive fields. The next race Miami 500 Nov 27 has 7 DP,
    4 LMP3, 6 radicals & Pragas, Huracans, 458, GT3RS, Audi R8, Corvettes etc.

    It's not IMSA but it's great racing.
     
  10. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    I'm going.
     
  11. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    When speaking about sports car racing, I'm usually referring to major international points
    paying championship calibre events sanctioned by the FIA or to a lesser degree, IMSA (which
    is now controlled by NASCAR) featuring, you know, professional drivers, professional factory
    backed teams, sponsors, attending media, etc.

    The last such events that took place at Homestead featured Grand Am which, as per usual,
    featured their newly invented "Man on the Street" fans which chose to stay away by the
    droves and the race played to 100K empty seats.

    I've not seen the ticket sales yet for the upcoming RoC event here in Miami but would expect
    to see a large crowd from all over the world in attendance which should make it very interesting.

    We'll be there and watch for announcements with regard to any extracurricular events taking
    place in town.

    BHW
     
  12. racergirl

    racergirl Karting

    Feb 24, 2005
    127
    Did you already get your tickets?
     
  13. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Not sure, got to ask my Team Mgr
     
  14. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Indy Car stars Helio Castroneves and James Hinchcliffe join the Miami RoC event line up.

    The full line-up includes:

    Kurt Busch (NASCAR)
    Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
    Ryan Hunter-Reay (Indy Car)
    Alexander Rossi (Indy Car)
    Travis Pastrana (WRX)
    Scott Speed (WRX)
    Gabby Chaves (Indy Car)
    James Hinchcliffe (Indy Car)
    Juan Pablo Montoya (Indy Car)
    Tony Kanaan (Indy Car)
    Filipe Massa (F-1)
    Helio Castroneves (Indy Car)
    Jenson Button (F-1)
    David Coulthard (F-1)
    Tom Kristensen (Sports Cars)
    Petter Solberg (WRX/WRC)
    Sebastian Vettel (F-1)

    We’ve got our tickets…

    Castroneves, Hinchcliffe join ROC line-up, ROC Factor launched

    BHW
     
  15. tamiami

    tamiami Karting

    Mar 14, 2007
    85
    From the seating chart, the most sold seats are behind home plate which is good for baseball but head on and getting high to the long straights. Any good/bad ideas about being low between the fences and either first or third and being closer to the track?
     
  16. BartonWorkman

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    #16 BartonWorkman, Dec 26, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Personally, I think sitting behind the home plate area may not be the best viewing
    particularly.

    Somewhere down the first or third base lines may afford the best overall viewing
    of the entire circuit.

    Having never been inside the stadium, it's difficult to say.

    Sometimes, the most expensive seating may not be the best but then there are the
    amenities that come along with privilege.

    BHW
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  17. tamiami

    tamiami Karting

    Mar 14, 2007
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    Looking at the stadium pics, I'm leaning to around first near the jump. I haven't seen any VIP tickets or perks available to the public so the only amenities could include an overpriced hotdog.
     
  18. BartonWorkman

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    #18 BartonWorkman, Jan 19, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  19. GatorFL

    GatorFL Moderator
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    Nov 18, 2005
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    Duane
    Looks like indoor karting!
     
  20. sindo308qv

    sindo308qv F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Always thought these ROC races are lame. They should be done on a proper road course.
     
  21. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    The track was Super lame, was a glorified go kart track very poorly laid out & the
    "flag men" were completely clueless.

    This was not road racing. The races were 2 lap events were the drivers would swap tracks end of 1st lap.

    The worst part of the track was the last 2 corners. The right side corner was very tight & killed your speed while the left corner allowed for better exit speed. So the driver on
    left side was the winner 90%.

    The driver list on the other hand was spectacular. We got to talk to David Coulthard,
    Helios Castro Neves, & JP Montoya who won the whole thing Sat.

    Travis Pastrana was surprisingly strong giving serious F1, Indycar, & NASCAR drivers a serious challenge.
     
  22. BartonWorkman

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    #22 BartonWorkman, Jan 23, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Putting a work a day race track into a stadium is no small task. And, of course, it's not
    going to be Nurburgring Nordschleife. They did a good job of laying the asphalt as there
    didn't seem to be any patches coming up in the turns as may be expected.

    The variety of cars taking part was interesting. It seemed they could have done away with
    the Whelen NASCAR and Polaris Slingshot SLRs in favor of Shifter and/or Rotax karts. Since
    all of the drivers are accomplished karting drivers in their own right, it would have been
    interesting to see them race karts on the circuit absolutely.

    The remaining cars were pretty much at home on the tight circuit. The Aerial Atoms must
    have set the fastest laps as they were visibly very quick off the line and through the turns.

    The NASCAR type cars just looked like dinosaurs on the track and could barely get out of
    first gear. It looked as though all the drivers were having trouble controlling the Slingshots
    as with only one wheel in the back where the drive is, they were sliding a lot and of course
    Wehrlein's incident on Saturday in a Slingshot was pretty dramatic when he flipped after
    losing control coming out of the last turn, slightly brushing Massa, and doing an end-o
    over the barriers and almost ending up in the front row along the third base side grandstands.

    Word at the stadium on Sunday was that Wehrlein's sponsors (he'd only just signed with
    Sauber a few days ago) objected to him continuing after the incident and therefore he
    pulled out of the Nations Cup event leaving Vettel to carry on for Germany solo where
    he secured the 1st Place trophy.

    For sure, Vettel got the biggest applause from the crowd during introductions and he didn't
    disappoint. The crowds were respectable, Saturday estimates reported to be upward of 15K
    to 20K with the grandstand down the first base side nearly full. Perhaps 7K to 10K on Sunday.
    Haven't seen exact figures yet. Our section seemed to have a lot of Germans, Columbians,
    Brazilians and Danes so that was great with a good many flying in from Europe especially
    for the event.

    The kick is to see so many top drivers from different disciplines all racing together. They all
    seemed to be having a great time and enjoying the event. Several noted that they hoped
    that Miami would become the permanent home of the ROC. It reminded me of the days
    IMSA and NASCAR used to race at Daytona during the 4th of July events when you could
    see Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood talking with Richard Petty and David Pearson in the
    garages where here it was the Busch brothers hanging out with Vettel, Coulthard and
    Kristensen.

    During breaks in the action, organizers kept things going with crazy stunt car driver Terry
    Grant, motorcycle stunt driver Aaron Colton and an original Group B Audi Sport Quattro rally
    car doing some demonstration laps and providing some fun.

    Downside, food and drink prices. Chicken tenders with fries $10.00, pulled pork sandwich $12.00,
    import tall boy beer $14.00, domestic tall boy beer $12.00, hotdog $6.25, nachos $12.00, regular
    soda $4.75. Frankly, how can a guy bring the wife and kid(s) without taking out a second mortgage?

    Didn't $1+B of tax payer money go into building this facility? Doesn't seem fair that they gouge
    prices for food and drink. We Uber'd over so we didn't have to pay for parking but on site parking
    must have been $30.00 at least. Suppose though, still better than paying $20.00 for a bottle of
    water at the Breakers, a-hem...

    All in all though, a very fun event. We had a great time Saturday and Sunday.

    A few pics. Sorry for the quality, recently lost my fancy new camera and used the old
    one.

    BHW
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  23. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    They really need a real track for next year or it's just a goofy novelty event nad not a real race.

    The way IROC used to do it but with maybe 10 lap sprints w all drivers together in same car.

    The add different races for different cars.
     
  24. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    In some of the photos, the circuit looks like a 1/1 scale version of an Aurora A/FX slot car track!

    I'd rather see these guys race in real, identically-prepared race cars on a real racing circuit. Bring back the IROC!
     
  25. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Information courtesy of the ROC Miami Press office...

    Felipe Massa had the fastest time of the entire weekend: 36.5331sec (Radical SR3 RSX)

    Crowd across both days was 15,000 (Sat) and 13,000 (Sun).

    BHW
     

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