USGP 08 - Today's the day!

Today is the deadline Tony George gave to Bernie to make a decision. Not sure Bernie will respond, but if you hear something, pls post it here.

 

S***!!!!

Bad news just released. No 08 Race at Indy. Tony to speak to reporters later today.

Bill

 

just found a link:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/SPORTS01/707120523

 

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070712/SPORTS01/707120523

A stormy eight-year relationship between Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One ended today with the announcement the international racing series would not return in 2008.

IMS chairman Tony George and F-1 boss Bernie Ecclestone could not reach an agreement on a sanctioning fee to continue the U.S. Grand Prix. George had set today as a deadline for a new contract.

Track spokesman Ron Green said both sides are leaving the door open for possible future events.

The relationship deteriorated dramatically after the 2005 race when only six cars competed because of safety concerns over Michelin tires.

The decision leaves the U.S. without an F-1 event and follows failed attempts at other venues, including Long Beach, Calif., Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Phoenix. Ecclestone has explored putting a race in Las Vegas but no agreement has been announced.

The Speedway's 2.6-mile road course won't go unused next year. MotoGP, the motorcycle equivalent of Formula One, is scheduled to visit in September 2008.

 

Sad, but not unexpected.

Glad I went to Indy this year one last time.

Then again, other GPs like Spa or Imola have been axed and reinstated a couple of years later.

 

Good, what a boring race track. I really don't care that it won't [possibly] be in the US anymore. It still requires me to get on an airplane to see the race.

 

???????
So no USGP is better in your mind that a less that perfect track?

 

Indy just did not get F1. I went to the Grand Prix in '02 and '03. The locals were trying to treat it like the Indy 500 or the Brickyard 400 which are no more than recruiting grounds for the Jerry Springer show. Glad to see it outta there.

I hope they get something worked out for Las Vegas. Lots of Euro and Asian tourism out here to support it, not to mention this town handles more juggernaut conventions than any other city on the planet. Would be a walk in the park.

 

I have had so much fun at Indy for F1, now it's gone.

What are the chances of a grand prix in the US now? This will surely hurt the american fan base, although I can't predict by how much.

Does Bernie have short-man syndrome?

Do a lot of the F1 personnel, Bernie at the top, think that they can do without the US because our sports climate is so different than theirs? (ie football vs soccer, NASCAR vs real racing, etc) Maybe they're just getting back at us for dumping all their tea in the Boston harbor...

Whatever it is, I'll still be a fan until the day Bernie dies, then I'll have a BIG celebration for the new head of F1, whoever it may be.

 

yea. Bye Bye Indy.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/60738

Tony screws race fans again. Thanks, Tony May a million fleas infest your armpits.

 

It will be missed but it comes as no surprise.

Signed,

7 time visitor to the USGP.

Now...lets see someone step up and build a first class F1 track someplace here in the USA. Just outside Vegas would be cool.

 

That's not the reason. It is all about $$$. Bernie has a bunch of nations lined up willing to pay lots more than Tony George. Simple as that.

The only way to change this would be if the car manufacturers exert pressure on the FOM because they realize that the USA is important to sell their cars in.

Signed,

7 time visitor to the USGP.

 

The problem is that the government won't pay for something like that. We have local and state governments partially subsidizing basketball arenas because they can be used for a variety of things (basketball, hockey, concerts, etc). They won't subsidize a once a year race that might not be there in 5 years. Plus, there would be no other use for the track and it takes up too much space. You'll need to find one rich guy to build a nice track.

 

^^^^Talk to Bill Gates, maybe he can make a "donation"

 

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/070712131553.shtml

Tony George couldn't run a popcorn stand.

 

Like I have posted before, The Barber Motorsports Parke would be perfect...it is a great new track with high quality facilities and enough hotels and restaurants nearby to handle 150k+ fans...after all, the Talladega track is nearby which attracts as many NASCAR fans as Indy does F1 fans...the problem of course will still be who will pay Bernie's fees to host the race? www.barbermotorsports.com

 

You guys crack me up.

Tony George put HIS OWN money up so you can attend a USGP for 7 years. Probably way more money than anyone can figure, I know some of the guys involved with the construction there. Bernie is a prick since day 1, yet the speedway keeps trying to keep it going. Who knows what the sanctioning fees for 08+ were being quoted.

Local support questioned? Largest attendance numbers in the world for a GP, I think the fans get it in the US, of course you have to work at it to follow road racing over here.


The facility is the best sporting venue anywhere, and all I hear about is "the infield section sucks", so basically the whole USGP in Indy must be some kind of mistake.

Don't you all find it sad that this is not just a loss for Indy, but there will not be a USgp next year???? No one can be ready based on the needs of the series, maybe even by 09.

Oh yea, some oil sheik can pay more than an Indiana businessman, so miraculousy a bunch of arabs are suddenly the worlds best road racing fans worthy of a homeland race.

 

His own money? I thought it was all inherited and he decided to blow it.

As far as the infield section sucking, it does. Sorry, I couldn't care less the number of toilets IMS has. Or the number of VIP boxes. Or the number of parking spots. I only care about the race and it's not that good imo.

 

Like it or not, that "bunch of arabs" has already a major stake in Ferrari. I forgot the percentage, but it is huge, something like 30% or so.

BTW: "Another bunch of arabs" now also own the majority of the McLaren team.

The Abu Dhabi race track actually looks pretty darn good. Not something I'd say about the Indy infield, which really does suck. And I say that as somebody who went to all 7 USGPs and enjoyed the experience every time.

 

Abu Dhabi has a 5% share of Ferrari. http://www.mubadala.ae/en/content/press_22.asp

Mansour Ojjeh owns 30% of McLaren (Ron Dennis 30% and Mercedes 40%). http://auto.commongate.com/post/The_Sale_Of_McLaren

 

I can understand your bitter feelings towards Indy, but I for one loved it. We stayed at the Brickyard Crossings, right on the track grounds. I only live about 3.5 hours from Indianapolis so it wasn't a horrible trip. We had 6 people staying at the hotel together. In all I'd say we spent about 2k for the whole weekend. Hotel, tickets to practice, quali, and race. I know its not the best track, but Try finding another F1 race you could afford like Indy. I for one loved it. Yea, not the most exciting track, but the expierience as a whole was damn fun.

 

Well thank GOD he did, because we are all now looking for another sugar daddy to bring us a race.

By the way, not trying to get another "What City..." topic going, but Vegas would suck too. All attendees would be people who think they are famous, and you could see about 100' of track. Boy, that would be fun. Oh wait, you could gamble the rest of the weekend, perfect....

 

Being that I live in Florida, I think it would cost roughly the same amount to visit Montreal and watch that race. It looks more exciting to me and I've heard great things about that city. I can understand why those who only live 3-4 hours from Indy would like it to stay. That's the same amount of time it takes for me to get from Orlando to Miami.

 

Nuts with America and Nuts with the USGP
(oh no, here comes the F-chat pack to bite my ankles)

As of today's announcement about no more USGP, I've lost a $5 bet with the infamous Guthrie. He was right: 07 was the last race.
And here's the facts as to why (which we got from talking to middle managers of the Speedway Museum after the race):
The Speedway breaks even only when attendance is 125,000!
The 500 brings 350,000 people; and this year's 100,000- if that- USGP attendance was down from '06.
I'll bet the NASCAR (Allstate 400?) at Indy brings 200-250,000 people!
The USGP is to American auto racing what pro soccer is to baseball....who cares?

If I was F1 management, I'd say, "Let the stupid Americans go to the Canadian GP and learn some French while they're there! Singapore and India are reportedly willing to build F1 facilities. India would be hopeless for hosting even 100,000 tourists at one event. But Singapore would work... such a friendly police state.

But America is so important to car sales!
Maybe for Toyota, the #1 car maker in the world.
But where did Ferrari first roll out the 599? CHINA and SOUTH AMERICA!
China is now edging out the US- after Japan- as the #1 market for luxury goods

Guthrie and I drove out to Indy from Colorado in the world's fastest street 550 (a car so powerful he broke the welds on his prototype cats from the increased torque while we were driving and had to visit Meinike for a welder). We joked the whole way about how people on the interstates drive like NASCAR drafters! At the track, we were with the FCA crowd at Turn One (where this, the final year of F1 stability control, was loud and clear- like jackhammers-- and which Hamilton didn't need in comparison to others). It was clear that Team Ferrari COASTED to #3 and #4, gaining only fractions of a second on Hamilton and Alonzo from laps 60-onward.) From the warm-up laps---onward-- Hamilton was in complete control of Alonzo and everybody else. Even on the warmup, Alonzo was testing his brakes. Hamilton was accelerating!

God Bless the UK and Lewis Hamilton! We should never have revolted. They know what side of the road to drive on (got to keep your sword-hand free to engage oncoming troops. Only that left-handed fairy Napoleon made the Europeans drive on the right lane)
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Well, looks like we'll all be going to Montreal next year won't we lol? I do agree Montreal is a much more exciting track, but I'm still going to miss good ole' Indiana