2014 Pirelli World Challenge Calendar...No COTA

Following V8 Supercars' lead, Pirelli World Challenge drops COTA from their 2014 calendar:

Pirelli World Challenge finalizes 2014 calendar - Racer.com

Add them to the list of V8SC, SCCA, ALMS (due to merger), and almost FIAWEC.

 

PWC has found itself as a support series in search of a headline series. sad.

 

I thought it was always a support series (?). Has this not always been the case?

 

PWC is coming back to Miller Motorsports Park in UT which makes me a happy person

 

yes, that is correct. historically PWC has run mostly with ALMS. with the GA/ALMS merger, the Conti series is filling that role; so PWC is now latching on the IndyCar for the most part, but then some random regional NASCAR pairings, and Trans Am (another series that is in search of identity, and some real odd track choices (NJMP, Braneird, Miller).

 

No Lime Rock Park. Skip had been reasonably certain that World Challenge would become their big Memorial Day event.

 

I feel bad for Skip (and fans close to Lime Rock), they're one of the really big losers in this merger. the Memorial Day weekend used to be a big deal (when T/A was big, IIRC they had Grand Am there in the past, etc), now it's basically a glorified SCCA club event.

 

I think Skip has really been slapped in the face and must be hiding some very hurt feelings. Offered to do millions of $$$ in upgrades and got snubbed. His numbers and opinions about demographics and so on, while self-serving, are dead-on accurate and it is hard to understand why he and LRP have been shoved out in the cold like this.
I agree about TA as being glorified club racing and WC has a place but as a support series not as a headline attraction. Still Lime Rock could have made a really nice holiday weekend out of it. Instead it will be Continental Series. Yawn.
Quick Skip - focus on turning Lime Rock Park into Goodwood Colonies Edition or something.

 

not sure what PWC's motivation was, but GA/TUSC went with Watkins Glen because it's a historic race track with a long history of the 6 hours of the Glen. oh, and it's an ISC track

good idea on Goodwood Colonies. or Monterey Historics East.

 

Ugh! Just realized that the WC event at NJMP is as a support race for ARCA. Trans Am, World Challenge, ARCA and, drumroll, Pro IT.

 

Hmmm, Steve Earle tried to do that over Labor Day between 2002 and 2008 and never got enough cars. Murray Smith runs the Labor Day Historic Festival for Skip now and they get routinely 300+ competitors and it's now (after a previous stint at the top in the 1990's) the largest spectator event (more than Ferrari Days, more than Memorial Day and more than ALMS) at the track...

Only one that did better was Busch North...

 

I had no idea that event was so big....

 

Back in the late 80s up to 1990 or so they tried adding an art show on the Sunday and a special wine and so on. Brian Redman was involved at least once plus some famous artists doing the event poster and t-shirt. I don't know the numbers but I do remember that the track store used to be packed with people and had 2 satellite locations and there were more vendors in the far paddock.
As far as the car count mentioned by Pro Coach I understand that 300 cars is the limit but I have to be honest and say that a lot of the entries are pretty marginal as far as general interest goes. I would much rather see some GTP cars or more Group 4 entrants.

 

What races are planned for COTA 2014?

Seems logical that with the infrastructure cost and upkeep,... they would want it used as much as possible.

 

As far as we know, just MotoGP, F1, & WEC/TUSC, which is in doubt at this point.

Oh, and SVRA.