This weekend I've watched two really compelling races on road tracks -- one for motorbikes and one for F1. I'm glad mainstream television is providing coverage of different motorsports events. I was wondering with a semblance of hope -- is there a market for road-track racing in the South, particularly Memphis? We have MMP, which is nice. But could a road race become a hit here? It would not be competition as long as it wasn't on the same weekend. Is the problem lack of exposure? Personally, I think it's more compelling than watching cars go around in a circle 200 times. But a compelling race would require more opportunities to pass than some of these road courses provide, so perhaps it would depend on the kind of course available.

I just want to see if we can increase the diversity of options for the motorsports fan in Memphis. I know some people can be satisfied with the same thing over and over again, year after year, because it can be comforting, like an old friend. But if that wasn't endangered, and something new was added . . .

Or maybe we need to wait till we have more transplants in the region? I think we're particularly missing out not just here in Memphis or the south, but in America on motorcycle racing. I can't wait till I see that stuff again.

i dont think GP motorcycle racing would work in america at all on a major level, even on the champ car level not to mention nascar or IRL. overall, GP racing wouldnt do any better than champ car has over the last 5 years. however, i do see a market for another F1 race in the future in the USA....especially on the west coast. after watching an F1 GP, all other GP racing just pales in comparison.

aTxTIGER Wrote:i dont think GP motorcycle racing would work in america at all on a major level, even on the champ car level not to mention nascar or IRL. overall, GP racing wouldnt do any better than champ car has over the last 5 years. however, i do see a market for another F1 race in the future in the USA....especially on the west coast. after watching an F1 GP, all other GP racing just pales in comparison.

You don't think people like the danger of it? B/c everything else about it, I think America either would get, or has already gotten. Crotch rockets are already popular, and more accessible to the average person than stock cars (largely viewed as one of stock car's main draws, at least when it was running side by side with open-wheel during the 80s). There's a lot more passing in biking gp than F1 gp, which I think is one of the detractions from auto gp (there was a recent race I think in Calgary where the leader led from start to finish, I think it was the Hamilton kid). The races are pretty short, which addresses our short attention span. Here's what they need to do -- highlight the stars, demand that they appear at a certain number of events, and ensure their fan-friendliness along the lines of the moto x games circuit. I think there's a marketing/exposure issue that needs to be overcome, but I think it's possible.

But I'm already leaning in that direction, so I'm not the most objective on the subject. I'm digging both more than I dig American open wheel, and certainly more than I dig oval stock car racing.

I'm curious what you think is the major obstacle -- provincial resistance? Something more?

just for the record i love open wheel racing...especially F1. not so much a fan of Motorcycle GP. actually, the only reason i now watch NASCAR is due to JP Montoya.

the race you were talking about was the GP of Canada right outside of Montreal. That course and the US GP arent good indicators of F1...those tracks are very abnormal in F1. especially the US GP with the banked turn at indy. F1 teams hate the course and it really isnt safe. therefore, teams hold back for fear of the big wreck. these cars have so much horse power and torque compared to even other open wheel cars, that high speeds just arent responsible. thats why F1 needs to either move the US GP or add another. I'd love to see one at the Long Beach road course....or maybe even Portland. then we will see what F1 is all about. yes, F1 does have a problem with the lack of passing, but it has defintely improved over the past 10 years when only 1 team had a chance to win(first benneton, then williams, the mclaren, then ferrari). now 3 teams have a chance to win (Ferrari, McClaren, Williams), and STR can be respectable. its amazing how much money goes into F1 R and D. it makes NASCAR and IRL look like an amatuer league.

in terms of your last question, the major obstacles are tradition, market share, and elitism. american open wheel racing is one of oval racing not road racing. im not saing road racing isnt important, but open wheel racing is the Indy 500 in the USA. the CART/IRL split showed us that. all of the bigger teams and races(minus the 500) went with CART, however IRL managed to win the war with only the Indy 500 in its pocket. secondly, the american race car market isnt that huge and NASCAR controls more and more of it each day. COuld that be reversed? maybe...maybe not. i doubt F1 could do it though do to my third point. elitism. F1 fans in the US are seen as snobby and elitist by the average race car fan in america.....is that a fair assessment? probably not, but it is a factor.

While i respect the skill level required in road racing, it has to be the most boring form of racing around. Going into this past weekends French Grand Prix there was actually two drivers who had not been passed for position on the track this year. F1 is 99% equipment and 0.5% driver and 0.5% luck. The road course at MMSP is not the greatest in the world and barely is used except for scca weekends. Even then there is absolutely no one in the stands. You may have a couple hundred folks walking around the pit area but most come with the cars. If you were to have any type road course race in the area i would prefer the Grand-Am series. At least with them you will have 20-25 prototypes and maybe another 20-25 GT cars. The ALMS does not have 15 prototypes in P1 and P2 combined and maybe a total of 25-30 cars in all four classes combined. The IRL has between 19-21 cars depending on which week it is and the CCWS has 16-17 cars depending on the weekend. I just do not see road racing making it big in this market. This is a big NASCAR and Sprint Car market. Of course based on tv ratings the American market is not into road racing. Of teh three open wheel series that has ran in America. F1, IRL and CCWS, the IRL had the best ratings based on each last appearance on broadcast tv. With F1 coming in a close second and the ccws coming in a distant 3rd. I often wondered what it would be like to have a Grand Am event down town but i do not think it would be possible to run one there. We do have a full slate of racing facilities in the area. Currently we have MMSP of course which has been around since the late 80s and has a road course drag strip and 3/4 mile speedway. Then there is the ledgendary Riverside International Speedway in west Memphis a 1/4 mile gumbo oval which has been running since 1949. A BMX course at shelby farms. A radio control dirt road course in the arlington area. A very nice dirt 1/8th mile kart track off US 14 in Atoka and a 1/4 mile asphalt tri oval Kart track in between Byhalia and Collierville. Then there is the indoor nationals kart event that takes place each winter at the tunica arena. I am certain there are a few more facilities that i have missed.

Formula 1 lost so much of it's attraction with the loss of Senna and the retirement of Prost. Since then the racing has been boring. The races aren't even close anymore. Who wants to watch Schumacher lap the field race after race? They pour so much $$$ into technology, they forgot about the excitement and competition of having equal cars.

No matter what others might say, Nascar has done it right and the COT has been the right choice because all the races with the COT have been close and exciting.

i dont think it is all technology in F1. granted, you need a certain level of money to compete in F1. of course, that is true all higher forms of racing. right now that is just three teams, but it is better than it was a decade ago when 1 team controlled F1(first McClaren, then Ferrari). with Schumacher retired look for F1 to open up over the next decade to include maybe 5 teams with realisitic chance at the Year long championship.

as far as GP racing on the whole being boring, id have to disagree with you. I actually find most oval racing boring, especially at the NASCAR level. there are exceptions(the road races, Pocono, Bristol) its subjective though

F1 is completely about money. Even with the conversion to an NA V8 some teams are still spending up to $500,000,000 on engine programs. Teams have computer rooms that would make mission control in Houston envious. Engineers just sit there during the race and go over one computer read out after another. Usually there is no need to have any conversation with the driver as the computers tell the crew everything. You are talking about a series where drivers are penalized if they try too hard to keep a driver from passing them. Passing is at such a premium they force drivers not to change lines if you look back and see someone 50 feet behind trying to pass. You are required to run a slower compound tire at least once during the race. They manufacture competition.

ncrdbl1 Wrote:While i respect the skill level required in road racing, it has to be the most boring form of racing around. Going into this past weekends French Grand Prix there was actually two drivers who had not been passed for position on the track this year. F1 is 99% equipment and 0.5% driver and 0.5% luck. The road course at MMSP is not the greatest in the world and barely is used except for scca weekends. Even then there is absolutely no one in the stands. You may have a couple hundred folks walking around the pit area but most come with the cars. If you were to have any type road course race in the area i would prefer the Grand-Am series. At least with them you will have 20-25 prototypes and maybe another 20-25 GT cars. The ALMS does not have 15 prototypes in P1 and P2 combined and maybe a total of 25-30 cars in all four classes combined. The IRL has between 19-21 cars depending on which week it is and the CCWS has 16-17 cars depending on the weekend. I just do not see road racing making it big in this market. This is a big NASCAR and Sprint Car market. Of course based on tv ratings the American market is not into road racing. Of teh three open wheel series that has ran in America. F1, IRL and CCWS, the IRL had the best ratings based on each last appearance on broadcast tv. With F1 coming in a close second and the ccws coming in a distant 3rd. I often wondered what it would be like to have a Grand Am event down town but i do not think it would be possible to run one there. We do have a full slate of racing facilities in the area. Currently we have MMSP of course which has been around since the late 80s and has a road course drag strip and 3/4 mile speedway. Then there is the ledgendary Riverside International Speedway in west Memphis a 1/4 mile gumbo oval which has been running since 1949. A BMX course at shelby farms. A radio control dirt road course in the arlington area. A very nice dirt 1/8th mile kart track off US 14 in Atoka and a 1/4 mile asphalt tri oval Kart track in between Byhalia and Collierville. Then there is the indoor nationals kart event that takes place each winter at the tunica arena. I am certain there are a few more facilities that i have missed.

I'm not familiar with Grand Am. I like Am. Le Mans, though, so if it's more of that, that's cool.

MemphisMike Wrote:Formula 1 lost so much of it's attraction with the loss of Senna and the retirement of Prost. Since then the racing has been boring. The races aren't even close anymore. Who wants to watch Schumacher lap the field race after race? They pour so much $$$ into technology, they forgot about the excitement and competition of having equal cars.

No matter what others might say, Nascar has done it right and the COT has been the right choice because all the races with the COT have been close and exciting.

Lately it's been Hamilton dominating except for this past week. What I find interesting and somewhat bothersome is the 1-2 finishes that teams seem to achieve week after week. Not the same team, but one week it would be McLaren 1-2, then the next week Ferrari 1-2.

kabluey Wrote:

ncrdbl1 Wrote:While i respect the skill level required in road racing, it has to be the most boring form of racing around. Going into this past weekends French Grand Prix there was actually two drivers who had not been passed for position on the track this year. F1 is 99% equipment and 0.5% driver and 0.5% luck. The road course at MMSP is not the greatest in the world and barely is used except for scca weekends. Even then there is absolutely no one in the stands. You may have a couple hundred folks walking around the pit area but most come with the cars. If you were to have any type road course race in the area i would prefer the Grand-Am series. At least with them you will have 20-25 prototypes and maybe another 20-25 GT cars. The ALMS does not have 15 prototypes in P1 and P2 combined and maybe a total of 25-30 cars in all four classes combined. The IRL has between 19-21 cars depending on which week it is and the CCWS has 16-17 cars depending on the weekend. I just do not see road racing making it big in this market. This is a big NASCAR and Sprint Car market. Of course based on tv ratings the American market is not into road racing. Of teh three open wheel series that has ran in America. F1, IRL and CCWS, the IRL had the best ratings based on each last appearance on broadcast tv. With F1 coming in a close second and the ccws coming in a distant 3rd. I often wondered what it would be like to have a Grand Am event down town but i do not think it would be possible to run one there. We do have a full slate of racing facilities in the area. Currently we have MMSP of course which has been around since the late 80s and has a road course drag strip and 3/4 mile speedway. Then there is the ledgendary Riverside International Speedway in west Memphis a 1/4 mile gumbo oval which has been running since 1949. A BMX course at shelby farms. A radio control dirt road course in the arlington area. A very nice dirt 1/8th mile kart track off US 14 in Atoka and a 1/4 mile asphalt tri oval Kart track in between Byhalia and Collierville. Then there is the indoor nationals kart event that takes place each winter at the tunica arena. I am certain there are a few more facilities that i have missed.

I'm not familiar with Grand Am. I like Am. Le Mans, though, so if it's more of that, that's cool.

Grand-Am and ALMS are the two sport car series in America. The ALMS cars are more european in nature and run by the more exotic LeMans series rules. Basically they are the type of cars that run the 24 hours of LeMans. The Grand-Am is a more American version of sports car racing and has more restrictive rules that keep the cost lower. They run in the 24 hours of Daytona in late Jan early Feb. Http://www.grandamerican.com The series will be running live on Speed on thursday night at 8 from Daytona. There are 19 DP(Daytona Prototypes) and 21 GT cars entered for the race thursday night. This is one of the events where both classes run together so you will have 40 sports cars racing.


BTW this weeks ratings came out today and the IRL ratings were about triple that of the Champcar series. Both aired on ESPN the IRL event saturday night and the Champcar event on sunday afternoon.