The race that won't die

[nrc]

So is there is, or is there isn't a Chicago race?

CART had ample opportunity to drop it from the schedule. The Germany announcement would have been the perfect opportunity. But there it is, still on the schedule.

I could see losing money to stay in the Chicago market if they had a money making European Vacation to make up for it, but it looks like that will be a break even deal at best now - at least in the first year.

Oddly enough if you go to the event details for the race on CART.com it says "Inaugural Event". Yet chicagomotorspeedway.com still calls for a CART race this season and the rumor mill hasn't churned out any Chicago alternatives.

So what's the deal? Certainly this has to be decided somewhere in this flurry of announcements for CART to get it's schedule settled.

[WickerBill]

I'd really rather see this race get the heave ho. Two reasons: 1. it doesn't draw fans, and 2. it's not a good racetrack.

Others may add 3. Chip owns it :)

WB

[Ziggy]

If they would ditch the wing package they have been using the past three years, I would go again. Last year I skipped it. Chicago is a great town and I have many friends in the area. Its a perfect match for this racefan to attend.

Ziggy

[Turn7]

Chicagoland has less banking than TMS, the cars will have less HP, and Dale Coyne is back in CART and is prartial owner of the track.

What would be the response if CART scheduled a race at Chicagoland?

[JoeBob]

You'd have to have quite a few members of the France and Hulman-George get the "Jimmy Hoffa Treatment" before Chicagoland would even become a possibility.

[Ziggy]

I never bought into the "Crappy Track" line of thought. I will tell you why. Its a RACETRACK!~ If the cars could run near each other without washing out, then I bet these guys could race. Montoya had no problem, neither did Servia, DeMatta and at times Brack.

That being said, concessions are out of line. Free pit access on Friday was fun, and like I said, big city, big fun.

Ziggy

[damiandoan]

I've got to agree with Ziggy on this one. These cars never had a chance at CMS with the previous wing package. With the road course wings on, this would be a heck of a race.

DD

[Turn7]

I don't know JB...TMS claims that it is not making money with 2 IRL races and a Cup date.

Chicagoland only has one irl race and a cup date.

Two races a year isn't going to pay the bills for long. A May ChampCar race, July Cup race and a Sept. irl race would evenly space out the year for them. Especially if CART was willing to offset the traditional fees by the amount that they would lose holding a race at CMS. That would be too much of a good thing for Chicagoland to pass up.

However, you are probably right that personality conflicts will get in the way of sensible actions.

[formulaben]

Hmm, if they oval must go, then I have visions of ChampCars running around Meigs Field, or blasting past the Sears Tower...

[pchall]

Originally posted by Ziggy
I never bought into the "Crappy Track" line of thought. I will tell you why. Its a RACETRACK!~ If the cars could run near each other without washing out, then I bet these guys could race. Montoya had no problem, neither did Servia, DeMatta and at times Brack.

That being said, concessions are out of line. Free pit access on Friday was fun, and like I said, big city, big fun.

Ziggy

Even Mikey could do fun things there. He did make some nice passes on the high side...

[JoeBob]

IMS is a "partner" in Chicagoland. So long as IMS is involved with the track, CART's chances of staging a race there are somewhat worse than a snowball's chance in...

[Napoleon]

I have always thought it could be a very very interesting track, if they fixed the wing package.