GPALB stake up for sale

[SteveH]

https://racer.com/2023/04/21/gpalb-stake-up-for-sale/


Following the death of former IndyCar team owner Kevin Kalkhoven in 2022, one of his significant racing assets has been presented for sale by his estate.

RACER has learned Kalkhoven’s 50-percent stake in the world-famous Long Beach Grand Prix event, which the Australian purchased with fellow former IndyCar team owner Gerry Forsythe, is being shopped to potential buyers.


Oh boy, this will be interesting to watch. But probably nothing to see though until the sale is announced. This could very well become a transformative event.

[SteveH]

I have attended 5 races at Long Beach. The first in 1977 when I saw Mario win. I had seats on the outside of T2, which was at the bottom of a steep drop. Interesting views.

https://www.autoracing1.com/wp-content/uploads/historic/1977andrettilaudalongbeach.jpg

Then at the last four that Champ Car raced there which includes the last ever Champ Car race in 2008. Had dinner the night before the race with Travel Gal at the last ever Inner Circle meet up. After dinner back at the Hyatt I offered to buy drinks for Jimmy Vasser, but he wouldn’t have any of that as he was racing the next day. :laugh: He had temporarily come out of open wheel retirement to race. While he drove sports cars afterwards, he never competed in an open wheel car again. I would probably have returned every year had things turned out differently. But as it is 2008 was my last race to attend.

[TravelGal]

The sinking feeling is my stomach is even worse than that dropoff. You can see why they changed the course! I think you were smart, SteveH. I waited about 5 years and then went back. Mistake. It was soulless compared to the CART/ChampCar days because it had become just entertainment. No swag; no interest in the drivers; just watching the cars go zoom. Now enough more years have gone by that I realize everything is entertainment only; F1 is a joke (sorry guys) with its parades and selective officiating. Now I'm ready to go back and watch the show when, and only when, I can meet some of my friends there. I was very sorry to miss that opportunity this year.

Given that it's become such a huge business proposition, I can only hope that new owners will not mess with it too much. Yeah, and I've got a bridge in my backyard from other pipe dreams.