Its Official!

[Spicoli]

May 24, 2005 latimes.com : Sports E-mail story Print Most E-Mailed
Grand Prix to Stand Pat
# Long Beach street race will remain a Champ Car World Series event, ending speculation that it might be taken over by the Indy Racing League.

By Shav Glick and Martin Henderson, Times Staff Writers

The Long Beach Grand Prix, the most successful street race in America, will remain a Champ Car World Series event in 2006 and beyond with the purchase of the assets of the Grand Prix from Dover Motorsports by two of the owners of Champ Car.

An announcement will be made today that the race has been bought by Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe.

ADVERTISEMENT
The sale ended speculation as to whether Champ Car or Tony George's Indy Racing League would conduct the race. The IRL ran its first street race last month in St. Petersburg, Fla., amid speculation that it would become the sanctioning body for the Long Beach race.

Champ Car, or its predecessor, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), has sanctioned the race since it switched from Formula One in 1984.

The purchase is contingent on approval by the Long Beach City Council, which has five years left on its contract with the Grand Prix Assn. There is little likelihood that there will be problems with city officials.

Kalkhoven, Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi bought the assets of bankrupt CART afterthe 2003 season, renaming the organization the Champ Car World Series.

Kalkhoven would not confirm the Long Beach sale but said, "If everything falls into place, I think it's a win for the fans, it's a win for the city, and it's a win for Champ Car....

"It is the greatest tradition in road racing in the U.S. It has the longest history, has some wonderful races, a long list of incredible champions. I firmly believe that it is the cornerstone of open-wheel road racing in the United States."

Asked if his group was buying the race to keep it from the IRL, Kalkhoven said, "We have been interested, not because of the IRL, but because it has a long history with Champ Car and a very loyal fan base....

"We want to continue the many years of relationship we've had with them."

The Grand Prix Assn.'s contract with Toyota as title sponsor ended with last month's race, but officials close to the GPLB say they believe that the Japanese car manufacturer will remain. Its Toyota Pro-Celebrity race has become one of the event's feature attractions.

Jim Michaelian, chief executive of the Grand Prix Assn., will remain, as will his staff.

"Now that we know who we'll be working for, it's time to roll up our sleeves and start planning for next year's race," Michaelian said. "It's a relief to know that the feeling of uncertainty about the future of the race is over."

Said Kalkhoven, "My experience with the management of the Long Beach Grand Prix is, they've done a first-class job and certainly we would like to work with them."

[RacinM3]

Nice. :thumbup:

Toyota :shakehead

Get out and let a title sponsor who cares about the sport come in.

[Spicoli]

Dear KK:

Please buy RA and MO too. I promise I'll go every year and buy a TShirt too.

Love:

Spicoli.


:)

[skaven]

Woo Hoo ! ! ! :thumbup:

[Spicoli]

Nice. :thumbup:

Toyota :shakehead

Get out and let a title sponsor who cares about the sport come in.


I think its great Tayoter remains. Just proves they could GAF about EARL now.

Back to the drawing board FTG!

[chop456]

Poor Tony. He now has competition that's not only smarter but can do the only thing he previously had the advantage at - writing checks.

Goodnight, Idiot. :laugh:

[Ed_Severson]

My only complaint?


"It is the greatest tradition in road racing in the U.S."

Uh, no, it isn't. It's the greatest tradition in street racing in the U.S. Give me the greatest tradition in road racing in the U.S. to go along with it and I'll be way happy.

Overall, very good news. :thumbup:

[fourrunner]

Toyota re-upping would say a lot!

[DagoFast]

tayoter might have to outbid their dear friends fonda for the event. I'm sure KK has no problems with re-couping some of his investment.

[FCYTravis]

Dear KK:

Please buy RA and MO too. I promise I'll go every year and buy a TShirt too.

Love:

Spicoli.


:)
Word :thumbup: :thumbup:
(and don't forget Laguna :p)

[Andrew Longman]

My only complaint?



Uh, no, it isn't. It's the greatest tradition in street racing in the U.S. Give me the greatest tradition in road racing in the U.S. to go along with it and I'll be way happy.

Overall, very good news. :thumbup:


Other than the 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hrs of Sebring, what road race has been running longer? And what race has been won by Andrettis, Regizzoni, Villenueve, Piquet, Zanardi, Montoya and Unser. We all may wish it wasn't a street race, but its the best we have.

Yes good news. And remember it is the Toyota dealers that sponsor the event and the celebrity race is a big deal in that celebrity fixated town. Toyota dealers have shown they are very interested in making this event a success.

One more critical asset put under control. :thumbup:

[RTKar]

Dear KK:

Please buy RA and MO too. I promise I'll go every year and buy a TShirt too.

Love:

Spicoli.


:)

Same here , (I don't mind porto's and wood picnic tables...an XL on the T-Shirt please.

[cart7]

Good news! :thumbup:

As for RA, buy that, along with MO, Laguna and the rest of Dovers tracks that have been up for sale in the past.

[trauma1]

her'es CCWs press release, FTg what a day, wonder what fonda said yesterday when they found this out, or did they already know thier yen wasn't the right currency, KK-3, FTG -0 and falling
:rofl:
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9029

[SurfaceUnits]

Yo TG, fifteen strikes and yer still out,,..loser!!! :rofl:

[trauma1]

here's "bagdad" bob nations response , my coffee came back up i laughed so hard what an idiot, put your drinks down before you read this :rofl:

"The Indy Racing League is the premier American open-wheel series. Any promoter who looks at which series brings the most to the table would have to pick the Indy Racing League," said Fred Nation, the IRL's executive vice president of communications :shakehead :saywhat:

[Anteater]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D My heroes! :thumbup:

[trauma1]

here's the $$ numbers, KK hit a grand slam got it for 15 mil, not even close to the 25 mil everyone thought it would be, FTg just doesn't get it the gomers at crtackforum are in full meltdown mode, and Spicoli's favorites depenster and wilkie are doing the usual Kk financial slander, a holes
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050524/phtu019.html?.v=10

[ChampCar#3]

I think its great Tayoter remains. Just proves they could GAF about EARL now.

Back to the drawing board FTG!

But maybe thats why Honda met with KK...to sponser LB.
Don't you think Honda would relish the idea of stealing it away from Yoda?

[RaceGrrl]

Where's your hammer now, Tony? :gomer:

[KaBoom21]

Please buy RA and MO too. I promise I'll go every year and buy a TShirt too.

Yes, please do so promptly. I need to attend a race, like fast. I'm such a nancyboy now that I don't even drink beer anymore. :eek: Now I'm all about red wine and the occasional martini.

[Ed_Severson]

Other than the 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hrs of Sebring, what road race has been running longer? And what race has been won by Andrettis, Regizzoni, Villenueve, Piquet, Zanardi, Montoya and Unser. We all may wish it wasn't a street race, but its the best we have.

I don't wish it wasn't a street race, but it most definitely is not a road race. They're different animals, and I don't think it's asking too much of the ownership to keep them straight.

[stroker]

I would assume that Ford might be a more potential counter-bidder for the race than Toyota... :)

Guys, I think that bolt of thunder we just heard was the last remaining supports of FTG's credibility cracking and giving way. With Honda "talking" (personally, I think they're taking a mediated cease-fire offer to KK) to KK I wouldn't be surprised to see an announcement just after Indy that the two series will merge in '07.

Personally, I'd just as soon see them leave Indy on the trash heap of "great things sabotaged by their owners" but I doubt that'll happen.

[dando]

w00t! :cool:


KK, pls. buy Panoz. :gomer:

-Kevin

[Andrew Longman]

I don't wish it wasn't a street race, but it mose definitely is not a road race. They're different animals, and I don't think it's asking too much of the ownership to keep them straight.

Road America it is not. You are very correct.

But sadly, no race requiring braking and right turns has had more attention longer in the US than the LBGP. I wish that weren't true, but its is.

In its time the USGP at WG was perhaps bigger (I'm too young to compare) and the current USGP captures a lot of attention. But both are fleeting by comparison.

[Jag_Warrior]

I would assume that Ford might be a more potential counter-bidder for the race than Toyota... :)

Let's hope so. Let the celebrities drive Mustangs! The Celica's going out of production anyway, plus it's a car mostly driven by secretaries and male hairdressers (not that there's anything wrong with that). Cosworth has a street performance package for the Focus. Let them drive a Cosworth prepped Focus.

Especially in southern CA, Ford needs help. Plus they've been a good partner to CCWS. So I'd rather see Ford sponsor the race. :thumbup:

[mueber]

Dear KK:

Please buy RA and MO too. I promise I'll go every year and buy a TShirt too.

Love:

Spicoli.


:)

Me too.

But seriously, there are very few people in auto racing deserving of respect anymore. Now I know why: Kalkoven is hording in all. :thumbup:

Thank you sir.

[extramundane]

Where's your hammer now, Tony? :gomer:

http://www.gifthouse.hu/Product_images/hd252-2.jpg

[cameraman]

It is nice to see that KK & GF are keeping the current LBGP staff.
Continuity is a good thing....

[mueber]

Gotta start working on making it to Long Beach next year.

[Dr. Corkski]

Where's your hammer now, Tony? :gomer:http://img212.echo.cx/img212/4764/mchammer7wf.gif

[Spicoli]

http://img212.echo.cx/img212/4764/mchammer7wf.gif


:rofl:


Classic!

[Anteater]

The Celica's going out of production anyway, plus it's a car mostly driven by secretaries and male hairdressers (not that there's anything wrong with that).

I wish I could remember where I read this, but since the Celica is going out of production, the '06 Celebrity Race is supposedly going to use Scions. Sorry, I just can't picture it. :confused: Aren't those the ugly boxy things?

The Focus, however, would be terrific in that race!

[nrc]

I wish I could remember where I read this, but since the Celica is going out of production, the '06 Celebrity Race is supposedly going to use Scions. Sorry, I just can't picture it. :confused: Aren't those the ugly boxy things?

The Focus, however, would be terrific in that race!

Do they have enough of those V8 Focus conversions? :)

Scion is a new make that Toyota came up with for the younger crowd. The bread van was their first model. Now they've come out with a small coupe.

[Ankf00]

http://www.funlol.com/funpages/napoleon-dynamite-dance.html

[Methanolandbrats]

Will a Focus even run for the whole race distance before the s***** clutch breaks? A Scion, WGAF, it's more trendy, bendy, disposable Jap ****. This crap should'nt even be discussed on a racing board. What's next, a huge debate on why Hillary Duff wadded up her car in the 06 Celebrity race?

[Ankf00]

that's why it's a CELEBRITY race :gomer:

[nrc]

Will a Focus even run for the whole race distance before the s***** clutch breaks? I'm sure they can manage. :rolleyes:
http://www.altix.cz/wwwdeti/auta/FordArg03_.jpg

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Anton can use that hammer of his to keep bashing his stupid-*** head in.

FTG.

[SurfaceUnits]

Rights to Long Beach Race Sold
Mike Kupper
Dover Motorsports Inc. confirmed Tuesday that it had sold the Grand Prix of Long Beach to a new company, Aquarium Asset Management, an affiliate of Champ Car World Series, for $15 million in cash.

Aquarium officials include Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, two of the three owners of Champ Car World Series. Champ Car and its predecessor, Championship Auto Racing Teams, have sanctioned the open-wheel race through the streets of Long Beach since 1984, but the sanctioning agreement expired after last month's 31st running of the race and there had been speculation that the Indy Racing League would conduct the race.

Since Champ Car now owns the race, Champ Car will continue to sanction it for its cars and drivers.

"The new owners made a successful bid for our event and agreed to provide certain assurances to our Grand Prix employees. We fully expect that they and the city of Long Beach will have continued success with the event in the years to come," said Denis McGlynn, president of Dover Motorsports.

[nrc]

For the benefit of those who say Toyota won't want to continue sponsoring.
"Toyota has been a part of the Long Beach Grand Prix since its inception and we are looking forward to that continuing," said Toyota spokesman John Procida.http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~21474~2884746,00.html

Just make sure that your bid is in U.S. dollars Mr. Procida.

[SurfaceUnits]

CCWS to Relocate to Long Beach - Details at 11. :)

[Sean O'Gorman]

I'm sure they can manage. :rolleyes:
http://www.altix.cz/wwwdeti/auta/FordArg03_.jpg

Oh, hey, does that thing have the same clutch as a street Focus?