No more Montreal?

[rabbit]

According to Gordon Kirby and Mike Harris on the Audio Roundtable: NASCAR (probably Busch Series) could replace CCWS at Montreal as early as next year. :cry: :thumdown:

[SteveH]

1 year left on the contract.

[NismoZ]

That's the talk...fewer stands fuel the idea that promotion wants to save a bundle by cutting construction costs because they know CC will be gone, so why put in the effort. Was Tracy driving like a guy who knew the title hope was gone and he wouldn't be around soon? After seeing such a good show today I hope there is a lot of reconsidering if ANY part of the rumors are true...and I vow NOT to watch Paul Tracy drive there if that comes to pass. Where's that little vomit "smilie" when I need it?

[TedN]

Looks like there may be a Truck race in Calgary. Will this kill the rumours about Montreal?

Link (http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2005/08/29/1192492-sun.html)

Ted

[chop456]

Worst case scenario?

Lego buys out the last year of the contract and Champ Car puts the proceeds towards a Road America track rental.

Horrific, isn't it?

For those who weren't paying attention to SteveH:

THERE'S A YEAR LEFT ON THE CONTRACT.

[Accipiter]

Fitting 43 cars in the Montreal pits should kill any NASCAR rumor before it starts.

[JoeBob]

There are reports coming out of the IRL camp that they'll have the ChampCar date there next year.

IIRC, there is already a contract in place for next season, but who knows.

[pchall]

Fitting 43 cars in the Montreal pits should kill any NASCAR rumor before it starts.

Not only that, but any NASCAR appearance would be processional farce P1 through P43 unless Legualt hires Bruton Smith as a consultant for turning Isle Notre Dame into a 1.5 mile D oval.

[NismoZ]

Well...CC "crowd" was down by over 30%, only 36,000 on race day. Promotion was almost non-existent from what I've heard, but CC is "happy with their 'repositioning' in the Montreal market"?? :confused:

[cameraman]

In case people have forgotten already CCWS announced the 2006 schedule in Denver two weeks ago. The 2006 Indycar Montreal race will be on Aug. 27 2006. CCWS said the contracts were signed for all the announced races except Las Vegas.

[TorontoWorker]

There are reports coming out of the IRL camp that they'll have the ChampCar date there next year.

IIRC, there is already a contract in place for next season, but who knows.

Yes these are the same reporters as the ones who told us that Toronto would go IRL, that there would never be a Champ Car race in Edmonton, that Cleveland was going IRL and the sky was falling too! Yup, IRL Spin City mode. They would be better off if they just minded their own business and kept AJ away from his ranch during bee season... :laugh:

[racer2c]

There are reports coming out of the IRL camp that they'll have the ChampCar date there next year.

IIRC, there is already a contract in place for next season, but who knows.

Then there would be 10K in the stands instead of 36K. Sweet.

NASCAR honchos were seen poking around the track this weekend. Busch will probably get the race in '07 and they'll limit the car count.

Real shame. :thumdown:

[cameraman]

Busch or Nextel cars would suck on that track. It is too narrow.
It won't be a race it will be a parade.

That isn't a stock car track and they are idiots if they try to run them on it.
:shakehead

[TKGAngel]

Worst case scenario?

Lego buys out the last year of the contract and Champ Car puts the proceeds towards a Road America track rental.

Horrific, isn't it?

For those who weren't paying attention to SteveH:

THERE'S A YEAR LEFT ON THE CONTRACT.

But what would OC be without various forms of doom, gloom and panic? [/end sarcasm]

[devilmaster]

In case people have forgotten already CCWS announced the 2006 schedule in Denver two weeks ago. The 2006 Indycar Montreal race will be on Aug. 27 2006. CCWS said the contracts were signed for all the announced races except Las Vegas.

Logic?!? We have never needed no stinking logic!!!

[FCYTravis]

The fact that "there's a year left on the contract" doesn't mean jack.

"I am proud to announce that Champ Car WILL be back next year on this same September date."
-Laguna Seca general manager Gill Campbell, to the SCCA workers at morning meeting for the 2004 Champ Car Grand Prix of Monterey.

[rabbit]

And we all know Gordon Kirby is one of the biggest D&Gers out there. :rolleyes:

Sorry, but when GK is concerned about something, I'm concerned about something.

[racer2c]

Busch or Nextel cars would suck on that track. It is too narrow.
It won't be a race it will be a parade.

That isn't a stock car track and they are idiots if they try to run them on it.
:shakehead

Same was heard at Watkins Glen, Sears Point, Suzuka and Mexico City. I also hear F1 discribed as parade racing.

800lb gorilla? Probably more like 8000lb and 50 feet tall. Maybe someday that big dumb ape will take a fall.

[rabbit]

More Kirby (http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9622)
In closing this week's column permit me to digress a little. First, I have to say it was very disappointing that promoter Normand Legault did not even show up at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve during the weekend and that the race's general manager Martin Spalding reportedly said he was "too tired" to hold a press conference to answer questions about the race's promotion and rumors that Legault intends to replace Champ Car with a NASCAR race in 2007.

Legault first promoted a Champ Car race in 2002. He and Bernie Ecclestone had long been partners in the Canadian Grand Prix F1 race which first took place in 1978 and the Champ Car race was the first serious effort at adding a second major event to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve's calendar. It was also a hedge by Legault against the possible loss of the F1 race which was then in jeopardy of Canada's tobacco laws. But in the end the tobacco problems were resolved and the F1 race continues, bigger and better than ever.

Now there is no need, Legault apparently believes, to have two, major open-wheel races in Montreal. This year, promotion was lackadaisical, grandstands notoriously were dismantled and four NASCAR officials were allowed free reign to roam the place and were even given pace car rides! And of course, there were no explanations for any these things from Legault or Spalding.

I watched most of the race, as I often do in Montreal, from the outside of the opening left, right section. It's a great place to get an up-close view of the action (commendations to the drivers because everyone got through there cleanly on the opening lap this year!) and you are, or were, surrounded by grandstands. This year at least half the stands were missing yet the place was packed with people standing and sitting on the grass who could easily have filled another grandstand. Customer service did not appear to be number one in the promoter's mind at Montreal this year.

As someone who covered not only the first F1 race in Montreal back in 1978 but also a Formula Atlantic race run a few weeks earlier to qualify the track for F1 cars, the prospect left me sad of Legault turning his back on Champ Car in preference to becoming a leader in NASCAR's intended expansion north of the border.

I've often said that Quebec is the spiritual home of open-wheel racing in North America because the Quebec fans are rabid supporters of F1, Champ Car and Formula Atlantic, and have been going back to the sixties at places like St. Jovite, Trois Rivieres, Montreal, Quebec City and St. Felicien, and if the rumors about Legault's plans are true it must be said that there are other places to race in Quebec.

The great St. Jovite road course in the Laurentian Mountains, ninety minutes north of Montreal, was the site of the Canadian GP in 1968 and '70 and has recently been repaved and refurbished although it's probably too fast and dangerous for Champ cars. Another option worth looking at would be Trois Rivieres, an hour or so east down the St Lawrence from Montreal where a once-thriving street race took place.

Founded in 1966, the Trois Rivieres street race boomed in the seventies and is the Formula Atlantic track most closely associated with Gilles Villeneuve, winner in the city's streets in 1976 the year he won nine of thirteen Atlantic races.

In recent years Trois Rivieres has run only a historic Atlantic race and the crowds have dwindled. But there's a fantastic forty-year heritage of open-wheel racing in the city and if Champ Car invested in upgrading the facility and vigorously promoted such an event I'm sure it could become a worthy replacement for Montreal on the Champ Car schedule.

[Dr. Corkski]

Seems like Champ Car is getting the same treatment that it's been giving to road courses lately. What goes around comes around. Still sucks to lose a good track like Montreal though.

[RichK]

The usual greatness from Gordon Kirby. :thumbup:

Trois Rivieres would be excellent, and a perfect fit for Champcar and especially F-Atlantic.

[racer2c]

Seems like Champ Car is getting the same treatment that it's been giving to road courses lately. What goes around comes around. Still sucks to lose a good track like Montreal though.

Yeah, M-O bent over backwards... :rolleyes:

[coolhand]

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/19226/

more on it

[Andrew Longman]

1/4 of the license plates at the Glen are not from Quebec or even Canada. Only a much smaller fraction.

They do sing O Canada to start the race though

Whatever

[coolhand]

1/4 of the license plates at the Glen are not from Quebec or even Canada. Only a much smaller fraction.

They do sing O Canada to start the race though

Whatever


they do? :saywhat:

[devilmaster]

they do? :saywhat:

They do it at the Michigan NASCAR race..... in fact the august race is labelled Canada Day....

[Steve99]

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/19226/

more on it

If you can't actually see a promoter's lips move, is he really lying?
:rofl:

He doesn't seem to trust the promoters.

[nrc]

Sounds like the promoter is trying to scuttle the event. Probably hoping Champ car will back out early so he can go for the NASCAR event. Hopefully Champ car is using the extra year left on their contract to buy time finding another Canadian event. The "go where you're wanted" rule applies.

[coolhand]

Sounds like the promoter is trying to scuttle the event. Probably hoping Champ car will back out early so he can go for the NASCAR event. Hopefully Champ car is using the extra year left on their contract to buy time finding another Canadian event. The "go where you're wanted" rule applies.

I haqve no doubt champ car can go somewhere else in Canada and be very successful

[Andrew Longman]

they do? :saywhat:

The US anthem too, don'chaknow. Like a hockey game. They also did it at the MIS and Detroit CART races.

I think it a whole Great Lakes Canada border states courtesy kind of thing.

Can't recall them doing it at Cleveland though.

Whats the population around 3 rivers? (sorry my French spelling sucks). Seems a bit far from the city. Going to QC or Calgary would seem to fit better with the take the race to the people philosophy.

[Dr. Corkski]

I haqve no doubt champ car can go somewhere else in Canada and be very successfulMolson Indy Northwest Territories. :gomer:

[mapguy]

Molson Indy Northwest Territories. :gomer:

Dude, the St John's GP presented by Moosehead. Total Newfie-fest.

[devilmaster]

Dude, the St John's GP presented by Moosehead. Total Newfie-fest.

Oh man, I'll be there for that :thumbup:

You'll all find me somewhere's on George Street probably hugging a mason jar of screech and a bottle of black arse......... doubt i'll see the race, or even know a race is going on.

[TedN]

There are reports coming out of the IRL camp that they'll have the ChampCar date there next year.

IIRC, there is already a contract in place for next season, but who knows.

I talked to some people who were in Montreal. The following is very unofficial, but still a possibility:
1.) Lagault has an escape clause in his contract. If the event clears less than $1.5 mil, he can back out of the contract.
2.) the weekend next year would be a IRL/NASCAR (Busch or truck) doubleheader. Patrick Carpentier seems convinced it will happen. he will double-up for that weekend, with help from Meccachrome.
3.) Molson is not giving up on Champ Car and are working on a possible alternate locale in or near Montreal

Ted

[coolhand]

Molson Indy Northwest Territories. :gomer:

i was thinking more like the Yukon

[coolhand]

1.) Lagault has an escape clause in his contract. If the event clears less than $1.5 mil, he can back out of the contract.



can that be legal? i am no a lawyer bu can one argue neglegence or conflict of interest?

then try and wrestle the promoting rights for that second spot on th CGV calender?

[TorontoWorker]

1.) Lagault has an escape clause in his contract. If the event clears less than $1.5 mil, he can back out of the contract.

Prove this statement. Link? I am a a member of ACIND - I have NEVER heard anyone mention a loss related clause.

[devilmaster]

Dude, the St John's GP presented by Moosehead. Total Newfie-fest.


Oh man, I'll be there for that :thumbup:

You'll all find me somewhere's on George Street probably hugging a mason jar of screech and a bottle of black arse......... doubt i'll see the race, or even know a race is going on.

Here's another thought - Could we screech in the whole Champcar contingent? :eek:

[Jervis Tetch 1]

i was thinking more like the Yukon
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~jesse/treasure/graphics/yukon.jpg

[L1P1]

Okay, how's this?: Before the inaugural Champ Car race at Montreal there was a lot of speculation about how the champ cars would compare to the F1 machines on the same track. IIRC, the champ cars turned out to be about 5 seconds/lap slower.

This year I think I heard the announcers say that that was now about 2 seconds. In 2007, CCWS would bring the same engines in lighter cars with full-on slicks. KK has publicly mused about the possibility that a new champ car might be faster than Formula 1 cars.

Bernie, can you say :flame:?

Allowing the contract to run through 2006 would be time enough for aniticipation to build about the new Champ Car. Must find escape clause....Now....

[jonovision_man]

This year I think I heard the announcers say that that was now about 2 seconds.

Uhh, not quite. Fastest race lap was still about 7 seconds difference.

(Qualifying isn't a straight comparisson, since F1 qualifies on full race fuel.)

And I'm not entirely sure F1 cares, they're bending over backward to slow the cars down to make them safer, and with R&D they still find a few seconds every year... going fast has never been a problem for F1, it's going slow that's the trick.

jono

[L1P1]

Uhh, not quite. Fastest race lap was still about 7 seconds difference.

(Qualifying isn't a straight comparisson, since F1 qualifies on full race fuel.)

And I'm not entirely sure F1 cares, they're bending over backward to slow the cars down to make them safer, and with R&D they still find a few seconds every year... going fast has never been a problem for F1, it's going slow that's the trick.

jono


You're right, the pole time was 5 seconds off. I do think that quals are reasonable to look at because A) that's what people will first think to look at and B) the pole winner may well not be on full race fuel (although the eventual race winner may be).

Still, what Kalkhoven said stands, and the '07 champ cars will be much faster. I've been hearing a lot about fuel loads and how much that weight affects performance. Perhaps someone can do the math on what the proposed champ car changes might mean in terms of lap times.

I think F1 does care about speeds. All the top levels are reducing speeds. But if a basically spec series is outperforming the premier series, people have got to ask why spending all that money is necessary.

[Dr. Corkski]

going fast has never been a problem for F1, it's going slow that's the trick.Finally, someone understands the brillance of Jacques Villeneuve. :gomer:

[L1P1]

I just had a trivia what-if? moment and determined that under the old 107% rule, Bourdais (and only Bourdais) could've qualified for the Canadian GP in his Champ Car - if such a thing were allowed.

No point there. Just trivia.