Long Beach gets new Turn 1

[rabbit]

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9975

Beginning in the middle of next week, Turn One will be widened by twelve feet, resulting in an approximately 50-foot-wide track extending for 250 feet toward Turn 2. This will now afford drivers more passing options as they gear down from the 3,600-foot-long Shoreline Drive straight and set up to wind around the western end of the 1.97-mile circuit.

"The widening of Turn One will allow for more passing, closer competition and a better show for our fans," said Jim Michaelian, CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "Credit our owners, Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe, for recognizing the situation and providing the financial resources to fix it."

"It was a simple decision, really," Kalkhoven said. "The circuit was just too tight and we're improving it to maintain Long Beach's status as the premier street race in America. It will not only make for better racing this year, but will provide much more excitement when standing starts are adopted for the Champ Car World Series in the future."

[cart7]

I was hoping for...

"The drivers will now go right at Turn 1 instead of left and onto a part of the circuit that hasn't been used in a number of years but had provided far more racing excitement than the sector that's been in use the past few years."

[DagoFast]

but will provide much more excitement when standing starts are adopted for the Champ Car World Series in the future."

That's the real reason right there.

[Winston Wolfe]

I disagree.

I believe it is to alleviate some of the carnage that will ensue as the Grand Am sleds and pill bugs attempt to negotiate T1 in a "three wide" auto body managers nightmare at the start of their race.

Or maybe like Corky's hoping for.... its so the drifting team can go 2 wide sidways through T1 so the D1 fanboy's can w00t it up ! :thumbup:

[JohnHKart]

I was hoping for...

"The drivers will now go right at Turn 1 instead of left and onto a part of the circuit that hasn't been used in a number of years but had provided far more racing excitement than the sector that's been in use the past few years."

But aren't there new buildings there where old turn one led to?

John