During an interview today on SiriusXM's NASCAR channel, Michigan Speedway's President was asked about IndyCar returning to Michigan. He said that he had talked with IndyCar in the offseason, and things were "close," but the financial model didn't make sense for the track. He also said that he though Randy Bernard was doing a great job with IndyCar and would welcome them, if things were right.
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IICS needs to make this happen
I'm sure the financial model that asks the track to promote the race was a problem......
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No offense, cuz, I loved the races there, butOriginally Posted by zapp2525
Why because Loudon and Milwakee weren't sameful enough last year? Michigan economy is not back yet and the race is far from a population center. They do not sell the track out for cup races.
You cannot wrangle chaos. You can only try to plan for it.
With Chevy back in the game it might change things, first they need to drop the Belle Isle parade.
BUT... with the big push for Detroit making a comeback and the American auto industry on the rise, wouldn't marketing this actually be pretty easy? Keep tickets at a reasonable price for the locals who are trying to get back on their feet and promote this as the return of the greatest racing series in the world that Detroit had a big hand in shaping...
"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." - Mark Twain
I went to 25 straight open wheel races at Michigan. If this were to happen, I would gladly start a new streak!
NASCAR goes there (and in New Hampshire too) twice in a very short time, what I think it's very stupid. IndyCar won't succeed there with this.
Religion can't save. Jesus can because He loves you!
Two reasons I still don't see it. One, MIS draws not so great for NASCAR, and will draw flies for IICS. We can't get the gomers to drive up to Milwaukee, they're going to drive to MIS? Two, dates. Dates are just way too difficult to find for MIS, like Pocono, due to the weather, and having two NASCAR dates.
I personally don't think Belle Isle matters, because they're not really the same fans, and in the past they often were close to each other on the schedule.
Wanker!
Dumb question how far is MIS from Downtown detroit?
I'd rather have 10% of the world interested in the ICS than 50% of US that NASCAR currently has
Chevy wanted the Belle Isle parade...
Would be great to have Michigan back but can't see it happening for at least a couple years. Now if the new car puts on a great show at Fontana (with a good crowd) it could be sooner.
From track to track, about 78 miles driving:
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Thanks
Roger Curtis has been saying that stuff ever since Randy took over. He definitely had an issue with how business was run before RB joined. I send an email to him every year asking about this and last year's response was the same as what's quoted above. I doubt an IndyCar race will happen there if two stock car races still exist...California got their race with the help of contractual obligations from their track sponsor. MIS had talked about resurfacing the inner road course...so, maybe they have different things in mind. Aside from removing the stands between 3 and 4, ISC has actually been putting money into the facilities.
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The main issue in the past were the race dates. The IICS calendar is just too full in the summer, and now with China....
1 hour
"I think there's only so many people that can take care of themselves, and can take care of other people. And the rest of the people … they're useful in terms of compost for the whole planet, you know." - Bill Murray
that will NEVER happen. That race is GM and Penske's cooperate cocktail party
Ford or Chrysler can sponsor this one.
5 open weekends between june 23 and aug 16
The problem is the series took a weekend from Michigan that worked and gave it to a road course....then did the same to kansas.....then Kentucky.....
I still refuse to believe people won't show for ovals. Put Milwaukee after Indy....put Michigan the last weekend of July....put Kentucky the first Saturday night in August....historical dates for all three. Give it two years and they would all be successful events.
This would be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can we run an early 90's Lola?
Every race I run in is in preparation for the Indianapolis 500. Indy is the most important thing in my life. It is what I live for. - Al Unser Jr.
Everything I ever wanted in my life, I found inside the walls of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. - Eddie Sachs.
Well, if one Michigan Cup race goes away as rumored then there would be a nice opening for the IICS.
This is one of the few times I'll ever say this, but if this is true, this could be a good chance for IndyCar. Come on Chrysler!
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I call bs on rc. I don't know what to call it, face saving or posturing by Roger Curtis to say it was close but the financial model didn't make sense. That's the most important part and if it wasn't there it wasn't close. The desire of the fans is there, the track wants a moneymaking event and INDYCAR might want to go but with Detroit being sponsored by Chevrolet it doesn't pass the laugh test to think MIS was close. They have lost Heluvagood as a title sponsor for one of their NASCAR weekends so it's not like they had an INDYCAR title sponsor at the top of their todo list.
They just repaved the track so maybe even a money losing Indycar race could be tax write off for it. The track would want either a July date like they used to have or possibly September but that would have to be one of the first two weekends because they wouldn't want to conflict with the start of the Chase at Chicagoland.
But what I would look at is Ford footing the bill to sponsor the race in the name of the Detroit Ford Dealer Group, similar to Toyota at LBGP. This as a prelude to entering the series and as a slap at Chevy and their street race.
I only went to 22, not consecutive but I'd be there.
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"They're criminals"
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I was driving to Michigan from Pennsylvania with three others every year to see this race, and I would do it again if it came back. I was in turn 4 for the "starts" of the US 500.
I said they were in talks in December and was told I didn't know what I was talking about by many on this forum...
I am a fan of the IZOD IndyCar Series, Formula 1, and AMA Supercross in that respective order.
if they go back to MIS, i will drive from VA to see it. bank it
Its the TF way.
Michigan had the best racing with no fans in the stands.
forgive them for they knew not what they did
I remember my first, 1994, having to sit over in turn 2. Place was packed!
Also remember Parker Johnstone just crushing the field, lapped almost every car before he broke....all in about 50 laps
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