2022 IndyCar News/Misc.

I for the life of me can’t figure out why GM or Roger Penske or Detroit / Michigan want to move Belle Isle to the Detroit Streets. I’m sure there’s some reason that I do not get.
 
I for the life of me can’t figure out why GM or Roger Penske or Detroit / Michigan want to move Belle Isle to the Detroit Streets. I’m sure there’s some reason that I do not get.
A lot of the event’s footprint will be accessible for free, with more of a true downtown festival type of feel. More in terms of activation, concerts, etc. Inspired in part by Nashville, I’m sure.

And despite how often they said it wasn’t an issue I’m sure the constant pushback from locals on using the park at its summer peak played a factor. Not very fun when the park probably doesn’t have too many usable months weather-wise and there’s a car race being set up/torn down for several weeks.
 
A lot of the event’s footprint will be accessible for free, with more of a true downtown festival type of feel. More in terms of activation, concerts, etc. Inspired in part by Nashville, I’m sure.

And despite how often they said it wasn’t an issue I’m sure the constant pushback from locals on using the park at its summer peak played a factor. Not very fun when the park probably doesn’t have too many usable months weather-wise and there’s a car race being set up/torn down for several weeks.


A lot of the event’s footprint will be accessible for free, with more of a true downtown festival type of feel. More in terms of activation, concerts, etc. Inspired in part by Nashville, I’m sure.

And despite how often they said it wasn’t an issue I’m sure the constant pushback from locals on using the park at its summer peak played a factor. Not very fun when the park probably doesn’t have too many usable months weather-wise and there’s a car race being set up/torn down for several weeks.

I get the argument but I did not see much free parking in downtown Detroit, traffic was much worse downtown. Belle Isle looked more natural road course & easier to manage traffic and shutting things down.
 
Inspired in part by Nashville, I’m sure.
As a racing fan, I've seen nothing inspirational about Nashville yet. There may be other stuff going on that's great for the attendees a city doesn't need a mediocre race to put on a festival. I guess I don't truly understand why cities bother tying up traffic for weeks for these races.
 
As a racing fan, I've seen nothing inspirational about Nashville yet. There may be other stuff going on that's great for the attendees a city doesn't need a mediocre race to put on a festival. I guess I don't truly understand why cities bother tying up traffic for weeks for these races.
Scott Borchetta, Roger Penske, and GM like being in the racing business. If some other group is ready and willing to host a downtown festival without a race I’m sure there are plenty of cities willing to welcome them.
 
That's the part I don't get. Why do cities bother, especially when the most recent attempts to host a new street course have been so unsuccessful (Baltimore, Houston, Nashville)?
Cities usually aren’t on the hook for much, don’t have to put much effort in, and get to bring in tourism dollars to their area. The biggest determining factor in how well a street course event lasts is the quality of the promoter. Baltimore and Boston had poor promoter groups and a fair amount of corruption. Nashville at least seems like a financial success so far.
 
Interesting broader discussion in driving standards. Parallels can be drawn to several other series as well, I’d say.

“I do think that driving standards have definitely gone down into an area where it is wreck or be wrecked,” Conor Daly told RACER. “And I don’t think that’s IndyCar racing. I don’t like it because I grew up knowing that I could race side-by-side with people in any car. The joy of racing in IndyCar was the fact that you could race side-by-side with people, and there are still some people that you can. But I think with this current era of the car, it is harder to pass. And you do have to make a pretty aggressive move to get by people.”

“The other way to look at it is that the car is probably too robust,” he said. “I even look at my crash – I got hit hard, man. Ripped the bottom of the floor off. That meant the suspension would have been broken off most of the time; that hit would have taken a corner off the car in other open-wheel formulas. I think it was Friday practice or Saturday morning where I hit the wall really hard on the inside of Turn 11. And it didn’t really do anything; I thought it would have folded the suspension up, but it didn’t.

 
I for the life of me can’t figure out why GM or Roger Penske or Detroit / Michigan want to move Belle Isle to the Detroit Streets. I’m sure there’s some reason that I do not get.

Goes right past the GM headquarters. That’s enough IMO
 
In a change of philosophy the series reportedly wants to expand to 20 races in the coming years. Penske had previously said 17 or 18 was the sweet spot, iirc. The Milwaukee Mile and a Mexican track are favored to join the calendar in 2024/2025.


If it was up to me I'd swap Detroit for MIS, run the Nashville Superspeedway instead of the clown show downtown and return to Pocono.
If IndyCar wants to add a race in Latin America my favorites would be Mexico City and Goiania.

Glad to hear they're working on a contract extension with Texas.
 
If it was up to me I'd swap Detroit for MIS, run the Nashville Superspeedway instead of the clown show downtown and return to Pocono.
If IndyCar wants to add a race in Latin America my favorites would be Mexico City and Goiania.

Glad to hear they're working on a contract extension with Texas.

Since they have the aeroscreen now I would agree.

- US 500 @ Michigan
- ABC Supply/Pocono 500 @ Pocono
- Nashville Indy 300
- Latin America Road Course (Monterrey or MX City)
 
Also, I have a feeling RLL might give him some seat time in IMSA along with this deal...
I’d like to see that, not sure how many opportunities there will be in the future since BMW have like 16 factory drivers not even including the Junior Team…hopefully they sell some customer cars in the 2024. He’s been great this year for sure. RLL’s lone bright spot and honestly probably what CGR should’ve done with Palou after his title.
 
Helio will be back next season in the 06 on a full-time basis:

Respectfully, meh. MSR and Harvey were better together and now they’re both trending downwards. I don’t think Helio is bringing much on-track in Indy outside of the 500 anymore. I’m sure he’s good with the sponsors though. Would honestly prefer him somewhere in the GTP/LMP2 world.
 
Penske and CGR have gone in opposite directions for their final private test day - Portland for Penske, Laguna Seca for CGR. Looking to find speed on a high grip track for one, low grip for the other.

 
Dang it!
I do not think Danny is a fan of the ovals.

Also, its insane how all of a sudden the F1 fanbase thinks he's forgotten how to drive all of a sudden. End of 2020, he was a top 5 driver on the grid. Now, people want him to leave. I think he still has plenty to offer in F1, in retrospect Cyril was right. He said he would regret the move to McLaren in DTS after the 2020 season...
 
I do not think Danny is a fan of the ovals.

Also, its insane how all of a sudden the F1 fanbase thinks he's forgotten how to drive all of a sudden. End of 2020, he was a top 5 driver on the grid. Now, people want him to leave. I think he still has plenty to offer in F1, in retrospect Cyril was right. He said he would regret the move to McLaren in DTS after the 2020 season...
I think it's kind of ironic that he's a huge Dale Earnhardt fan and yet he doesn't like ovals.
 
F1 fans always bash on ovals yet their drivers are all afraid to do them...
meme-kermit-drinking-tea-but-thats-none-of-business-300x177.png
 
F1 fans always bash on ovals yet their drivers are all afraid to do them...
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I have no issue with it.

Remember, Grojsean was the same way until he finally had an opportunity to race on ovals and found out he actually enjoyed it. All we can do is respect it, maybe give those guys whom are skeptical a chance to test on an oval to get a taste of it.

Also, that type of attitude is why were seen as snobbish as well. Honestly, its a vice versa feeling, its quite crazy to me.
 
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