Gold Coast Locked in for 6 years.

Terry McKenroth, Chairman of the Gold Coast Indy promoyion unit announced that the Merged IRL/CCWS group had signed an agreement to provide cars for the next 6 years. The promise is for 22 to 26 cars for this years event although the points status of the race has not been finalised.
Tony George said that the Gold Coat race was a key event in he future of the Joint Series.
Tony Cochrane, Chairman of VESA said that the "jount drawcard" V8SC race would remain a part of the meeting and as a championship event. Of interest to NASCAR and WTCC people was the Black Wiggles statement that V8SC was the leadig Touring Car seies in the World.:rofl:
Sounds like we have come up with a win-win situation for everyone concerned with the possible exception of Panoz owners.:)

Any idea if the position on the calender will change?

Excellent :)

O U T S T A N D I N G ! ! !

good.

one down; about a half dozen to go.

great news,lets hope it will be a part of the championship for this year,iam really looking forward to returning there this year, it will be even better than when i ws there in 06.

Yes, let's hope that it counts for championship points. But even if it doesn't, I am glad that it will be on the schedule!

Local officials are saying that the date stays the same. Can't see any other time of the year when it would fit into the Gold Coast and, other than the Chicago final deal, it fits the AOW schedule very well.

great.

Local officials are saying that the date stays the same. Can't see any other time of the year when it would fit into the Gold Coast and, other than the Chicago final deal, it fits the AOW schedule very well.

It fitted the CCWS schedule well, but isn't the IRL's compacted schedule at the preference to TV broadcaster ABC who prefers the series to be over by October??

Perhaps the Gold Coast race may move back to where it originally was from 1991-1997, in March/April?

I was reading this article (http://news.theage.com.au/gold-coast-indy-safe-status-uncertain/20080305-1x1s.html) which suggests the plan is for it to be part of 'a series' and 'not an exhibition race'... hmm, does that mean perhaps it could be round one of the 2009 series? That'd be kinda cool! :) When do tickets go on sale? And any tips for the best place to watch from? I can't wait to get there!

I have been twice.
In 2003 watched from the first chicane, great COVERED seats. GC can be sunny and hot or it can rain (like it did in 2003).
2007 I watched the race from pit lane and you can even see my mug in the background of the TV broadcast behind the NHL pit.
I was fortunate to get pit lane passes for the race.

Covered seat I would suggest, weather changes quickly on GC.

I... hmm, does that mean perhaps it could be round one of the 2009 series?

Wasn't Surfers the first race of the CART seasons at one point?

No updates yet?

The guff coming out of rumour central says that the Gold Coast race will count towards 'an IRL championship' but not 'the IRL championship'.
Trying to decode that seems to indicate that they might run either a mini championship after Chicago for the remaining races, a championship within a championship for road courses, something over the end/start season hiatus.

In other words the contract says the race must form part of a championship and they haven't yet got a clue what they're gonna do...?

I've now booked my accomodation for the race, need to go online and order my tickets today :) Any recommendations for the best place to view from?

That may just be worth jumping the ditch for a weekend

The best deals for Indy Gold Coast are if you can book a high rise with a balcony overlooking the track, but that only gets to be a reasonable proposition if there is a large group sharing costs.
The stands at the hairpin 30/31/32 get a good view of the action and have a big screen opposite.
Stands 25/22/63 at the chicane along the beach give you some grat kerb hoping action but there is no big screen to keep up with activity round the rest of the track.
Stands 4/6 at the first chicane will provide you with plenty of action and a big screen.
But the real enjoyment of Surfers is to wander round the track and join the party, taking in the actiion of the various races as they come to you. The V8SC Taxis are quite an awe inspiring sight in the limited space between the walls, and there is always a great range of support categories, and a magic airshow.
Then again many come to watch the balcony shows and don't bother too much about the racing.
Pace yourself, the party starts Thursday and gets better as it goes along.

I think I may go for a seat in 31. That was what I was looking at yesterday... but Ticketek are useless (and almost as bad as Ticketmaster so they must be bad) and will only sell you seats in rows J, K and L. I want row A if I can get it! I've emailed the organisers to see if they can help... a tactic that has worked in the past. Fingers crossed.

I have accomodation sorted. I'll be camping a few miles north of the track for $200 for 5 days... seemed something of a better deal to me :D

Welcome to the Coast Craig, you probably won't want to go home.

Thanks Oldtony!

Unfortunately my plea to the organisers went unanswered which was a shame as I've always had a reply from their counterparts in the States when I've emailed them. I really wanted to like the Aussie organisers too but, well, what can you do?

I've now ordered my seat in 31 via Ticketek :)

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=11017

Emu Australia has signed on as a sponsor of the No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car driven by Townsend Bell.

The partial-season entry will see Emu Australia as the primary sponsor for potentially two races -- Milwaukee, and pending a final schedule from the IndyCar Series, Australia.

We are starting to hear rumours that a number of teams are going to miss Surfers "because it doesn't count". That was always going to be a problem with the Tony George/Chicago deal in place but we were promised that "special" arrangements would be made.
It appears that the special arrangements were to let some of the drawcard teams lean on Australian organisers for appearance money.
Indy Gold Coast has been a great event, but if the top teams opt out this year don't count on the money being available next year.

It should just be part of the Championship :banghead: - like Edmonton, cant be that hard!!!

It is that hard when Chicagoland had it written into their contract that their race is the final race & it will occur in September, whereas Surfers is set for October....

Should be ironed out next though, though it'll be on a different date if the Indycars are a part of it, they should be finishing the series on a Sunday arvo in America, not in the middle of the night like it would be at Surfers.

Put Chicagoland back a month - though the weather will probably be against them...

This is great news for the aussie irl fans like me,we get to see the best open wheel series and drivers battle it out down under.