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Barber is certainly a beautiful facility and it is hard for sportscar races not to be exciting, what with the multi-classes creating intra- and inter-class overtaking. However, it doesn't provide many overtaking opportunities on its own. However, despite my own personal bias against Barber it seems to draw reasonably well and would provide a very picturesque backdrop for the photogs. However, trading Mid-Ohio, as unlikely as that would be, I wouldn't sacrifice the crowd Mid-O draws for Barber.
Further, Long Beach will be an unfortunate loss for the series from a prestige standpoint but the event hasn't been the same since 07. Smaller grandstands, likely a smaller (still decent and demographically/psychographically important) crowd. With the loss of Long Beach I just don't see a benefit. How many more fans would make the drive to Laguna for the six hours if they are stripped of the ALMS at LB. How many will fully understand the difference between Grand-Am and ALMS and feel the need to search out the ALMS elsewhere?
Detroit would be nice because you add probably 30 000 unique fans to the series roster. The downside is the circuit isn't great. I've also heard the teams that do Le Mans are willing to leave a little later or work around it to get back to Detroit.
As far as St. Pete is concerned, I quite like the layout from a driver's perspective. My Dad has been to that race and he enjoyed it from a fan's perspective.
Chris
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