2014 United SportsCar Racing schedule - which circuits to drop?

[FstrthnU]

Perhaps if the series is successful then there can eventually be an "exhibition round"(non-points) during the Le Mans break for teams who want to show up. Maybe it'd be another street race somewhere (Washington DC again?)

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Perhaps if the series is successful then there can eventually be an "exhibition round"(non-points) during the Le Mans break for teams who want to show up. Maybe it'd be another street race somewhere (Washington DC again?)

There will more than likely be a non points race during the season (eluded to), although it will be up to the individual teams as to which round they drop. I suspect that the teams that go to Le Mans will choose the following race in early July.






L.P.

[johncho]

Hello?? houston, new jersey, ViR are already gone. Kansas should be on the list.

drop the events that USCR isnt the headline show or dont host the continental series

Barber
Detroit
Baltimore
And drop kansas when/if 2013 event flops.

hopefully pick up somethibg 'new' like homestead, sonoma or portland

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

There will more than likely be a non points race during the season (eluded to), although it will be up to the individual teams as to which round they drop. I suspect that the teams that go to Le Mans will choose the following race in early July.

L.P.

Problem there is what does USCR do about that event being missing the guys who went to Le Mans? That's why I ultimately think that one day USCR should bite the bullet and organize a race a week or two before Le Mans in Western Europe someplace, so that we don't have the huge gap for the Le Mans race.

[Fogelhund]

Western Europe? No.

[cmk]

Indeed, no. If there was money to do that, we wouldn't be in this sorta-mess, would we? It didn't work out particularly well for the ALMS the first time, and it'd be a disaster now, with the lion's share of the grid made up of cars that can't race at LM anyway.

It would likely have been a failure in the bright days of 2008, so it's not even worth mentioning now...

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

Problem there is what does USCR do about that event being missing the guys who went to Le Mans?

Nothing. As the current class structure (USCR) stands only 2 classes have cars that would qualify at Le Mans. Given that, only 4 to 6 teams seem likely candidates to be fully participating at Le Mans, the drivers that just get rides would not miss the following round.

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

That's why I ultimately think that one day USCR should bite the bullet and organize a race a week or two before Le Mans in Western Europe someplace, so that we don't have the huge gap for the Le Mans race.

That, as already stated by others, is not going to happen!






L.P.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Perhaps if the series is successful then there can eventually be an "exhibition round"(non-points) during the Le Mans break for teams who want to show up. Maybe it'd be another street race somewhere (Washington DC again?)

There are enough support series to hold an event with Conti Tires as the headliner in June. Perhaps somewhere like Lime Rock, or one of the other good tracks that don't make the cut.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

There are enough support series to hold an event with Conti Tires as the headliner in June. Perhaps somewhere like Lime Rock, or one of the other good tracks that don't make the cut.

Maybe even a couple such races in June.







L.P.

[DeathOrGlory]

Canadian Triple Crown, anyone? Mosport + Mont-Tremblant + Montreal or CT3R?

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by DeathOrGlory

Canadian Triple Crown, anyone? Mosport + Mont-Tremblant + Montreal or CT3R?

If you are referring to the Le Mans break and Conti headlining, no. As Fogelhund suggested, it should be at venues that lose out in the mix, not at a venue that is not already part of it.







L.P.

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by DeathOrGlory

Canadian Triple Crown, anyone? Mosport + Mont-Tremblant + Montreal or CT3R?

With the other available options, I don't think that makes any sense.

[Baritone2400]

As a supporter of world motorsports i am lucky to have world class machinery in my backyard, as a government employee it great to see all of the green racing up-close.. i dont even drive to the race!! all public trans from DC to Baltimore...

My point is, its about sponserships in different makets, and some of the greatest circuits ever are nowhere.. there are nice amminties in a city... so it should stay...

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Those 'triple crown' titles really waste time. It was cool in CART in the 1980s but nobody really cares now. When Champ car did it with the European and Canadian Cups nobody cared and there is NO HYPE surrounding this year's Indycar triple crown.

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

Long Beach - of two minds on this one. Long Beach isn't the greatest of circuits and you'd have to split races, which I would hope that USCR would try as much as possible to avoid. On the other hand, Indycar is a rolling trainwreck right now, and it might allow us to take over the track for real at some date, which would be good. I'm debating this one.

Now, once the series is established and well-operational, we can advance to this by 2016 or so:

Jan. 30-31 - Daytona (24 Hours)
Feb. 14 - Barber Park (500 Miles)
Mar. 12 - Sebring (12 Hours)
Mar. 27 - Virginia (4 Hours)
Apr. 16 - Long Beach (2 Hours 30 Minutes) [2]
May 1 - COTA (6 Hours) [1]
May 15 - Miller Park (4 Hours)
Jun. 5 - Zandvoort (4 Hours)
Jun. 18-19 (Le Mans - no points race for USCR, but many teams go)
Jul. 3 - Watkins Glen (6 Hours)
Jul. 17 - Mont-Tremblant (4 Hours)
Jul. 24 - Mosport (1000 Kilometers) [1]
Aug. 6 - Detroit (2 Hours 30 Minutes) [2]
Aug. 14 - Mid-Ohio (4 Hours)
Aug. 28 - Pacific Raceways (4 Hours)
Sep. 11 - Road America (500 Miles)
Sep. 25 - Indianapolis (8 Hours)
Oct. 8 - Road Atlanta (1000 Miles / 10 Hours)
Oct. 22 - Laguna Seca (6 Hours)

First of all Long Beach, the manufacturers and the sponsors want to be in Southern California. They should keep it at all cost. End of story.
What, you want a race on the roval at California Speedway?

Barber in February, are y'all nuts? We're just trying to get through Marchuary. Which was colder than January here in the South.

Are you trying to burn out crew guys with this death march of a schedule starting in January?

Let alone trying to find the budget to do something like that? Zandoort? WTF?

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Pacific Raceways on the schedule?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mb8luPvftc

I'm loving the run-offs with Grass Ledges and fully exposed trees.

Something tells me it wouldn't pass any IMSA or FIA safety inspection for a USCR race.

[Purist]

NTaM, your complaint about Baltimore specifically only works if that issue is confined to Baltimore specifically, but it isn't, and you and I both know that. Long Beach has had traffic jams as well, particularly at the hairpin. Every street circuit that has been around for long has had blockage issues every once in a while; even the illustrious Monaco is not immune to it. Heck, Le Mans itself nearly had a track blockage when the rain first hit in 2001.

If your issue is with red flags, every major road course, permanent or otherwise, has had those; deal with it.

Johncho, VIR is not gone; it's on the ALMS calendar. Look it up. Also, it would be unwise to give up the Southern California, Michigan, and Mid Atlantic markets. Willow Springs isn't up to snuff. Fontana is awful as a circuit. Michigan has no major road courses. New Jersey has been dropped. Summit Point isn't up to standard either. Therefore, you are left with Long Beach, Belle Isle (using the long course this year), and Baltimore.

HJJ, there needs to be a race between Daytona and Sebring. It's just that simple.

Dawg, how the heck do NOLA or MMP make it on to anybody's "wish list"? Also, if the series went to Portland, it would almost have to be a split format, with the track being only 1.964 miles around.

The series NEEDS to be in Southern California, and Monterey (Laguna Seca) is NOT Southern California.

It's only "second teet" if YOU CHOOSE to think of it that way! Therefore, DON'T think about it in that way! There, your problem is solved.

Brent, I don't think the Indy roval is long enough to be allowed to host an 8-hour race.

Guys, historically, the Glen 6 Hours was in July. Also, historically, Lime Rock had Memorial Day Weekend, though I imagine it may well not be on the calendar come 2014. I just thought I would put those tidbits out there.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

Pacific Raceways on the schedule?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mb8luPvftc

I'm loving the run-offs with Grass Ledges and fully exposed trees.

Something tells me it wouldn't pass any IMSA or FIA safety inspection for a USCR race.

I had heard that there was a major rebuild planned for the place. Yes, it is current form it would have no hope of passing a safety inspection. I'm not that dumb. But considering the six million people in Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, Everett and the areas around there, and the fact that there is no professional racing in that part of the world, the first one in in a big way stands to win big, and who doesn't want that?

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by HJJ

First of all Long Beach, the manufacturers and the sponsors want to be in Southern California. They should keep it at all cost. End of story.
What, you want a race on the roval at California Speedway?

No, but one could also consider some work at Willow Springs as a possibility. Anyways, I think we mostly agree on Long Beach staying, so away we go.

Originally Posted by HJJ

Barber in February, are y'all nuts? We're just trying to get through Marchuary. Which was colder than January here in the South.

Average daily high for Birmingham, Alabama, in mid-February is between 55 and 62 degrees. That's not amazingly warm, but it isn't that cold, and we need something between Daytona and Sebring. Big gaps aren't good for a big-time racing series, and six weeks is a really big one. If somebody is gonna propose Mexico City or somewhere else in Latin America, great, but other than that we need something during that time period.

Originally Posted by HJJ

Are you trying to burn out crew guys with this death march of a schedule starting in January?

Its eighteen races over nine months. Hardly a death march of a schedule - IMSA had some schedules like that in the 1980s. Aside from Mont-Tremblant / Mosport and Detroit / Mid-Ohio - both of which are about four to six hours apart by road - there is a minimum of two weeks between each race.

Originally Posted by HJJ

Let alone trying to find the budget to do something like that?

See the comment about "once the series is established and well-operational" point. From a strictly business perspective, more races results in a lesser overall cost per race unless you wreck frequently, because your costs in terms of cars, shop and other capital equipment are sunk. Yes, it costs more in crew costs and consumables (tires, fuel, components that get consumed, overhaul costs and the like), but you also get more exposure and more people watching. Yes, the budget is higher, yes. But your exposure is higher, too. Play to win.

Originally Posted by HJJ

Zandoort? WTF?

The problem of huge gaps again. I only did that to give USCR guys a reason to go to Europe. Taking a two month break for an event that maybe a dozen teams will go to is unfair to the others and a big lost opportunity for the series. Is Le Mans worth that? I say no, but I am not ignorant of the teams that want to go there. So, you go do a European round some place, knock down a gap in the schedule and if teams want to run Le Mans, its just a matter of keeping your guys in Europe for an extra couple weeks, no additional travel costs. You also have the ability to show off to the Europeans how we do sports car racing. I picked Zandvoort because its a great track in a prospering European economy which has no F1, WEC or other big motorsport events. The biggest event that runs in the Netherlands today is DTM, which is likely to be a USCR support series. Surely such a track is a great opportunity for an enterprising racing series, no?

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

4 to remove took me less than 10 secs:
Barber
Houston
Indy
Jersey

Anyone who wants to remove Mosport needs to take a serious look in the mirror.

Wish you could remove Barber twice.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Wish you could remove Barber twice.

Originally Posted by Purist

HJJ, there needs to be a race between Daytona and Sebring. It's just that simple.

I happen to disagree; I don't really see the need of having another race in between. Sure there is a gap, but don't know of any place outside of FLA where the weather will cooperate and really don't see the point.

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

Average daily high for Birmingham, Alabama, in mid-February is between 55 and 62 degrees. That's not amazingly warm, but it isn't that cold, and we need something between Daytona and Sebring. Big gaps aren't good for a big-time racing series, and six weeks is a really big one. If somebody is gonna propose Mexico City or somewhere else in Latin America, great, but other than that we need something during that time period.

I understand average temps, but there is a chance the it could be snowing in Northern AL in February or it could be 80 degrees. I don't think the series will be willing to risk it.

Again, I don't see an issue with the gap as you are looking at the two biggest events in the series within 6 or 7 weeks of each other; that's enough for me!

I don't know, I just don't get the absolute need. A trip to Mexico City should fill the weeks between nicely for the teams, though.

[johncho]

I stand corrected on VIR. if I understand right there are 6 tracks we agree will be kept (DIS, Seb, ATL, Laguna, Glen, Rd America) and 10 that are on the chopping block, ignoring the 2 defunct tracks from this poll, NJ and Houston, plus Kansas we can only hope will be dropped.

6 of the 10 will live on in 2014, my guess based on sponsorship and promotor strengths ($$) Austin, Indy, Long Beach, Detroit, Lime Rock, Mosport.

4 of the 10 current tracks on this poll will not host in 2014...my money on mid Ohio, baltimore, Barber, and VIR to get Axed. If you disagree on any, which of my 6 keeps would have to go?

I would expect the continental cars to get a 3R or Barber event to displace them from Detroit and Long Beach.

john cho

Originally Posted by Purist

NTaM, your complaint about Baltimore specifically only works if that issue is confined to Baltimore specifically, but it isn't, and you and I both know that. Long Beach has had traffic jams as well, particularly at the hairpin. Every street circuit that has been around for long has had blockage issues every once in a while; even the illustrious Monaco is not immune to it. Heck, Le Mans itself nearly had a track blockage when the rain first hit in 2001.

If your issue is with red flags, every major road course, permanent or otherwise, has had those; deal with it.

Johncho, VIR is not gone; it's on the ALMS calendar. Look it up. Also, it would be unwise to give up the Southern California, Michigan, and Mid Atlantic markets. Willow Springs isn't up to snuff. Fontana is awful as a circuit. Michigan has no major road courses. New Jersey has been dropped. Summit Point isn't up to standard either. Therefore, you are left with Long Beach, Belle Isle (using the long course this year), and Baltimore.

HJJ, there needs to be a race between Daytona and Sebring. It's just that simple.

Dawg, how the heck do NOLA or MMP make it on to anybody's "wish list"? Also, if the series went to Portland, it would almost have to be a split format, with the track being only 1.964 miles around.

The series NEEDS to be in Southern California, and Monterey (Laguna Seca) is NOT Southern California.

It's only "second teet" if YOU CHOOSE to think of it that way! Therefore, DON'T think about it in that way! There, your problem is solved.

Brent, I don't think the Indy roval is long enough to be allowed to host an 8-hour race.

Guys, historically, the Glen 6 Hours was in July. Also, historically, Lime Rock had Memorial Day Weekend, though I imagine it may well not be on the calendar come 2014. I just thought I would put those tidbits out there.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

I had heard that there was a major rebuild planned for the place. Yes, it is current form it would have no hope of passing a safety inspection. I'm not that dumb. But considering the six million people in Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, Everett and the areas around there, and the fact that there is no professional racing in that part of the world, the first one in in a big way stands to win big, and who doesn't want that?

PIR might be a better alternative for the northwest.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

PIR might be a better alternative for the northwest.

Not if Pacific Raceways gets a makeover. I love that track (been there twice because of visiting friends in Everett) - really nice setting. Nice viewing opportunities, as well.

[Purist]

FoD79, Indy isn't a full month anymore. The Daytona 500 doesn't have a gap after it.

It doesn't matter that Daytona and Sebring are the big ones on the schedule. In this day and age, with how pervasive, and constantly updating, the "news" cycle has become, you simply get lost in the shuffle unless you are consistently doing something.

It's already been suggested by myself and a few others that Austin be the track that fills that Spring gap. The chances of snow, or of being below freezing, are pretty low there. And while we're on the subject, there have been some darn cold nights at the Daytona 24, but that race hasn't moved. Be prepared for it, or just watch on TV.

I like Seattle Int'l Raceway, but it would definitely need a major update. If it had one though, it would be an excellent option. It covers an unserved market, is in a wonderful setting, and would be enough longer than Portland that you might be able to run the entire field there all in the same race.