A different tone at MIS?

[sdbolton]

I sent MIS an e-mail asking if there is any chance of getting the ICS back to MIS for 2009. What follows is the response:
Thanks for your e-mail to Michigan International Speedway.

Though we are focused on our NASCAR events for this season, we are always looking for viable business options for the future at Michigan International Speedway and the state of Michigan . We would certainly talk to any race sanctioning body that is interested in us hosting an event at our speedway if the date and racing series are viable business options for us.

The track president and the leaders from our company have told officials from the League that we would welcome a return, but the date has to work for everyone – not just the IRL.

I’m a race fan and I absolutely love open-wheel racing. So I certainly hope that the IRL can find a place for historic racetracks and ovals on future schedules – but I just don’t know. The merger has been great and the news out of the IRL – Danica winning! – has been tremendous.

But I thought I heard Brian Barnhart (or was it Tony George?) mention at a press conference in Miami that they would like to see the IRL at 18 venues in a “six, six, six” situation – six ovals, six road courses and six street courses.

You have to figure that four of those ovals would be Indy , Kansas , Chicagoland and Texas – because those four tracks have MASSIVE attendance, and well… the Indy 500 is the flagship event in the sport.

And remember: The IRL races in downtown Detroit – only one short hour from MIS. You and I both know that the races are completely different – but most people do not and it makes it a tough sell to justify two events in the same area only two weeks apart.

To make a long story short, we would be willing to bring the IRL back if they gave us a date option that works.

I hope that answers your question. Thank you so much for writing.

Very kind regards,

Sammie Lukaskiewicz

I appreciate Sammie's response to my question. I sense a different tone then the blame game MIS was playing last year. Let's hope MIS and the ICS can make a go of this. I would encourage everyone to contact MIS and the ICS with positive messages to get make this happen.

[Gomer Simpson]

Though the tone does sound a bit different, the bottom line appears to remain the same.

[Racemind]

They have the option of running an ICS race within a few weeks of a NASCAR race (6/15 and 8/17), but they choose not to. The balls in MIS's court, AFAIC.

[LorenzoBandini]

I sense a different tone then the blame game MIS was playing last year.

What do you mean? It is the same "it's not me, it's them" stuff they pulled last year.

MIS does not want Indy Racing.

[Mack Too]

Sounds like a lot of yada, yada, yada to me.

[cheeseczar]

Though the tone does sound a bit different, the bottom line appears to remain the same.

So when speedmonkey was growing up I bet his parent's taught him to say a ton in a short sentence.

Well done.

[Outlaw]

Sounds like the same ole' NASACAR rules and we don't want anything to do with Indycar BS.

[Grinder-Tank]

MIS is not the MIS you think it is.

"Ivansion of the Speedway Snatchers".

[jdessar]

At first I was quite upset at the thought of no IndyCar race at Michigan Speedway, but after attending the Detroit GP last year, it was actually a more entertaining race weekend, better presentation, more support racing, etc. and I am looking forward to going to the Belle Isle races for many years to come.

Ever since ISC purchased Michigan Speedway the open wheel races have been run as just so much filler between the NASCAR race weekends.

It sure isn't the same place it was when Roger Penske owned it.

[The Stickman]

Ever since ISC purchased Michigan Speedway the open wheel races have been run as just so much filler between the NASCAR race weekends

Much the same can be said for Phoenix

[jiman1973]

Am I the only one that remembers that it was actually the ICS that screwed MIS around with the race date....and not the other way around?

Sounds like the ball is in Indy Car's court.

[The Stickman]

Am I the only one that remembers that it was actually the ICS that screwed MIS around with the race date....and not the other way around?

Sounds like the ball is in Indy Car's court.

Ofcourse MIS also pigeon holed ICS into a very narrow window of when a race would be acceptable. It was only like a 3 week window.

[jiman1973]

Ofcourse MIS also pigeon holed ICS into a very narrow window of when a race would be acceptable. It was only like a 3 week window.

But, if I remember correctly, wasn't that 3-week window the same time frame that the ICS had promised to MIS the year prior?

I don't recall exactly how it went down, but I remember it being pretty disgusting at the time to the point that I almost stopped following the series altogether.

[gass]

Am I the only one that remembers that it was actually the ICS that screwed MIS around with the race date....and not the other way around?

Sounds like the ball is in Indy Car's court.

Your wrong I talked with Roger Curtis and his word's to me were "ISC told me that it is my decision to have a race on Aug. 5 but I am calling the IRL's bluff"

How in the world can that be the ICS fault?

[The Stickman]

But, if I remember correctly, wasn't that 3-week window the same time frame that the ICS had promised to MIS the year prior?

I don't recall exactly how it went down, but I remember it being pretty disgusting at the time to the point that I almost stopped following the series altogether.

They asked for the end of July and ICS offered Aug 5th i believe. Should they be arguing over 5 days into August?