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I never knew their were not 20 ovals in the USA.
Posted on Sun, Aug. 03, 2003
Indy Racing League set to hit the roads in 2005
BY MIKE BRUDENELL
Knight Ridder Newspapers
INDIANAPOLIS - (KRT) - Talk at the Brickyard 400 wasn't all about ovals: Much of it centered on roads - the racing kind.
While NASCAR was entertaining its faithful, the Indy Racing League announced it would probably add road courses to its 2005 schedule.
If the IRL, which has been an oval-only series since splitting with CART, can find suitable venues, it may run as many as four road races a season in future years.
IRL vice president of operations Brian Barnhart has already met with chassis and engine manufacturers about the plan. Race teams and drivers have been notified, he said.
"Almost all the drivers and team owners are behind the idea," said Barnhart. "It will give drivers a break from the constant stress of driving high-speed ovals and allow them to show their skills on the road."
Many of the IRL racers, including former CART stars Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran, are road-racing experts. Defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., who competed in Saturday's IROC event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has been quoted as saying he'd like to race on roads.
"The IRL is white-knuckle racing every place we go," Barnhart said. "It puts a ton of pressure on the guys. I think they'll enjoy driving a few road courses."
The IRL, of course, is basing its oval-road course strategy on the assumption cash-strapped CART will disappear soon. The IRL would like to own open-wheel racing in America.
"We are now the stewards of open-wheel racing in this country," said Barnhart. "We plan on providing fans the finest open-wheel racing product in the world."
This year, the IRL will race at 15 tracks across America. It also competes at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Barnhart thinks with the inclusion of road courses, 20 races a year is a good number by 2005.
"If we stayed on all ovals, we'd run out of venues to race," said Barnhart. "We are looking for the right business opportunity to go road racing. But we'll only do it if the opportunity is good."
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Posted on Sun, Aug. 03, 2003
Indy Racing League set to hit the roads in 2005
BY MIKE BRUDENELL
Knight Ridder Newspapers
INDIANAPOLIS - (KRT) - Talk at the Brickyard 400 wasn't all about ovals: Much of it centered on roads - the racing kind.
While NASCAR was entertaining its faithful, the Indy Racing League announced it would probably add road courses to its 2005 schedule.
If the IRL, which has been an oval-only series since splitting with CART, can find suitable venues, it may run as many as four road races a season in future years.
IRL vice president of operations Brian Barnhart has already met with chassis and engine manufacturers about the plan. Race teams and drivers have been notified, he said.
"Almost all the drivers and team owners are behind the idea," said Barnhart. "It will give drivers a break from the constant stress of driving high-speed ovals and allow them to show their skills on the road."
Many of the IRL racers, including former CART stars Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran, are road-racing experts. Defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., who competed in Saturday's IROC event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has been quoted as saying he'd like to race on roads.
"The IRL is white-knuckle racing every place we go," Barnhart said. "It puts a ton of pressure on the guys. I think they'll enjoy driving a few road courses."
The IRL, of course, is basing its oval-road course strategy on the assumption cash-strapped CART will disappear soon. The IRL would like to own open-wheel racing in America.
"We are now the stewards of open-wheel racing in this country," said Barnhart. "We plan on providing fans the finest open-wheel racing product in the world."
This year, the IRL will race at 15 tracks across America. It also competes at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Barnhart thinks with the inclusion of road courses, 20 races a year is a good number by 2005.
"If we stayed on all ovals, we'd run out of venues to race," said Barnhart. "We are looking for the right business opportunity to go road racing. But we'll only do it if the opportunity is good."
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As for RR, I agree with sabin.
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