Save Gateway!

[tom91]

The IRL race at Gateway has increased its attendance each year. The track management actually puts some effort into promoting the race and building a fan base. It's a unique and challenging track, but still pretty racy. It's exactly the sort of event that the IRL needs.

So why on earth would this race be dropped from the schedule?

If the IRL simply MUST drop an oval race from the schedule in order to make room for Milwaukee and/or appease the road racing gods, might I suggest a certain poorly-attended race at a glorified parking lot in Eastern Pennsylvania?

[slinger]

I don't want to see any ovals dropped.

[Jimbo7]

Drop the Miami-Homestead track in exchange for WDW Speedway on the same date each year. You want a road course, then have the Pocono track improved so that the Indycars can race there. You want a street course, then add Long Beach, period.

According to reports by ESPN, CART will soon be announcing their new owners for that league. They mentioned Paul Newman, and Paul Gentilozzi as possible owners. They will be cutting out all but one oval track venue starting next year. The only oval track that CART will race on, starting next year, is the Milwaukee Mile. Brian may have been planning upon the outcome of CART. IRL caps out at 17 venues by next year, and decides to add rr by 2005. We'll see as-the-world-turns in motor racing.

[IndyMJH]

We shouldn't race at Gateway again until they redo the pit lane.

[Mackie]

Re: Save Gateway!

Originally posted by tom91
The IRL race at Gateway has increased its attendance each year. The track management actually puts some effort into promoting the race and building a fan base. It's a unique and challenging track, but still pretty racy. It's exactly the sort of event that the IRL needs.

So why on earth would this race be dropped from the schedule?

If the IRL simply MUST drop an oval race from the schedule in order to make room for Milwaukee and/or appease the road racing gods, might I suggest a certain poorly-attended race at a glorified parking lot in Eastern Pennsylvania?

Why, probably because it is a DDE track, a couple of weeks ago Nashville went down to the wire on a new contract.

Don't be too quick to pull the plug on Nazareth either, the race never has had a chance with the April date, lets see what happens in a couple of weeks. NASCAR Modifieds, with almost the same horsepower and the same tire size, actually the RF is bigger then an IndyCar, and a heck of a lot less downforce, race well there. Then there is the Andretti factor to consider now. One more thing, Nazareth is an ISC track, TG will not pull the plug on an event at an ISC track.

[Mackie]

Mousekatrack will not happen again. it is too dangerous and there never will be a date agreement.

[Martyj]

Gateway proved yesterday it's pit lane is unworthy of hosting a major league racing series.

[MichaelP]

Pit lane can be fixed when they repave the track. This should be done and the race should be kept on the schedule. .

And for those that think dropping races like Homestead and Gateway will help, keep in mind the replacement tracks will have right turns and will produce even more lackluster racing.

[AdamM]

The pit lane at Gateway is fine. Herta and/or his crew need a new set of eyes.

[mds24]

Mackie is right, WDW will never happen again

---

As far as Gateway, once you get over the neighbor being the St. Louis landfill, I love the location. It took me less than 3.5 hours Friday morning to get from Indy to the infield media center. Can't ask for much more than that.

The problem is upkeep. That track looks about 20 years older than it is. There has never been a lot of upkeep from outward appearances. I don't hear many people in the garage complain about the track itself ... but the facility does not get good marks.

[mnkywrch]

The location is horrible. Perhaps if the place faced St. Louis it would be better. But staring at a landfill, with dump trucks on top watching the race from afar, is not all that inspiring.

It also doesn't help to have all the parking on the exact opposite side of the facility that 95% of the people parked at - behind a truck stop, no less.

I do wonder how they ever built the place with that tight of a pit lane, though...

But, let's face it, without a NASCAR WC date, it doesn't make sense to do squat.

[step33T]

I would also like to see that race "saved".

It's an interesting track, and near my home town. It's nice to stay with family for the weekend. It's also close Indy which is in reality a very GOOD thing.

The facility does need at least a $5mil facelift. They spent a lot of money on those turn 2 seats that they really don't need. I'd say a new maintainence program, and considerable work in the "neighborhood" to shine the place up would go a LONG way.

I suggest heading out to PPIR, and looking at how that facility is arranged.

The promotion this week was decent from what I understand. The Helio, Gil, and Sarah appearance at the Cardinal game worked well. And I had quite a few friends use the special coupons passed out at Gateway to take in the Cardinal game last night. (Won on an Albert Pujols home run. He was a guest of Team Penske during Sunday's morning warm-up before heading of to Busch Stadium).

My 12 guests also RAVED about how good of a time they had. The track must be doing something better as they aren't using as excited post race as they were yesterday.

I also think is should be kept on the schedule purely for track diversity.

[step33T]

BTW,

If you want to know how narrow the pit lane is at Gateway. Just watch the sign board guys next time.

The cars in the fast lane run so close to the "board" guys that they have to make sure they don't hold the board very low. Because if you do, you'll have a rear wing HIT the board you are holding.

I worked my first sign board race there a couple years back for Jeff Ward. GREAT fun, but WOW it gets hairy on yellow flag pit stops, especially with the guardrail that barely comes to your knees separating you from cars going 60mph.

[ovals rule]

It seems like Gateway would like to stay on the schedule according to their gm;

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/8/064315-4488-037.html

I think it would be a shame if a track which has tried so hard to grow its fan base were dropped while others do little more than throw open the gates remain on the schedule.

Could the IRL be playing hard ball in hopes if getting Gateway to make some of the improvements mentioned in this thread.

BTW on the parking deal you might try parking at the casino just west of the track and using the light rail. I did it 2 years ago and they had busses which picked you up at the train station and dropped you off at the gate near turn 1.

It cost a couple of busck but was well worth the $.

[ZenMan]

Gee, I didn't see the obligatory attendance thread (OK, OK, I didn't actually look that hard), but the crowd looked significantly better. While it wasn't full, the trend is definitely in the right direction, showing that people are going back, and they're taking their friends. That's what it takes, friends, and I'd hate to see them walk away from a venue that's growing.

Also, it's a challenging track that adds diversity to the schedule. I can even overlook the fact that it was originally built by Pookie and the LBGPA.