Where do you race in 2003?

[JoeBob]

If CART and the IRL run the same basic package in 2003 (and it is looking like they will) there is really nothing to stop owners from "picking and choosing" which races they compete in.

There is some value in competing in every race for one of the series, but only in some cases. (You have tobacco sponsorship that can be displayed in one series only, winning a championship is important to you (it doesn't pay that much, so we're talking pride here), you're short on money and need the IRL's Leader's Circle to help fund your team.)

Here's the races that are "available" which 20 do you choose? (Or which 20 does your sponsor choose for you) Of course teams will have a tougher time than we will, because we don't know the TV or schedule details. (So we can't speculate on the sponsor that says, "run races that are on network tv only")

Homestead
Monterrey (Mexico)
Phoenix
Long Beach
Nazareth
Motegi (Japan)*
Indianapolis
Milwaukee
Texas
Laguna Seca
Pike's Peak
Portland
Richmond
Toronto
Kansas
Nashville
Cleveland
Michigan
Vancouver
Kentucky
Mid-Ohio
Road America
Montreal
Gateway
Denver
Chicagoland
Rockingham (England)*
Germany*
Mexico City
Australia*
Miami (Streets)**
St. Petersburg, FL**

Edited to add 3 races that had been missing

*The way Chris Pook has been talking lately leads me to beleive these may not be options in 2003, but are included until we hear otherwise.
**The way Chris Pook has been talking lately leads me to beleive these will be options in 2003.

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: JoeBob ]

[don7031]

If you aren't rolling in dough, you run the entire IRL schedule and whatever CART events you can fit in.

If you are looking for the best return for a domestic sponsor. You choose your schedule based on expected tv audience.

If you are a sporting gentlemen you run whatever you want.

[Cant_hit_apex]

Agreed. Take the Leader's Circle deal and run the IRL schedule. Then, cherry pick the CART races that don't hurt your IRL program and that draw the biggest walk up crowds. The CART TV audience won't impress your sponsor, so just target those CART races (if any) that draw the attendees that your sponsor(s) are seeking.

Of course, that assumes that you have drivers that will be productive on any type of circuit. If you limit yourself to CART oval races, you miss out on their biggest crowds (i.e., Long Beach, the Gooney, etc.)

[indyracer56]

My guess is that both the IRL and CART are going to put something together which will basically require teams to run the entire schedule.

I think we are already seeing movement in that direction with the IRL's "Leader's Circle" program. I think these types of programs will evolve to the point of "mandatory" before too long. Much like the way Baseball players aren't allowed to also play pro Football.

If they don't enforce partipaction in all of the league's events then you will run the risk of having 45 cars show up one weekend and 12 the next.

Not good for either series.

[mnkywrch]

Ahh, a dream schedule thread.

Of course, I haven't looked at the weather factors... but just run these events, other than Indy, I don't care when.

Feb/Mar.
Monterrey & Mexico City (back to back)
St. Petersburg, FL
Phoenix

Apr.
Long Beach
Texas
Road Atlanta

May.
Indy

June.
Milwaukee
Portland
Laguna Seca (with renovations)

July.
Cleveland
Toronto
Montreal
Michigan

Aug.
Mid-Ohio
Road America
Vancouver

Sept/Oct.
Chicagoland
Watkins Glen
Miami (Streets)
Fontana

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: mnkywrch ]

[don7031]

Back when CART forced the teams to choose one series or another by changing their chassis specs and schedule to create conflicts, virtually all the teams with sponsor commitments went to CART because it offered the best return for those sponsors. That situation has reversed. So I'm going to agree with what Indyracer56 wrote. There will be some incentive packages (especially from CART) thrown out to lure teams.

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: don7031 ]

[mattndallas]

Originally posted by mnkywrch:
<STRONG>Ahh, a dream schedule thread.

Of course, I haven't looked at the weather factors... but just run these events, other than Indy, I don't care when.

Feb/Mar.
Monterrey & Mexico City (back to back)
St. Petersburg, FL
Phoenix

Apr.
Long Beach
Texas
Road Atlanta

May.
Indy

June.
Milwaukee
Portland
Laguna Seca (with renovations)

July.
Cleveland
Toronto
Montreal
Michigan

Aug.
Mid-Ohio
Road America
Vancouver

Sept/Oct.
Chicagoland
Watkins Glen
Miami (Streets)
Fontana

[ February 08, 2002: Message edited by: mnkywrch ]</STRONG>

7 ovals out of 22...

Obviously an IRL/oval fan

[mesquite-crk]

You aren't expecting CART to return to England, Germany, or Australia ???? How crazy is that ?!?!

The England and Germany tracks were built specifically to hold CART as their premier race. Not to mention that they have something called a 5 to 7 year contract agreement, and that they were an overwhelming success the first year out of the box.

As for Australia, w/Japan, probably the most expensive trip of all the schedule. But they over-took F1 as the biggest event this year - another big success. That would be a hard venue to let go.

FWIW, and there's a lot of factors to take into account, but at first glance ... Motorola, Rockwell, MCI Worldcom, Tecate, Herdez, Corona, Pioneer, Players, Shell, Texaco, Lily and Nextel(?) would most certainly opt for the CART (int'l) schedule.

Target, Marlboro, Miller, Purex, Coors, Kool, Harrah's, and some of the smaller IRL sponsors would most certainly opt for the IRL (nat'l.) schedule.

The ones on the fence: Red Bull, Gigante, Visteon, Delphi, Hollywood. At a lower (CART) budget the Hollywood and Red Bull campaigns would actually have to take a 2nd look at the CART schedule, that's why I put them in the "fence" category. Just as Gigante, running more American races would be more beneficial to them as opposed to running in England or Germany.

Bottom line ... expect a big blur !!

[JoeBob]

Okay, here's my answer.

If I'm short on sponsor $$, then I run the IRL schedule for the Leader's Circle and the big CART events (Long Beach, Cleveland, Toronto, Vancouver, Mid-Ohio, Road America) to keep the sponsor happy.

If I'm Chip Ganassi, and I have Target to pay all my bills, I run the following:
Phoenix
Long Beach
Indy
Milwaukee
Texas
Laguna Seca
Portland
Toronto
Cleveland
Michigan
Vancouver
Mid-Ohio
Road America
Montreal
Chicagoland
Miami
St. Petersburg

[JoeBob]

mesquite-crk,
Read some of the recent interviews with Chris Pook and/or listen to the investor conference call. He talks a lot about the importance of having races in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. He wants to be able to go to any company in the world and say, "If you market to the NAFTA block of countries, we're the only sport that can do it."

He mentions the European, Asian and Australia races only in passing. From the way he has been talking, I wouldn't be surprised at all if those races go away as soon as their contracts are up (if not sooner.)

Personally, I like the International flavor, but I also recongnize that if CART is going to get its act together, it has to focus. It is very hard to focus and expand at the same time.

[mesquite-crk]

Originally posted by JoeBob:
<STRONG>mesquite-crk,
He mentions the European, Asian and Australia races only in passing. From the way he has been talking, I wouldn't be surprised at all if those races go away as soon as their contracts are up (if not sooner.)

Personally, I like the International flavor, but I also recongnize that if CART is going to get its act together, it has to focus. It is very hard to focus and expand at the same time.</STRONG>

Oh, it wouldn't surprise me if they go away long-term, but not in 2003 as your original post stated. Both those European communities depend on heavily on the revenues generated by those tracks (one of the primary reasons Germany wasn't postponed or cancelled post 9/11).

CART pulling out pre-emptly, after only 2 years of fulfillment would be a European PR nightmare, and a financial hit as well.

But you are right, he's been talking up the NAFTA success quite a bit.

I would run the schedule that would allow me to best entertain clients. That includes facilities, location, and fan attendance. I will assume for the most part that all the races are on network TV and pull a 1.2 rating with the exception of Indy.

Monterrey (Mexico)
Phoenix
Long Beach
Indianapolis
Texas
Toronto
Kansas
Cleveland
Vancouver
Road America
Montreal
Denver
Chicagoland
Rockingham (England)*
Germany*
Mexico City
Australia
Miami
St. Petersburg, FL
Fontana

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by mattndallas:
<STRONG>

7 ovals out of 22...

Obviously an IRL/oval fan </STRONG>

Look, if the IRL could have 22 successful ovals, I'd run them.

But outside of Indy and Texas, the IRL isn't drawing diddley.

I hate street courses with a passion (outside of Cleveland, which is really cool), but if you look at the markets I picked for most of them, it's because there isn't a viable oval nearby. And if you're going to race outside of the U.S., it may as well be in Canada and Mexico.

I mean, picking a Miami street circuit over Homestead is a no-brainer. No one likes Homestead.

Heck, I kept Michigan and dumped Belle Isle. Give me some credit here.