Bernie E. behind a new Stockcar series!!

[Bostik]

Will be interesting to see who drives the cars in Bahrain - there's 24 cars available. Perhaps they'll invite the Ozzies to give them a go!

[R59]

One of my mates has been invited to crew a vehicle!! They are looking for people with "proper" stockcar experience.

[T'internet Yogi]

When GP2 asia expands its calender they should follow, right? So that's another GP support race for a start...Singapore maybe? Stock cars at night!
Just liek America.

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by T'internet Yogi

When GP2 asia expands its calender they should follow, right? So that's another GP support race for a start...Singapore maybe? Stock cars at night!
Just liek America.

Except none of our stock car series have had a street race since about 2000 when the regional NASCAR Southwest series raced in the streets surrounding the Sports Arena and Coliseum in Los Angeles. I must've been too young to have actually heard anything on the grapevine there, but I'd think they would've been a little miffed about a concrete-lined double-hairpin in the middle of a car park.

But it'd be interesting to see if Speedcar does become a support at the Singapore GP. If they'll be adding some, if any runoff (as is the fad with these GP circuits these days), it could actually end up being a clean race. But if it's almost completely lined on the sides with barriers, hmmm....

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by chemhead1

Except none of our stock car series have had a street race since about 2000 when the regional NASCAR Southwest series raced in the streets surrounding the Sports Arena and Coliseum in Los Angeles.

CASCAR (and NASCAR Canadian Tyre Series as it is now) runs on a street circuit.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

CASCAR (and NASCAR Canadian Tyre Series as it is now) runs on a street circuit.

You mean Trois-Rivieres? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR_...an_Tire_Series

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by johnTT

You mean Trois-Rivieres?

Nope

http://www.nascarlocalracing.com/con...p?Series_ID=28

[Matt]

Only two 'street' courses, are Trois-Rivieres, and Edmonton...

[Rob29]

Surely Edmonton is an airport? Montreal is a park,that leaves Trois Rivieres as the only Street circuit on this Canadian NASCAR schedule?

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by Rob29

Surely Edmonton is an airport? Montreal is a park,that leaves Trois Rivieres as the only Street circuit on this Canadian NASCAR schedule?

Trois Rivieres is a street circuit. Silly me confused it with some other canadian permenant track ...

Anyway, street circuits have been done for stock cars, and if the cars are hard enough to take Bristol type punishment I feel sure they could race around a street track.

[chemhead1]

CASCAR has done support back with the Molson Indy races at Vancouver and Toronto, IIRC.

Note that all of these series being mentioned (NASCAR Southwest, CASCAR/Canadian Tire) as raced on street circuits, not exactly similar in dimensions to the Cup-styled cars being planned for Speedcar.

[johntt]

Anyone think that some ovals would be good to have on the schedule? Of course such events would be seperate from Gp2 asia.

Motegi - so long as the weather holds out. Support event for the IRL maybe?

Phakisa - South African track that held the MotoGP until 3 years ago. Has a 1.5 mile tri-oval. Fits in with the winter schedule. As could...

Puebla - Mexican 1.3 mile oval.

Rockingham/Eurospeedway - Season starter or finisher. Like Zandvoort/Brands with A1GP.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by chemhead1

CASCAR has done support back with the Molson Indy races at Vancouver and Toronto, IIRC.

Note that all of these series being mentioned (NASCAR Southwest, CASCAR/Canadian Tire) as raced on street circuits, not exactly similar in dimensions to the Cup-styled cars being planned for Speedcar.

The NASCAR Mexico/Canada/West/East are spec cars with Dodge/Ford/Chevy etc bodyshells arent they?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by johntt

The NASCAR Mexico/Canada/West/East are spec cars with Dodge/Ford/Chevy etc bodyshells arent they?

I know the Canadian cars are REALLY boxy, and are a LOT slower than the American cars. Can't say anything about the Mexican ones though.

[kelvin88]

I actually think the Canadian cars are far more easy on the eye than Cup cars. Who makes them?

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by Matt

I know the Canadian cars are REALLY boxy, and are a LOT slower than the American cars. Can't say anything about the Mexican ones though.

CASCAR and the Mexican series used similar cars that were actually boxy, but made some good racing. After NASCAR absorbed these two, they're hoping to make a single chassis formula for these two series and regional series in the U.S. It's one of the moves I'm actually looking forward to. Not sure about what bodystyle these will resemble (CASCAR's old formula or something like Busch cars).

[racer69]

Originally Posted by johntt

Anyone think that some ovals would be good to have on the schedule? Of course such events would be seperate from Gp2 asia.

Motegi - so long as the weather holds out. Support event for the IRL maybe?

Phakisa - South African track that held the MotoGP until 3 years ago. Has a 1.5 mile tri-oval. Fits in with the winter schedule. As could...

Puebla - Mexican 1.3 mile oval.

Rockingham/Eurospeedway - Season starter or finisher. Like Zandvoort/Brands with A1GP.

Bob Jane is talking about refurbishing the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia as well. Where better for an oval Speedcar race, considering the 'Dome hosted the first ever NASCAR race outside of the USA.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by racer69

Bob Jane is talking about refurbishing the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia as well. Where better for an oval Speedcar race, considering the 'Dome hosted the first ever NASCAR race outside of the USA.

Looks like a good track - was that the exhibition event a few years ago or earlier than that?

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by racer69

Bob Jane is talking about refurbishing the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia as well. Where better for an oval Speedcar race, considering the 'Dome hosted the first ever NASCAR race outside of the USA.

That's great news to hear. The ol' Dome could sure use a reeeeal nice repaving and probably a brand spankin' new SAFER barrier! Give some of these Speedcar guys a REAL track to take these beasts on!

Also, don't quote me on this, but don't the CASCAR and Mexican series (like SCSA) use composite bodies instead of sheet metal? And isn't that what Speedcar is doing as well?

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by chemhead1

Also, don't quote me on this, but don't the CASCAR and Mexican series (like SCSA) use composite bodies instead of sheet metal? And isn't that what Speedcar is doing as well?

I think that is the case.

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

I think that is the case.

In that case, and seeing that all of these aforementioned series (IIRC) have similar engine packages (not sure on which are Fuel Injected (Speedcar) and which aren't), in a sense Speedcar is running a, erm, "regional" car with a Cup body. Which is a real shame, TBH. For something that's supposed to have a bit of an international appeal to it, you would think that they would add something, ANYTHING to these cars that would really make it different from other stockcar series.

Thinking back on this, my personal feeling would be that if they had maybe put some real heavy development into this, they could've tried this with a car similar to those built by Riley & Scott for the stillborn TRAC series. Some kind of in-between between NASCAR-style bodies and Trans-Am/GT-1 bodies.

Or even more interesting would've been acquiring some IROC Pontiac Firebirds and developing them from there.

Either way, Speedcar hasn't come off to me as something to look forward to for the near future of motorsport. As far as I'm concerned, Speedcar is:

- a pretty thinly veiled attempt to piggyback the international popularity that stockcar racing has been getting lately and possibly even trying to wick it away from a certain popular U.S. series, and....

- yet another scheme by Bernie Ecclestone and a group of investors who would otherwise have absolutely nothing to do with these "good ol' boys" who participate in the type of racing these men are trying to sell us to squeeze more money out of the Asian economy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down the drivers and crew members taking part. I'd love nothing more than to see more people halfway around the world enjoying the same kind of racing that people like me and those around the town have grown up with. But it just seems like it's being created for all the wrong reasons. I mean, how many Dubai or Bahrain locals would jump at the chance to see a NASCAR-like event and then compare that to those wanting to see this in person in the Americas or Europe or Oceania.

It's a shame that the closest real fans who genuinely love this kind of racing will get to this without going in the thousands of dollars for the trip are the few test/PR days they had at VIRginia International Raceway.

Part of me thinks that maybe, MAYBE, the only reason they're just visiting these tracks is that they want to tag it along to GP2 Asia just to get the name out there and only then will they actually want to go where the fans want to see it. I guess I'm just not feeling that optomistic today.

[Valker]

All 2007 rounds cancelled... so only 5 races left.

[FIRE]

Ecclestone's Formula One Management (FOM) supplies TV feed.
http://www.speedcarseries.com/news/index.php?newsid=24

[chemhead1]

Originally Posted by Valker

All 2007 rounds cancelled... so only 5 races left.

I can almost hear my 8th grade history teacher Mr. Ortiz going:

AND SO IT BEGINS...

[kelvin88]

Originally Posted by Valker

All 2007 rounds cancelled... so only 5 races left.

Nevermind. Alesi can always hire a CAMSO V8 if he wants.