Cleveland Extended Through 2007

[Dov]

From Champweb... http://www.champweb.net/headline.php?t=h&id=25761

CLEVELAND (June 30, 2004) - The Burke Lakefront Airport course has been a fixture on the Champ Car circuit since Medina's Bobby Rahal won the inaugural event in 1982, and today in Cleveland, Champ Car World Series co-owner Paul Gentilozzi, along with Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, announced that the series has committed to race on the shores of Lake Erie through the 2007 season.

"I am thrilled that the Champ Car World Series will continue its successful racing event in the City of Cleveland," said Mayor Campbell. "Keeping Champ Car in Cleveland not only benefits racing fans, but it also brings in millions of dollars in economic development revenue for the City and our residents."

As one of the longest-running temporary road courses on the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford calendar, the U.S. Bank Presents The Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland has provided fans, teams and drivers of the Champ Car World Series with a number of thrilling events in the last 22 years.

"Cleveland is a place that really started Champ Car on the path of staging successful events at temporary racing facilities, something that has helped us take racing to the heart of major urban markets," Gentilozzi said. "As an owner as well as a competitor, this track and this city are very special to me and I feel that the support we have always gotten from the Cleveland fans made this announcement possible."

The series has assumed an agreement from former race promoter IMG, which gives Champ Car the rights to conduct a race in Cleveland for at least three more years beyond this weekend. This year's event is the 23rd race to be run at Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport and is being promoted by Champ Car, which has put a veteran staff in place to organize the event, led by General Manager Rena Shanaman. The efforts of the staff have led to unprecedented support from local businesses, city and county officials and major corporations, all working together to give the racing fans of Ohio the best possible show when the Champ Car World Series comes to town July 1-3.

"This is a tremendous event for the City of Cleveland as well as for Champ Car and we could not be happier with the way the local leaders have contributed to its success," Shanaman said. "The Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners, Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and her staff, the Convention and Visitor's Bureau of Greater Cleveland, U.S. Bank, Bridgestone and many others have come forward and really supported this event this year and we look forward to giving the fans of Cleveland a great race this weekend and for years to come."

The festivities begin Wednesday night in Cleveland with the Bridgestone Champ Car Night party in the historic Warehouse District. Many of the drivers competing this weekend will be on hand to meet the fans in a setting featuring many interactive displays for the entire family. The street party will run from 5:00-10:00 p.m. Wednesday night, while the racing action will begin Thursday morning with four series headlined by the Champ Car World Series event on Saturday.

Tickets for the U.S. Bank Presents The Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland are available at the Galleria Box Office, by phone at 1-888-817-RACE, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.grandprixofcleveland.com <http://www.grandprixofcleveland.com/> . The event gets underway Thursday morning with four series running on the 2.106-mile Burke Lakefront Airport course, headlined by the Champ Car World Series event which begins Saturday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

[Amar7605]

I am glad to see this! Cleveland has always been one of my personal favorite races. And I think that it is one of the best races in any form of motor racing.

[Kicking-back]

Pleased to hear that.

Cleveland is good news.

[D.R.T.]

Great news for the series and for Clevland. Always an enjoyable spectacle

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Amar7605
I am glad to see this! Cleveland has always been one of my personal favorite races. And I think that it is one of the best races in any form of motor racing.

AMEN!!!!


The action is always fast and furious there....superb racing...

This IS great news!!!

[jjspierx]

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What he said

[indycool]

I've seen this posted elsewhere and have also responded elsewhere.

This is all well and good but it's not NEWS.

Adam Saal referred to CART having a five-year contract with the City of Cleveland when CART took over the promotion from IMG in 2003. OWRS picked up that contract in bankruptcy court in January.

It's PR grandstanding and getting an additional hit with the Mayor of Cleveland, but NEWS, it is not.

[Flatspot]

When this thread got posted two days ago I almost posted "I wonder how long 'til..." Meaning I wonder how long it will take until someone posts a negative reaction to this press release. Ding Ding Ding bells and whistles, Indycool you're the winner, confetti flies everywhere.

The first sentence of the fourth paragraph made this aspect of the situation indelibly clear. The true point of the whole press release was a reaffirmation that the City of Cleveland enjoys their Champ Cars and are behind the race. That OWRS has a plan and will stick too it. That the plan is has become longer term than just answering the question of "What do we do this month to stay alive?" Its also a reaafirmation that the state of Champ Car is improving.

...and that my freinds is the NEWS.

[indycool]

Flatspot, it's not a negative reaction. It's just not news. The plan in Cleveland has NOT become longer term. A five-year deal in 2003 ends in 2007. That's just math. As to the rest, it doesn't say those things.

[jjspierx]

PG issued a Press Release reaffirming OWRS's commitment to Cleveland. This is good news however you want to spin it. Whether or not you think its news isn't the issue here, so please let us be happy with the "news".

[indycool]

Be as happy as you like. If he announces it again next month, be happy then, too.