Champ Car in Vegas Street Race next 5 years - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

Nick Koan · 2006-07-20, 09:54 AM

Looks like Champ Car will be running in the streets of downtown Vegas next year. I know Bernie Ecclestone has been saying he thinks Vegas would be great for an F1 race, so maybe this can act as a test for F1 as well.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...l-20-Thu-2006/

Quote:

Instead of zipping around Las Vegas Motor Speedway's oval track, the sleek Indy-style cars of the Champ Car World Series soon will race past some of the city's oldest casinos that make up the Fremont Street Experience.

The Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to allow DDB Ventures to stage the Vegas Grand Prix on downtown streets for the next five years, beginning with the inaugural race on April 8, 2007. Racing over the April 6 to 8 weekend will mark the season opener for the open-wheel series.

Champ Cars are nearly identical to those raced in the Indianapolis 500. They will be capable of speeds up to 160 mph along the sweeping curve of Grand Central Parkway.

"The council may be asked to temporarily suspend the speed limits on these streets," city manager Doug Selby, who has been negotiating with the promoters, jokingly said.

The event is owned by movie producer Brad Yonover and Dale Jensen, a venture capitalist from Phoenix who owns about 25 percent of baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks and part of the NBA's Phoenix Suns.

Promoters said the three-day crowd will total 150,000 and inject $71.5 million into the economy.

"This gives the city quite a 1-2 punch with the NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 1

and this race shortly thereafter," Mayor Oscar Goodman said. He did not include the NASCAR Nextel Cup race in March at the speedway, which is on unincorporated land in Clark County.

Champ Car races were held at the speedway the past two years in September but will not be held there this year because of insufficient spectator interest.

The new Grand Prix will be held over Easter weekend, in wards represented by Councilman Lawrence Weekly and Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian.

Weekly voiced support for the project during the meeting and added that Tarkanian, who did not attend, had expressed to him her excitement for the event. Weekly then moved for approval by the council. The vote was 6-0 in favor of the proposal.

The city has agreed to a one-time contribution of $500,000 toward street improvements on the course, and event promoters will spend an additional $1.3 million to bring the streets up to race standards.

The city's budget had called for a total of only $250,000 in street projects along the course over the next five years, Selby said.

The 2.44-mile course will start and finish on Grand Central Parkway, where pit lane, most grandstands and VIP viewing areas will be placed.

The course will run counterclockwise through the Bonneville Avenue tunnel, down part of Main Street before jagging through streets around the Fremont Street Experience, then returning through the Ogden Avenue tunnel to Grand Central.

One unique feature for the race will be areas along the course where no admission fee will be charged. However, those spectators will not have access to the grandstands, race officials said.

Steve Johnson, chief executive and president of Champ Car, said he is unaware of any of the series' current 15 races that provide free viewing areas.

The event will include support races April 6 and 7, a professional boxing card, concerts and other exhibitions, Yonover said.

It will mark the first time a major auto race takes place on Las Vegas city streets and the first time in 23 years that one was held close to the Strip. Champ Car -- then CART -- held races in 1983 and 1984 on a temporary course set up in a Caesars Palace parking lot.

Kevin M · 2006-07-20, 10:00 AM

That looks pretty sweet. Pahrump track events the previous weekend?

sperry · 2006-07-20, 10:05 AM

I'm digging that street course layout... looks sweet! Maybe a little tight in turns 4 thru 8, but still pretty damn cool. Should we plan a trip to Vegas next spring?

MattR · 2006-07-20, 03:28 PM

That should be a great event...I'm happy to see it went thru...However, I wouldn't be caught without a bullet proof vest in that part of Vegas after dark...yikes.

sperry · 2006-07-20, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattR

That should be a great event...I'm happy to see it went thru...However, I wouldn't be caught without a bullet proof vest in that part of Vegas after dark...yikes.

I'm sure w/ all the money coming into the city, they'll be interested in making sure things stay safe all week long and provide extra police protection.

Pat R. · 2006-12-11, 04:32 PM

Looks like they have a sponsor: http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...m/breakingnews

Nick Koan · 2006-12-11, 04:36 PM

Ooh, its not "Sponsored by Visa", its "Fueled by Visa"

Anyone still want to go? I think I'm going to try to.

sperry · 2006-12-11, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nKoan

Ooh, its not "Sponsored by Visa", its "Fueled by Visa"

Anyone still want to go? I think I'm going to try to.

Man, I was kinda hoping it'd be brought to us by Propane.

skimonkey30 · 2006-12-11, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nKoan

Ooh, its not "Sponsored by Visa", its "Fueled by Visa"

Anyone still want to go? I think I'm going to try to.

I'm intersted in going I think it would be an awesome event

plus I havent had a chance to go to vegas since i turned 21

sybir · 2006-12-11, 05:44 PM

Wish I could go, I have the furry bastards and no roommate that month

MPREZIV · 2006-12-12, 07:47 AM

Hey! We can ALL go, and just crash at Dean's!

JonnydaJibba · 2006-12-12, 08:18 AM

That's radness. Think the railroad tracks will be an issue? I bet they will use ramps or something.

Bob Danger · 2006-12-12, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

That's radness. Think the railroad tracks will be an issue? I bet they will use ramps or something.

The road goes under the tracks.

sperry · 2006-12-12, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

That's radness. Think the railroad tracks will be an issue? I bet they will use ramps or something.

San Jose Grand Prix had the cars driving over the tracks the 1st year. It was nearly destroying the cars, and requiring them to run way higher ride-heights than normal. Last year, they just removed the tracks and temporarily paved the crossing for the race, then dug up the pavement and re-laid the tracks after the race was over.

But according to Bob, it won't matter anyway for LV.

2006-07-20, 10:00 AM	#2
Kevin M EJ22T Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Reno Posts: 9,445 Car: '93/'01 GF6, mostly red Class: 19 FP	That looks pretty sweet. Pahrump track events the previous weekend? __________________ FWD is the new AWD

2006-07-20, 10:05 AM	#3
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	I'm digging that street course layout... looks sweet! Maybe a little tight in turns 4 thru 8, but still pretty damn cool. Should we plan a trip to Vegas next spring? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2006-07-20, 03:28 PM	#4
MattR El Matador Real Name: Matt Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 10,660 Car: 2012 Toyota Tacoma Class: ?	That should be a great event...I'm happy to see it went thru...However, I wouldn't be caught without a bullet proof vest in that part of Vegas after dark...yikes. __________________ "Dallas..We have a problem.”

2006-12-11, 04:32 PM	#6
Pat R. EJ251 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Southeast Hades Posts: 593 Car: Red Class: Stockish ¿Quién es tu padre?	Looks like they have a sponsor: http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...m/breakingnews __________________ Movin' to Montana soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon.

2006-12-11, 04:36 PM	#7
Nick Koan JDM Cowboy Real Name: Nick Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somewhere Posts: 8,642 Car: 2015 Mazda 3	Ooh, its not "Sponsored by Visa", its "Fueled by Visa" Anyone still want to go? I think I'm going to try to. __________________ While a standard engine is powered by a belt connected to the crankshaft, a turbo engine runs on its own exhaust steam, making it more energy efficient. -- CNN

2006-12-11, 05:44 PM	#10
sybir The Don Real Name: Aaron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sacramento Posts: 3,097 Car: '97 Legacy / '05 FXT Class: low	Wish I could go, I have the furry bastards and no roommate that month __________________ Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic.

2006-12-12, 07:47 AM	#11
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	Hey! We can ALL go, and just crash at Dean's! __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

2006-12-12, 08:18 AM	#12
JonnydaJibba EJ207 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Reno/Sparks, Nevada Posts: 3,482 Car: 2000 2.5RS Class: RestNPeace Master Slurper.	That's radness. Think the railroad tracks will be an issue? I bet they will use ramps or something. __________________ "Why do chicks tell you to call and then not answer....so gay." "Cuz girls are fags I dunno"

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