Most of those tracks in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast are historic, they were the only places run when Nascar was still pretty much a southeast only race series and have a long relationship with the France family but even some of them have lost races to California and Vegas but most of the rest of the are owned by the France's or Smith.

I don't doubt that it would be successful if they could get a race, I just don't think it will happen. Like everything else, there are a lot of politics (not the gov't kind) involved in getting on the race calendar and unless it was France or Smith opening a track in OK, I don't see it happening and I don't see one of them (or anyone else) opening a Cup level facility in Oklahoma. If the desire is to get a truck or nationwide race, maybe, but I don't see cup there with two races at TMS. There have been different track proposals floated all over the country by the major players, I have never heard of one in OK, the problem is TMS is too close. If Kansas Speedway didn't exist there might be a better shot but right now nothing but country club sports car tracks are being built. The financing market for the super speedway type of facilities has dried up.

I didn't see anyone else post it, but this is the race route proposed (graphic from OKBlitz.com)...

http://www.okblitz.com/Thumbs/uploadedImages/OKBlitz/Home_Page/News/20100308-grandprixtrack.576x324-32.jpg

It doesn't seem like a horrible route, but I did have one concern. Are they really going to want to have a route where racers have to watch out for concrete barriers/supports in the road due to the railroad overpass (on Reno)? To me that seems like it would be too high of a safety risk when most images I've seen of this kind of racer are on streets with no obstructions in the roadway or on the immediate sides.

that map looks good but 2nd street is across the bridge to the north, and what they have highlighted is Main.

Are you sure these races don't have concrete barriers? I would thnk nearly the whole route would be line with barriers. If it isn't, count me out as a spectator.

Are you sure these races don't have concrete barriers? I would thnk nearly the whole route would be line with barriers. If it isn't, count me out as a spectator.

I'm talking about the barriers/supports in the middle of the road at Reno and the train station.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3445/3358505838_c16ae13265.jpg

I'd much rather the City invest in constructing a NASCAR track along the river somewhere, or out near N. MacArthur and just west of the Turnpike. However, I would support the Grand Prix race.

The entire course is enclosed on both sides by concrete retaining walls. In areas like pictured above the course will only go down one side. There won't be supports in the middle of the track; it will just be a narrow part of the course.

The second thing is the use of Mickey Mantle Drive as part of the track. The track barricades will be in place for about 4 days during the event and using the route they have marked it will not allow traffic into Bricktown during this time. This will be a big problem for Bricktown merchants. They need to keep Walnut Street Bridge open (besides – I don’t think there is room they way they drew the map). If they really meant 2nd isn’t that going to take it thru a residential area?

The course I laid out in one of the above posts is much a better use of available infrastructure - IMO.

On a final note - you guys need to give up the NASCAR thing. They are having a hard time using all of the existing tracks for Sprint Cup races. Many tracks now only do one event per year and some have lost all their races. Another oval track would not entice NASCAR to leave an exisiting facility. The best bet would be to build a road course and bring in different racing leagues and maybe a high profile driving school (and I don't mean a Richard Petty drive 10 laps for a $100 - I mean something like Bob Bondurant)

http://www.bondurant.com/

Kerry...a real NASCAR fan will never give up! LOL! But, this is Oklahoma City and NASCAR will never happen around these parts in my lifetime. I just miss going to the time trials and races out at the old Darlington Racetrack in South Carolina.

Oh well, as long as I can still watch the kiddies race down the NW Expressway on friday nights.

NASCAR is dying. Just say no.

I think if it (Racing) must come, build a track, doing so on City streets is asking for more maintenance and just one accident will give a horrible view of OKC.

Kerry...a real NASCAR fan will never give up! LOL! But, this is Oklahoma City and NASCAR will never happen around these parts in my lifetime. I just miss going to the time trials and races out at the old Darlington Racetrack in South Carolina.

Oh well, as long as I can still watch the kiddies race down the NW Expressway on friday nights.

I know what you are saying. I used to work across the steet from Daytona International Speedway and could walk over at lunch and watch teams practice. Without security there you could stand right next to the fence. I even stood in line at WalMart in Port Orange, FL just to see Mark Martin. You think the crowd at WalMrt is questionable on a regular day, try it on a race weekend.

I think American LeMans will be great for OKC and I think OKC will be great for American LeMans. There is not any other racing like this within 500 miles of OKC: not in Dallas, not in Houston, not in Denver, not even in Kansas City. OKC will have the only show in town from LA to Atlanta.

There is not any other racing like this within 500 miles of OKC: not in Dallas, not in Houston, not in Denver, not even in Kansas City. OKC will have the only show in town from LA to Atlanta.

Now that is what I'm talking bout!

I think if it (Racing) must come, build a track, doing so on City streets is asking for more maintenance and just one accident will give a horrible view of OKC.

No it wont. Why would a driver wrecking his car into another car or a barrier wall give a horrible view of OKC?

I think if it (Racing) must come, build a track, doing so on City streets is asking for more maintenance and just one accident will give a horrible view of OKC.

Isn't part of the reason people watch racing is to see who is going to wreck? Not that people look for bodily injury and such, but the risk factor leads to some of the excitement to watch. I guess. I have never watched any auto racing...doesn't hold an interest for me.

More maintenance? For an event that is one day out of the year? How do you justify making such a comment? The only thing I could see is where they would need to ensure the roads are smooth.

More maintenance? For an event that is one day out of the year? How do you justify making such a comment? The only thing I could see is where they would need to ensure the roads are smooth.

Technically it is 4 days and national TV exposure.

Technically it is 4 days and national TV exposure.

Okay....so 4 out of 365. : )

I'm not even sure what kind of 'commitment' OKC has to make beyond closing off a few streets for 4 days and putting up some concrete barricades.

Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg - Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg (http://www.gpstpete.com/)

Venture...Come on now good buddy, there ain't nuttin like the start at a super track. Granted, it might not be as excitin as watching a tornado formin over N. MacArthur at 2:15 in the afternoon,but it's still excitin. And the gals at them thar races, I'm here to tell ya!!!

I don't know if this has been mentioned or not but that "proposed" track doesn't work... It shows the track going west on Sherdian, Turn north on Mickey Mantle, then turn west on Main... last time I checked you can't turn west from Mickey Mantles onto Main, It's a BRIDGE!! They should definitely reconsider the lay out of the track. It shouldn't be much of a challenge to professional race car drivers... That's whats going to make the drivers like coming to OKC annually, the course is challenging. I would be more than happy to help whoever design a track. I use to do that everyday in school when I wasn't listening to the teacher. haha.

The second thing is the use of Mickey Mantle Drive as part of the track. The track barricades will be in place for about 4 days during the event and using the route they have marked it will not allow traffic into Bricktown during this time. This will be a big problem for Bricktown merchants.



Kerry, I can't imagine the Bricktown merchants complaining about an event bringing thousands of visitor into the area for several days even with limited street access. They should be buried in business anyway.

For ten years my brother-in-law teamed up with Buddy Boren and worked on the Grand Prix in Dallas. For the last several years of his involvement they moved it to the airport in Addison, where they could erect barriers, put up a curved track and install bleachers.

It usually took about 90 days each year to make all the preparations and every year, and this is what brother-in-law enjoyed most, Pontiac would provide new special model advertising Grand Prixs for them to drive around town for the three months leading up to the event.

Kerry, I can't imagine the Bricktown merchants complaining about an event bringing thousands of visitor into the area for several days even with limited street access. They should be buried in business anyway.

They will complain if the people can't get into Bricktown. If the track uses Walnut Street Bridge, EK Gaylord, Reno, Lincoln, and Sheridan - how do you get into Bricktown?

The track I laid out uses all of those roads except the bridge. I had the course running along Main Street and going under the Walnut Street Bridge. This would give cars a way in and out of Bricktown once the track was in place.

They will complain if the people can't get into Bricktown. If the track uses Walnut Street Bridge, EK Gaylord, Reno, Lincoln, and Sheridan - how do you get into Bricktown?

The track I laid out uses all of those roads except the bridge. I had the course running along Main Street and going under the Walnut Street Bridge. This would give cars a way in and out of Bricktown once the track was in place.

I sure you know that there is no way that anything would be laid out that wouldn't at least give pedestrian access into Bricktown. That's just not going to happen.

I would love to see a multi use track close to OKC that offered things like track days, both auto and motorcycle racing and even some premier events. I think this would be a much better idea that simply building another NASCAR type track. It would offer more possibilities for racing and IMO would be much more fun to watch.

As for the OKC GP, I can't wait.

I sure you know that there is no way that anything would be laid out that wouldn't at least give pedestrian access into Bricktown. That's just not going to happen.

There will be multiple pedestrian bridges for sure but parking is going to be a big problem if all the Bricktown Parking isn't available, and there will be two hotels that visitors can't get to or from (at least with their car). The Power Alley garage would also be off-limits for 3 days or more.

All I am saying is I think that have to keep the Walnut Street Bridge open. It will allow full access to Bricktown even if all the other roads are closed at the perimeter.

Besides, as pointed out by another poster, it is impossible for the track to follow the configuration shown in the graphic. It has them making a left turn off of a bridge or going down to one lane and making a 3 mph left turn.

Jethrol...excellent idea. I lived about one mile away from the Carlsbad (California) dirt bike track when I was a teenager when dirt bike racing was just taking off.

There will be multiple pedestrian bridges for sure but parking is going to be a big problem if all the Bricktown Parking isn't available, and there will be two hotels that visitors can't get to or from (at least with their car). The Power Alley garage would also be off-limits for 3 days or more.

All I am saying is I think that have to keep the Walnut Street Bridge open. It will allow full access to Bricktown even if all the other roads are closed at the perimeter.

Besides, as pointed out by another poster, it is impossible for the track to follow the configuration shown in the graphic. It has them making a left turn off of a bridge or going down to one lane and making a 3 mph left turn.


I can't imagine that people are going to be walking around freely in and out between the middle of the track. Bricktown might be a bit shut down at the time. Another thing you have to remember is you are going to have to pay to get in. Not just anyone will be able to walk in to Bricktown and sit at the bar while watching the race.

I can't imagine that people are going to be walking around freely in and out between the middle of the track. Bricktown might be a bit shut down at the time. Another thing you have to remember is you are going to have to pay to get in. Not just anyone will be able to walk in to Bricktown and sit at the bar while watching the race.

You bring up an interesting point about paying to watch. From what I have seen the concrete walls are high enough that you have to sit in a bleacher to see the cars. I went by the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg several years ago and even though I was about 50 feet from the track, I couldn't see the cars. I could only hear them go by. They have a buffer zone around the track to keep you from standing right along the fence. You will have to pay if you want to see the cars but you will be able to sit in a Bricktown bar for free and watch it on TV.

It is more than just about race time activities. They practice for several days and the concrete walls marking the track stay up the whole time. I am sure they will have sections that can be open and closed when necessary to allow event related traffic to cross but once the track is ‘created’ you won’t be able to drive your family car down it in the off hours.

As I stated before. Bring the Go-Carts back to downtown (not Bricktown).
Hay bales are cheep and would not be such a pain to shut down a few streets. Also some of the downtown merchants would love to see us during the weekends.
Just imagen sitting in front of a restaurant dinning and watching a shifter cart scream through at 80mph. This is doable, and will bring much needed interest back to the inner city. BTW. a bike criterium held before or after could use the same lay out and bring in a more diverse group.

It looks like Austin stepped up to win this one.

From Deadspin.com:


BREAKING: Formula 1 Coming To Austin (http://jalopnik.com/5547399/breaking-formula-1-coming-to-austin)

F1 just announced they are coming to Austin in 2012. This is awesome.
BREAKING: Formula One coming to Austin, Texas in 2012 — Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/25/breaking-formula-one-coming-to-austin-texas-in-2012/#continued)

F1 just announced they are coming to Austin in 2012. This is awesome.
BREAKING: Formula One coming to Austin, Texas in 2012 — Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/25/breaking-formula-one-coming-to-austin-texas-in-2012/#continued)
I live about 20 minutes from the rumored track location. Hopefully the SCCA Lone Star Region will be able to hold races there instead of always having to head to a track in another region...hopefully I will have a car built by then.

They would have to fix the potholes and roads before they'd land a Grand Prix here.

They would have to fix the potholes and roads before they'd land a Grand Prix here.

Can we lay the diatribe to rest, we've got about 1 BILLION dollars worth of road repairs in the pipeline, many of which are well underway and streets have been redone and currently redone in almost every section of the metro right now, construction zones everywhere for repaving.

EVERY city has road and pothole problems, it is nothing exclusive to OKC. I have never been in a city where every road that I have driven on is pothole free.

They would have to fix the potholes and roads before they'd land a Grand Prix here.

Spoken by someone who obviously has never seen a Grand Prix race. If you watch the playback of the Grand Prix in Brazil a few months ago you will see they drive on some pretty rough roads. This isn't NASCAR or IndyCar where a little bump in the road is going to send cars flying into the fence.