A new track is expected to be added to the IndyCar series schedule...and it's an oval.
Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager at New Hampshire Motor Speedway confirmed yesterday that the IndyCar Series will most likely return to “The Magic Mile.”The Indy Racing League (as well as CART) have held open-wheel racing events at this track as recent as 1998, but as noted in Wikipedia the track has been modified substantially since then.
“There is 100 percent interest from both the IndyCar Series and Speedway Motorsports Inc. to having the IndyCar Series return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway,” Gappens said in a telephone interview.
After meeting with IndyCar Series executive Terry Angstadt last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Gappens said open-wheel racing could return to NHMS as soon as the 2009 season and definitely in 2010.
(MORE from Boston Herald)
In 2002, in an effort to increase competitive racing, the track's corners were turned into a progressive banking system, as the apron was paved and became part of the track, and the track's banking was varied from 4 degrees in the lower two lanes to 12% grade (about seven degrees). The addition of SAFER barriers to the corner walls was made in 2003.When officially announced this will become the fourth Speedway Motorsports track used by the IRL, joining the Eddie's Texas Roadhouse, Infineon Not Sears Point, and Kentucky "SPARTA!" Speedway.
Oh joy... another boring NH race. *sigh*
ReplyDelete...butbutbut... it's an OVAL! I thought ovals were far more exciting that *gasp* ROAD COURSES...
ReplyDeleteI love this news. NHIS is a great facility and based on the race at Milwaukee it should host some good IRL action.
Yeah, baby! A local race! Yeah!!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see them activate the hell out of this race. Gillette as the sponsor, Tedy Bruschi as Grand Marshall, and Hunter-Reay throwing out the first pitch at a game at Fenway. For now, I'm just stoked that I'll have an oval race in my quarter of the country.
I know some people aren't nuts about Loudon, but the progressive banking may well help a ton. It's a two-wide track, but if the outside line can work, it could be an entertaining track. At the very least, it's a flat oval of roughly one mile length. It's better than trying to race at Las Vegas with nobody watching.
Maybe we can get Walt Disney World Speedway back on the schedule!!
ReplyDeleteI actually think NH might be a good place to take a vacation. I've never been there. I've never been to Mexico City. Or Sonoma. I've never been to Sparta, Ky either.
ReplyDeletejennifer, if you take a vacation to NH, go in the fall... the colors are unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteAnother oval on our schedule?
ReplyDeleteSomewhere Robin Miller sits, quietly seething.
About damn time! I never understood why they took this track off the Indy car schedule. Its a better open wheel track than it is a Nascar track.
ReplyDeleteRobin Miller I think is a fan of New Hampshire, since like me, he's a fan of most of the pre-split tracks except for Belle Isle, which he has called the Sewer Rat grand prix.
ReplyDeleteHELL YEAH!
ReplyDeleteJeff get out the winter coats!
now add a race to more SMI properties !!!
ReplyDeletea race in Atlanta and Las Vegas would be great !