I just noticed at the end of the Watkins Glen race that Infineon will be the next race, and made sure by looking at the schedule.

I know Grand-Am is an ISC property, but I don't see why SMI hasn't opened it's doors to the series before now. Sure, Infineon is a good start, but I think Grand-Am and SMI both would benefit from a relationship. All of SMI's ovals (besides Bristol, obviously) have infield road courses in them. A race in Las Vegas on that road course would be a great addition, Texas has an infield road course specially built for sportscars, AMS would allow Grand-Am to race in Atlanta considering Panoz would never open his track to them, and Charlotte would have a perfect date in NASCAR country. These tracks were OK for the ALMS before the French told them to leave, so why not Grand-Am?

I just think it's a mistake to not work together on this. Your thoughts?

Bandman:

What track soes Panoz Own?  Road Atlanta?

Yes.

They race on too many infield ovals as it is. IMO....AKA, Rovals.

These are not quality race courses...same as Champ Car street races are not quality road courses.

How about fixing up real tracks..Riverside?

Here is the track next to LVMS..

And there is no need to rag on "the French"..thanks to Don Panoz we get to see the cars of LeMans (which are basically F1 cars with fenders)... and are not reduced to just accepting the Nascarized sports cars of Grand-Am DP`s.

RusH:

They race on too many infield ovals as it is. IMO....AKA, Rovals.

These are not quality race courses...same as Champ Car street races are not quality road courses.

I agree that most street courses really aren't quality road courses, but ChampCar does use them to reach into markets that don't have a speedway or real road course (or in markets where ISC holds the cards). That's a good reason to use these "Rovals."

RusH:

How about fixing up real tracks..Riverside?

Here is the track next to LVMS..

Riverside cannot be used. There are houses and strip-malls siting on it as we speak. Oh, and I'd like to use that road course, but there doesn't seem to be any grandstands around.

RusH:

And there is no need to rag on "the French"..thanks to Don Panoz we get to see the cars of LeMans (which are basically F1 cars with fenders)... and are not reduced to just accepting the Nascarized sports cars of Grand-Am DP`s.

Trust me, I prefer the ALMS to Grand-Am (there's only one class that really matters [and those cars leave something to be desired] as opposed to several in ALMS), but I'm just saying there's a perfect opportunity for both parties. And if the A.C.O. was smart enough, they'd realize not every major market here in the US has a good road course, and that using "Rovals" in bigger markets would help grow their brand.

Oh, and don't insult Sports Cars by comparing them to F1. F1 is a spec series compared to sports car. How many diesel F1 cars running on alternative fuels have you seen? Any road-based cars? Didn't think so.

I`ll give you that, F1 is not leading in the tech as it used to. ACO sports cars have that mantle now.

F1 has managed to get so costly that going back in time seems to be in their cards with engine freezes and such.

And just as you said, ISC owns much of the tracks with rovals...GA territory..ALMS would need to talk to Gossage or Smith...but I don`t see that happening.

As far as LVMS....I was suggesting they build it further...and they will come..even F1.

What good rovals are there that are not ISC? I know FL is out for sure..ALMS has Sebring anyway.

What markets? Guess I`m asking because both series race in top markets but on different(sometimes the same) tracks. Where would the need be? FL could use a metro race...but it`s an ISC world here.

RusH:

What good rovals are there that are not ISC? I know FL is out for sure..ALMS has Sebring anyway.

What markets? Guess I`m asking because both series race in top markets but on different(sometimes the same) tracks. Where would the need be? FL could use a metro race...but it`s an ISC world here.

What markets? Atlanta, Charlotte, and Dallas, that's the markets!

And the Texas roval was popular with the ALMS drivers back in 2000-2001. They said it was a lot different from the usual two hairpins with two left turns in and out of the infield.