DC-ALMS Race - Can non-NASCAR racing survive in the US?
07-22-2002, 05:02 AM
#1
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DC-ALMS Race - Can non-NASCAR racing survive in the US?
Yes!
First, I did not attend the Cadillac Grand Prix in DC. Weekends are for my kids, and they're still too young to appreciate the event. I did tape and watch both days.
Today's Washington Post had a front page photo of the race, but with a caption about the illegal noise it generated, and how that may signal the end to the deal. By God, a $500 fine was issued to the organizers!
Support for the race was also relatively strong in the media. Local tourism has suffered horribly since 9/11, and late July is a dead-zone around here anyway. Let's hope that the supporting voices outshine the nay-sayers.
DC is not a car town. Even people who are into cars have to keep their passion to themselves for fear of being classified as Neanderthal to the inside-the-beltway weenies. I suspect that 98% of attendees over the weekend came from outside DC, and 50% from well outside DC.
But it worked out. Attendance looked good (in hot, sticky weather), the track got rave reviews, and the racing was great.
I wonder if ALMS, itself, has the staying power. One manufacturer pull-out could doom the series (although I suspect that the German makers have a tacit agreement that allows one to rise to the top while the others sit on the sideline -- it's now Audi's turn). The whole event did not take on the Cadillac name until the last several weeks. I assume Cadillac was scrambling to see if their cars would be competitive enough. They did OK.
First, I did not attend the Cadillac Grand Prix in DC. Weekends are for my kids, and they're still too young to appreciate the event. I did tape and watch both days.
Today's Washington Post had a front page photo of the race, but with a caption about the illegal noise it generated, and how that may signal the end to the deal. By God, a $500 fine was issued to the organizers!
Support for the race was also relatively strong in the media. Local tourism has suffered horribly since 9/11, and late July is a dead-zone around here anyway. Let's hope that the supporting voices outshine the nay-sayers.
DC is not a car town. Even people who are into cars have to keep their passion to themselves for fear of being classified as Neanderthal to the inside-the-beltway weenies. I suspect that 98% of attendees over the weekend came from outside DC, and 50% from well outside DC.
But it worked out. Attendance looked good (in hot, sticky weather), the track got rave reviews, and the racing was great.
I wonder if ALMS, itself, has the staying power. One manufacturer pull-out could doom the series (although I suspect that the German makers have a tacit agreement that allows one to rise to the top while the others sit on the sideline -- it's now Audi's turn). The whole event did not take on the Cadillac name until the last several weeks. I assume Cadillac was scrambling to see if their cars would be competitive enough. They did OK.
07-22-2002, 07:42 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
noise? tell Panoz to make better sounding cars
The R8's are so quiet! Much better sounding...
And yeah, I usually like an American V8, but not one that sounds like bad gas
And yeah, I usually like an American V8, but not one that sounds like bad gas
07-22-2002, 07:50 AM
#4
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Way too hot to enjoy- they should do it in the Fall...
I went all 3 days but could only stand it for about 2 hours at a time. It was hot as hell, humid and no breeze. And the grandstands were painted black (alright, dark green)- who the hell came up with that great idea? I ended up watching most of it from the "turn 1 bar" tent just to get a little shade. But then you had a loudspeaker blaring the commentary in your face while the super-loud cars went flying by. Oh, and a DJ who managed to play music above all the other din. It was just too much.
On top of all that, you had to walk a mile between the entrance and the grandstands, go all the way back to get to the pits/paddock and anywhere else on the track. A bridge between the grandstands and the pits would have helped greatly.
I think they should shut down some of the streets around the mall next year and have them race around the monuments! THAT would be incredible. And yeah, do it in the Fall for god's sake, when it's not 100 degrees on average!
On top of all that, you had to walk a mile between the entrance and the grandstands, go all the way back to get to the pits/paddock and anywhere else on the track. A bridge between the grandstands and the pits would have helped greatly.
I think they should shut down some of the streets around the mall next year and have them race around the monuments! THAT would be incredible. And yeah, do it in the Fall for god's sake, when it's not 100 degrees on average!
07-22-2002, 11:05 AM
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I LOVE the way the Panoz sounds
Race cars aren't supposed to be quiet. Street cars are supposed to be quiet.
The Panoz sounds wonderful to me. I am so glad they didn't switch over to the LMP07's with their turbo engines. It would have been a great loss for ALMS.
The Panoz sounds wonderful to me. I am so glad they didn't switch over to the LMP07's with their turbo engines. It would have been a great loss for ALMS.
07-22-2002, 11:37 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
It's great just to hear a variety of engine sounds.
I hate the sound of Formula 1. All high-pitch screams. IRL cars have a nice growl. Not a Panoz Punch but not the scream either.
I hate to admit. Nothing gets my hair standing on end (in a good way) more than a good old pushrod V8 with open exhaust.
I hate to admit. Nothing gets my hair standing on end (in a good way) more than a good old pushrod V8 with open exhaust.
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07-22-2002, 12:12 PM
#8
AudiWorld Super User
We needed this here for the reasons you stated--->
I think a $500 fine should be built into the budget for next year. If this event is killed DC will loose face and the future of hosting any major sporting event will be dealt a "deafening" blow. Seriously, DC needs to lighten up, they want to host with Baltimore the 2012 Olympics. I can here it now. No one wants a stadium complex expansion in their back yard (Never mind an Olympic compound). It will be stopped by court battles and given to a city that REALLY wants the event.
07-22-2002, 01:04 PM
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Yeah, but what if they were right...
as I said, I'm a major motorsports fan, but the logistics and process behind this event were VERY poorly done and they've gotten called on it, as they should be.
Hype is not hype if it is a fact, and it's a fact that they (organizers and city regulators who greased the race into being) skirted required planning processes, failed to live up to their promises (noise control, etc.), and generally acted like a bunch of high handed muckety mucks. They had either non existent or incompetent legal advice on how to handle the permitting process and associated issues, including PR, on this one....
Hype is not hype if it is a fact, and it's a fact that they (organizers and city regulators who greased the race into being) skirted required planning processes, failed to live up to their promises (noise control, etc.), and generally acted like a bunch of high handed muckety mucks. They had either non existent or incompetent legal advice on how to handle the permitting process and associated issues, including PR, on this one....