Champ Car returns to Houston in 2006
08-20-05, 01:26 PM
#1
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Champ Car returns to Houston in 2006
This news is a couple of days old but I thought it might be good to share. Maybe next year the Houston Club can play host to a little get together with a night at the races as a feature attraction. 
A couple of highlights:
- Race to be held at night (cooler temps)
- Mid-May event date, just after finals have ended for most students (me included)
more info below:
Champ Car returning to Houston
Race to be held at Reliant complex, under the lights
Road-course auto racing, absent from Houston since 2001, will return next spring with a twist.
The Champ Car Series will stage a Saturday night road-course race around the Reliant Park complex May 13. The open-wheel cars will race under temporary lights on a concrete course that will be laid out amid the Reliant complex.
According to Champ Car, this will be the first road-course race under the lights in series history.
Shea Guinn, the president and general manager of SMG-Reliant Park, said Saturday that the Reliant and Champ had reached a multiyear agreement.
"We're delighted to bring international racing back to Houston, especially under the lights," Guinn said. "I think we'll have some really unique features, with Reliant Stadium and the Reliant Astrodome as backdrops."
There has not been a major road-course race in Houston since the Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix in October 2001. That was a Sunday race on a road course in downtown Houston and sanctioned by CART, the predecessor of Champ.
Downtown drew 100,000
The downtown race was held from 1998-2001 and had a three-day attendance each year in the 100,000 range. The race was halted when street reconstruction made the logistics of devising a course impossible.
Even though the street improvements are nearly finished and negotiations between Champ and the city of Houston took place, the decision was made by Champ that going to Reliant was the better idea.
A major reason is the area around the George R. Brown Convention Center, where the race had been staged, is more heavily developed than it was four years ago, with the Hilton Americas-Houston and a major park being built in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center.
"I think it was clear that the event didn't leave here because the fans didn't back the product," said Joe Chrnelich, the executive vice president of Champ. "The construction didn't allow us to return. The event was a huge success.
"A number of people in Houston and inside Champ have been talking about returning to Houston. We're always looking to add major metropolitan areas, and this was a place where we had had success in the past."
The 2006 race will be promoted by Mi-Jack Products, a firm that specializes in crane manufacturing with headquarters in suburban Chicago that has two facilities in the Houston area.
Mi-Jack sponsors two drivers in the Champ series, Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger. Chuck Kosich, the general manger of the racing division of Mi-Jack, said a sponsor for the Houston race has not been found, but "several (potential) sponsors have contacted us."
Series expands to 15 races
The Champ Car Series will have at least 15 races in 2006, one more than the 14-race circuit under way.
This marks the first time since 1999 that Champ Car has added to the number of races on its schedule.
According to a report issued last June on the economic impact of auto racing from Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the Havoline/Grand Prix races in Houston from 1998-2001 had an annual impact of more than $30 million.
Chrnelich said Saturday that Champ Car estimates the impact of a racing weekend to be between $30 million and $50 million, and he expected Houston would skew to the higher end of those numbers.
A couple of highlights:
- Race to be held at night (cooler temps)
- Mid-May event date, just after finals have ended for most students (me included)
more info below:
Champ Car returning to Houston
Race to be held at Reliant complex, under the lights
Road-course auto racing, absent from Houston since 2001, will return next spring with a twist.
The Champ Car Series will stage a Saturday night road-course race around the Reliant Park complex May 13. The open-wheel cars will race under temporary lights on a concrete course that will be laid out amid the Reliant complex.
According to Champ Car, this will be the first road-course race under the lights in series history.
Shea Guinn, the president and general manager of SMG-Reliant Park, said Saturday that the Reliant and Champ had reached a multiyear agreement.
"We're delighted to bring international racing back to Houston, especially under the lights," Guinn said. "I think we'll have some really unique features, with Reliant Stadium and the Reliant Astrodome as backdrops."
There has not been a major road-course race in Houston since the Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix in October 2001. That was a Sunday race on a road course in downtown Houston and sanctioned by CART, the predecessor of Champ.
Downtown drew 100,000
The downtown race was held from 1998-2001 and had a three-day attendance each year in the 100,000 range. The race was halted when street reconstruction made the logistics of devising a course impossible.
Even though the street improvements are nearly finished and negotiations between Champ and the city of Houston took place, the decision was made by Champ that going to Reliant was the better idea.
A major reason is the area around the George R. Brown Convention Center, where the race had been staged, is more heavily developed than it was four years ago, with the Hilton Americas-Houston and a major park being built in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center.
"I think it was clear that the event didn't leave here because the fans didn't back the product," said Joe Chrnelich, the executive vice president of Champ. "The construction didn't allow us to return. The event was a huge success.
"A number of people in Houston and inside Champ have been talking about returning to Houston. We're always looking to add major metropolitan areas, and this was a place where we had had success in the past."
The 2006 race will be promoted by Mi-Jack Products, a firm that specializes in crane manufacturing with headquarters in suburban Chicago that has two facilities in the Houston area.
Mi-Jack sponsors two drivers in the Champ series, Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger. Chuck Kosich, the general manger of the racing division of Mi-Jack, said a sponsor for the Houston race has not been found, but "several (potential) sponsors have contacted us."
Series expands to 15 races
The Champ Car Series will have at least 15 races in 2006, one more than the 14-race circuit under way.
This marks the first time since 1999 that Champ Car has added to the number of races on its schedule.
According to a report issued last June on the economic impact of auto racing from Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the Havoline/Grand Prix races in Houston from 1998-2001 had an annual impact of more than $30 million.
Chrnelich said Saturday that Champ Car estimates the impact of a racing weekend to be between $30 million and $50 million, and he expected Houston would skew to the higher end of those numbers.
08-22-05, 09:10 AM
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You lucky jerks...I remember when F1 came to downtown Dallas and never returned after the folks over there said the cars were too loud..
...and then Champ Car was supposed to come to TMS, but canceled at the last minute because the cars were too fast...I don't follow TGeorge's rogue series even after the Danika hype following the 500....
...and then Champ Car was supposed to come to TMS, but canceled at the last minute because the cars were too fast...I don't follow TGeorge's rogue series even after the Danika hype following the 500....
08-22-05, 09:14 AM
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We had Champ cars (And TransAm) here for 3 years (1999-2001) but left after major renovations to the downtown convention center area made logistics near impossible.
I think the new location is going to be awesome.
I think the new location is going to be awesome.
08-22-05, 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by SingleTurboRx7
anyone else having problems posting, something about IP address being banned?
08-22-05, 09:29 AM
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Originally posted by SingleTurboRx7
anyone else having problems posting, something about IP address being banned?
anyone else having problems posting, something about IP address being banned?
08-22-05, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by DrKilljoy
We had Champ cars (And TransAm) here for 3 years (1999-2001) but left after major renovations to the downtown convention center area made logistics near impossible.
I think the new location is going to be awesome.
I think the new location is going to be awesome.
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