IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

It appears that Kansas Speedway is in question for next year. With Kentucky also not on the schedule yet who knows what next year will looks like for oval racing.

This is from the Kansas City Star.

IRL’s return to Kansas in doubt
Kansas Speedway may have gained a second NASCAR Sprint Cup date for 2011, but it’s looking more and more unlikely that the IndyCar Series will return.

The Indy Racing League is expected to announce its 2011 schedule within a week, but with NASCAR occupying dates at Kansas Speedway next June 4-5 and Oct. 8-9, the only available window for Indy cars would be a night race in late July or in August.

Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren said he is still awaiting word from the IRL, which has been part of the track’s schedule since the facility opened in 2001.

“If we knew for sure we were going to have it, we’d know by now,” Warren said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t. … a lot of things can change in racing really fast.”

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/25...#ixzz0xpiZioz9

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

Kentucky will be on there as Bruton Smith and his group are again embracing the IRL while at the same time the folks down Daytona way are turning away.

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

I read earlier this week that if Fontana doesn't develop a date for IndyCar, then ISC wouldn't have a track on the schedule. Chicago is gone, Kansas is toast, Michigan is history, Watkins Glen the same with Homestead-Miami all but gone as well. The schedule will be interesting to see for sure.

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

They also quit racing at Nashville. It was a sell out every year with huge crowds. Nashville had a very racy oval and the people really loved it. It introduced Indycars to a lot of nascar regulars, they were really impressed.

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

This stuff is making me nervous. So far it looks like the IRL has lost at least 3 ovals and only adding 1. I can't blame the people in charge of the IRL because it's ISC that has no interest in helping the series. Which is why they need to go to as many Smith tracks as they can (Las Vegas would be a great place to end the season).

They need to do a better job of working out a good date for the Ky race. The track will be empty Labor day weekend because it's on the same day as the Kentucky-Louisville football game.:15: As much as I like football I will be at the Speedway Sat then to Haubstadt Sunday.

I like this Bernard guy and I think he gets it. But I hope he isn't reading trackforum. I feel like all the CART guys took over the board with there pro road racing opinions. I think that CART is a perfect example of why an only road racing series can't thrive in the States. If oval racing is so easy why is Will Power winless?

If they lose more ovals then they will lose my interest.... All but Indy. Half ovals and half roadcourses is plenty. If it tilts to more roadcourses then its CART just rebadged. Well, owners don't call the shots here.... Or do they behind the scenes?!?
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Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

Just back from the Chicago race. First time for me. 470 miles roundtrip Bloomington to Joilet but well worth it. 29 cars, perfect weather and I too heard Chicago was dropping off the schedule. Too bad, I'd go every year after seeing tonight's race.

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

It looked like an amazing race. Ed, Sarah, and Marco were 3 wide for second for like 15 laps. Just wish the panther team would have won it. Hope the Ky race is like that.:8:

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

If short oval racing makes drivers so great, why do Sarah and Ed absoulutely struggle on road courses?
Someone else's comment about the "wine and cheese crowd" concerning Shane Hmiel.... Have you guys ever seen an interview with Helio or Kannan? Dario or Dixon? THese guys are just as cool as any American drivers, and just as talented. But I dont think they
should be dismissed because they didnt grow up on dirt tracks, or have funny accents.....
If true open wheel fans want to help "Indy" and the IRL, maybe they should get behind it instead of constantly bashing it and the current crop of "Wine and Cheesers"....
This comes from a midget /sprint car driver..... :22:
I'd like to see half ovals and half road courses and I'd like to see a couple of short trackers make it to the Indy Lights every year to show thier stuff as much as everybody else.
AS far as the $$$ thing, maybe we should all support more IRL races instead of NAPCAR races so the sponsors will come back, and the teams can hire the drivers they want instead of taking the one that bring his/her own sponsor....(Which isn't always a bad thing, some are just better at marketing themseleves than others)

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

This series desperately needs more American drivers and tracks like Chicago on the schedule, otherwise the 0.8 ratings will only continue to decline. That Sonoma race was an absolute snoozer.... the pole sitter was never challenged, led start to finish with zero passing. That is not going to build a series.

i watched every irl race until the road courses and the foreign drivers took back over. modernize the old indy roadsters and get rid of the road courses bring back the american drivers and ill watch again.
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Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

Never said anything about the difficulty of road racing and Kannan is one of my favorite drivers.Just wanted to make the point that Oval are not just about turning left. I support the series but i don't like the decline in ovals. A few more Americans would not hurt either.

Re: IRL Race in question for Kansas Speedway
 

All ISC tracks appear to be gone. Nascar moved a lot of their dates around so that squeezed Indy Cars out. That and ISC could care less too. I don’t want to see more road racing….there’s too much now. I’d like to see 70/30 ovals/roads (really would like 100% ovals, but you have to be realistic). The issue is you can’t go to ovals if the person that owns the oval doesn’t want you. That is the case with ISC so that puts a hurting on where you can go. I’ve heard they may take California so they can get Phoenix back down the line. Phoenix is a GREAT track to see a race so I’d love to see that. Looks like Vegas will probably be the season ending race. I do think they will be back at Chicagoland down the line….not next year. The changes by Nascar this late caused there to be nowhere to fit it.

I wouldn’t worry about Bernard. He gets how important ovals are. I’ve seen him a couple of times this year in the pits at a dirt track so he gets what this fan base wants. The issue is finding ovals when the partner doesn’t want your series. That’s the problem with a series also running several tracks….they can keep you out if they want to. Bruton Smith wants to make money on any series he can….