OKC Grand Prix

[Watson410]

I know there's a thread about this already, but I couldn't find it.. Has anyone heard any news or rumors about this lately? I know their talking with Le Mans trying to work out a contract. I also heard they were going to have an announcement by July 1... My guess is an announcement should be coming any day now.

[metro]

Mike McAuliffe is behind it, he runs a business called Doctor on Call. He was also chief of staff for Mayor Andy Coats and Ron Norick. I'm sure if you shot him an email from his business website, he would be glad to clarify for you the status. He's a very nice and informative guy.

[BDP]

I thought Austin ended up getting this or was that something else?

[Kerry]

I thought Austin ended up getting this or was that something else?

Austin got Formula 1. As far as I know OKC is still in line for getting an American LeMans race. F1 will last about 3 years in Austin. From what I have read on the F1 message boards and media, the entire F1 world is scratching their head at the Austin decision.

[Watson410]

Thanks Metro, I'll do that and let you guys know what he says. I've been searching the last couple day and this is what I found. http://www.grandprixokc.com/ If you look at the bottom of the page you'll see it's the LeMans series.

[bluedogok]

Austin got Formula 1. As far as I know OKC is still in line for getting an American LeMans race. F1 will last about 3 years in Austin. From what I have read on the F1 message boards and media, the entire F1 world is scratching their head at the Austin decision.

It is much, much further along than anyone in the media knew about. This has been in the works for a few years but the announcement by the munchkin was earlier than Tavo expected, which is typical Bernie...he wanted to announce it right around Indy 500 time as a dig to Tony George. Tavo liked operating in obscurity more than being in the open, he would rather the announcement been delayed a little longer. IF it gets built, it will be here for awhile. I am cautiously optimistic that it is going to happen, if the track goes in where I have been told it will be about 30 miles from where live now. I will definitely have to get my car built to run events out there.

[Kerry]

I have no doubt the track will get built but the US Grand Prix has a dismal track record (pun intended). The pits are littered with cities that failed to meet expectation and retain fan interest.

[bluedogok]

True but since Watkins Glen it has always been on a temporary circuit or a modified track like Indy. Bernie hated the fact that is was the "third place" race at Indy and that the Hulman family (who have since booted Tony George out of the office) wouldn't give in to the troll's demands. Also, much of the Indy media/public hate the fact that anything other than the 500 is run there, including Nascar which I think is a complete waste of a good facility. I think the IRL should run a roval race there in the fall in addition to the 500..it would have to be better than running on a 1.5 mile Nascar oval owned by the France family.

At Indy there was a large contingent of foreign fans, especially Brazilians. I was talking to a couple from Germany next to us, they came to the US because it was cheaper for them than going to a European race since they weren't real close to Hockenheim or Nuremberg.

[ljbab728]

I have no doubt the track will get built but the US Grand Prix has a dismal track record (pun intended). The pits are littered with cities that failed to meet expectation and retain fan interest.

From what I understood from the previous thread, there wasn't going to be a track built. It is to be in the downtown and bricktown area with some streets temporarily blocked off for the race.

[Kerry]

From what I understood from the previous thread, there wasn't going to be a track built. It is to be in the downtown and bricktown area with some streets temporarily blocked off for the race.

Different races. Austin is building a multi-purpose race track that will be home to the US Grand Prix for 10 years. The US Grand Prix is on the F1 circuit. Oklahoma City is getting an American LeMans race that will be run on the streets of Bricktown. If my wife would let me I would drive on the American LeMans circuit in a heartbeat.

An F1 Race car


An American LeMans Race cars (two types actually - they run at the same time on the same track, but not against each other. Kind of like having a mens and womens 200m track race at the same time).

[Watson410]

Man!! I can't wait to even hear an announcement. This will be a VERY NICE addition to annual entertainment to Oklahoma City!! Can't wait!

[SkyWestOKC]

No doubt that I will attend! Excited!

[jmlight]

I think Formula 1 could thrive in Austin. There will likely be about 30,000 Brazilians in attendance.

I hope it's a night race and/or it's not in the middle of summer. I think it was 1984 when F1 held their ill-fated Grand Prix of Dallas at Fair Park, and people were passing out left and right.

[Watson410]

Oklahoma summers can be pretty brutal, but if you drink plenty of water that day you'll be fine!! It probably wouldn't hurt to find shade occasionally too. Those people that were passing out left and right were either NOT drinking any water at all or drinking alcoholic beverages like water! lol.

[Kerry]

Those people that were passing out left and right were ... drinking alcoholic beverages like water! lol.

Ding ding ding - we have a winner.

[bluedogok]

I think Formula 1 could thrive in Austin. There will likely be about 30,000 Brazilians in attendance.

There were probably about that many at Indy in 2007, they were everywhere.

I hope it's a night race and/or it's not in the middle of summer. I think it was 1984 when F1 held their ill-fated Grand Prix of Dallas at Fair Park, and people were passing out left and right.

It won't be a night race, wrong time slot for European TV, a 1:00 to 2:00 PM start would put it in prime time in Europe which was about the same time as the Indy race.

Dallas was a hot one, of course all the asphalt at Fair Park didn't help.

[jmlight]

Oklahoma summers can be pretty brutal, but if you drink plenty of water that day you'll be fine!! It probably wouldn't hurt to find shade occasionally too. Those people that were passing out left and right were either NOT drinking any water at all or drinking alcoholic beverages like water! lol.

Actually I was more concerned with drivers and crew wearing fire suits. I know Austin is probably no Bahrain, but I do vaguely remember at least one driver passing out in Dallas. Memory's a little fuzzy. I almost want to say it was Nigel Mansell. Of course, he was pushing his car across the finish line because he ran out of gas, or something.

Good point about the European TV market, blue. That's what it's all about.

No matter, just excited I'll be able to drive to an F1 race again.

[bluedogok]

It was Mansell pushing the car across the line that passed out.

[Spartan]

I don't doubt that an OKC Grand Prix would lose support and interest after a few years, but if we just did it once every other year or every 3 or 4 years, we could keep it up and even if it's a one-time deal, I have no doubt as well that OKC would turn out very well for such a one-time event. It would be totally worth it.

[bluedogok]

If they get an ALMS race and support classes it wouldn't be just OKC supporting it, it would be the middle of the country, I know that I would head up there for it even if we had one here. F1 in Indy had little support from the Indianapolis area, they are into open wheel and short track (dirt or asphalt) racing and the support for even Nascar by Indy is mediocre, most of the fans at the Brickyard race are from elsewhere. Right now there is no ALMS race between Road Atlanta/Mid-Ohio to the east and Miller outside Salt Lake, I could see OKC and Austin getting on the calendar. There was a race in Houston around Reliant/Astrodome in 2007 as a support race to Champ Car until they merged with the IRL and the race was canceled for 2008. ALMS was not prepared to take on the full cost of that race only a month before it was scheduled so it was dropped, I had looked into corner working there.

There is an interview with Tavo Hellmund about the Austin F1 track in this weeks GPWeek Magazine, page 22.

[BoulderSooner]

• OKC Grand Prix leased 2,916 square feet of office space at 428 Dean McGee. Tom Fields handled the transaction

Read more: http://newsok.com/real-deal-transact...#ixzz0vjCUfFbb

[rkjg24]

According to what I've been reading, it's almost a done deal, and I've also seen rumblings about an IndyCar race as well. I'm not a big fan of the initial track layout, though:

[Watson410]

According to what I've been reading, it's almost a done deal, and I've also seen rumblings about an IndyCar race as well. I'm not a big fan of the initial track layout, though:

I haven't heard anything about the IndyCar series, but I did wonder that the other day because they were interviewing Marco Andretti on the Sports Animal. I thought to myself, "why else would they be interviewing the Legend of open wheel racing?!?" but I didn't want to jump the gun! OKC hosting a IndyCar Series would be HUGE!!!

[dmoor82]

Nice little article here from racer.com http://www.racer.com/alms-set-for-ne...rticle/176408/

[OKC@heart]

How great an event OKC could make that on the 4th of July! Would be another awesome way to showcase this great city and draw national attention to us yet again!