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11-18-2005, 10:59 AM
Grand Prix will stay here to 2010
Huge fan turnout prompts race promoters to extend contract
John Korobanik
The Edmonton Journal
Friday, November 18, 2005
CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, The Journal
CITY OF CHAMP CARS: Champ Car driver Alex Tagliani, seventh here in July, says he and his fellow racers had a roaring good time in Edmonton.
CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, The Journal, file
(See hard copy for photo description.)
EDMONTON - Fasten your seatbelts and hold on to those earplugs, Champ Car is going to be here for a long time.
The racing series that fell in love with this city last July has extended its original three-year agreement for another three years, guaranteeing the city's spot on the international car racing circuit through 2010.
In announcing the extension on Thursday, Champ Car president Steve Johnson said the Grand Prix of Edmonton race was the highlight of the season, adding that the city "is a place we're proud to call home ... you're not going to get us to leave."
Next year's event will run July 21-23 at the City Centre Airport, a week later than the inaugural edition. Tickets go on sale through TicketMaster at 10 a.m. today.
As an added bonus, the 2006 race will be televised live on CBS.
"We wanted to make sure people knew they had something they could be proud of, that they could take ownership in," said Grand Prix Edmonton president Greg Macdonald.
"Economically, this means huge dollars for the city, for the province, and there's nothing wrong with having it televised in 220 countries.
"With the extension comes the opportunity to make capital improvements at the event."
Tom Doerksen, Grand Prix director of operations, said a number of changes will be made to ensure the 2006 event is even more fan friendly.
Those will include:
- Moving the pit road and team area closer to the start-finish area.
- Moving the grandstand and corporate suites closer to the first turn.
- Angling the stands to improve visibility for fans.
- Adding another 3,600 seats at turns four, five and six.
Driver Alex Tagliani, who finished seventh here in July, was on hand Thursday for the announcement. The talk of improvements "seems a little bit picky, because it was already perfect," he said.
"Everybody talks about Edmonton all the time, the drivers, the owners, the sponsors."
The inaugural event attracted more than 200,000 fans over three days, including 78,080 on race Sunday. Drivers, owners and Champ Car officials were astonished by the success.
"It takes some places 10 years to get that," Johnson said of the attendance, the third-highest for a Champ Car event this season.
"It was the high point for the Champ Car series this year. Our momentum was growing, but after Edmonton it took off. I attribute that as the catalyst to all the good things that are happening in Champ Car.
"I see this as one of the anchors of the Champ Car series. This is going to become a destination for fans worldwide."
CBS approached Champ Car asking to add Edmonton to its live telecast schedule after seeing the turnout in July, Macdonald said. He said CBS was "absolutely shocked" to hear that about 60,000 people turned out on a Friday when there was no actual racing.
Macdonald said sponsorship interest in the event had already increased 10-fold prior to Thursday's announcement.
The 2006 event will again include a Formula Atlantic race but negotiations are still underway to secure a return of the TransAm series.
Next year's event will include three themed areas:
- Alberta Natural Resource Expo, to showcase the province's natural resources.
- Alberta Zone, to show off the province for visitors and families.
- Tuner Zone, with some of the hottest modified cars, an area for fans to test their skills in a pit stop and a remote
control racing venue.
[email protected]
© The Edmonton Journal 2005
Huge fan turnout prompts race promoters to extend contract
John Korobanik
The Edmonton Journal
Friday, November 18, 2005
CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, The Journal
CITY OF CHAMP CARS: Champ Car driver Alex Tagliani, seventh here in July, says he and his fellow racers had a roaring good time in Edmonton.
CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, The Journal, file
(See hard copy for photo description.)
EDMONTON - Fasten your seatbelts and hold on to those earplugs, Champ Car is going to be here for a long time.
The racing series that fell in love with this city last July has extended its original three-year agreement for another three years, guaranteeing the city's spot on the international car racing circuit through 2010.
In announcing the extension on Thursday, Champ Car president Steve Johnson said the Grand Prix of Edmonton race was the highlight of the season, adding that the city "is a place we're proud to call home ... you're not going to get us to leave."
Next year's event will run July 21-23 at the City Centre Airport, a week later than the inaugural edition. Tickets go on sale through TicketMaster at 10 a.m. today.
As an added bonus, the 2006 race will be televised live on CBS.
"We wanted to make sure people knew they had something they could be proud of, that they could take ownership in," said Grand Prix Edmonton president Greg Macdonald.
"Economically, this means huge dollars for the city, for the province, and there's nothing wrong with having it televised in 220 countries.
"With the extension comes the opportunity to make capital improvements at the event."
Tom Doerksen, Grand Prix director of operations, said a number of changes will be made to ensure the 2006 event is even more fan friendly.
Those will include:
- Moving the pit road and team area closer to the start-finish area.
- Moving the grandstand and corporate suites closer to the first turn.
- Angling the stands to improve visibility for fans.
- Adding another 3,600 seats at turns four, five and six.
Driver Alex Tagliani, who finished seventh here in July, was on hand Thursday for the announcement. The talk of improvements "seems a little bit picky, because it was already perfect," he said.
"Everybody talks about Edmonton all the time, the drivers, the owners, the sponsors."
The inaugural event attracted more than 200,000 fans over three days, including 78,080 on race Sunday. Drivers, owners and Champ Car officials were astonished by the success.
"It takes some places 10 years to get that," Johnson said of the attendance, the third-highest for a Champ Car event this season.
"It was the high point for the Champ Car series this year. Our momentum was growing, but after Edmonton it took off. I attribute that as the catalyst to all the good things that are happening in Champ Car.
"I see this as one of the anchors of the Champ Car series. This is going to become a destination for fans worldwide."
CBS approached Champ Car asking to add Edmonton to its live telecast schedule after seeing the turnout in July, Macdonald said. He said CBS was "absolutely shocked" to hear that about 60,000 people turned out on a Friday when there was no actual racing.
Macdonald said sponsorship interest in the event had already increased 10-fold prior to Thursday's announcement.
The 2006 event will again include a Formula Atlantic race but negotiations are still underway to secure a return of the TransAm series.
Next year's event will include three themed areas:
- Alberta Natural Resource Expo, to showcase the province's natural resources.
- Alberta Zone, to show off the province for visitors and families.
- Tuner Zone, with some of the hottest modified cars, an area for fans to test their skills in a pit stop and a remote
control racing venue.
[email protected]
© The Edmonton Journal 2005