2011 Calgary Indy...?

[Jay911]

So the news is abuzz with people musing about IndyCar looking seriously at Calgary to take Edmonton's place as a western Canadian date for 2011, considering that Edmonton's race has been cancelled.

Where would you hold an Indy-quality race in Calgary? I can't fathom any place with enough decent pavement that's already built and won't still be under construction or have LRTs crossing it every 4 minutes.

Thoughts?

[kvg]

Edmonton dropped it because they were loosing millions and millions!:thumbsdow

[Cos]

Personally do it downtown. We already have experience in closing streets for the stampede parade and they could set up stands much like that. Plus it would be SICK

[ericchoweg]

downtown would be so sick imagine the sounds of the cars bouncing off the buildings

[Zewind]

I wish my track idea was more off the ground. But one day I would like to host Indy.


Id like to see it at an airport. But the city wont pay for it its a big money pit.

:banghead:

[Sugarphreak]

...

[n1zm0]

deerfoot with all the uneveness and patch work? i would say no, downtown would be awesome but our downtown isn't 'unique' enough imo for an indy race (its just square after square of grids).

neither local airport would shut down for a race, CYBW would be boring as hell no matter what kind of course they came up with and the international, again i wouldn't see them closing down the 4th most busiest airport in the country for a few hour race. idk what dewinton airport is like tho, never been there.

edit: de winton airport is a triangle lol

[Cos]

Originally posted by n1zm0
deerfoot with all the uneveness and patch work? i would say no, downtown would be awesome but our downtown isn't 'unique' enough imo for an indy race (its just square after square of grids).

neither local airport would shut down for a race, CYBW would be boring as hell no matter what kind of course they came up with and the international, again i wouldn't see them closing down the 4th most busiest airport in the country for a few hour race. idk what dewinton airport is like tho, never been there.

edit: de winton airport is a triangle lol

I have an idea for a cool track in DT but I will have to sketch it up. BRB.




edit: Not the most creative but you could also create a bus trap sort of situation on memorial between one of the splits. I like this because of the intense straight (may need to add some corners in it) and memorial would be SICK to watch cars rip down. Plus the center street bridge :drool:


http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l183/brendankharris/98dc1f01.jpg

[beyond_ban]

How are the race cars supposed to take the on / off ramps? haha

[Cos]

Originally posted by beyond_ban
How are the race cars supposed to take the on / off ramps? haha

Where? the flyover out of towntown shouldnt be a problem. Close memorial and edmonton trail to give them the whole intersection. Same with the memorial and 10th st interchange.

[beyond_ban]

Oh my bad, i thought the 9/10th street bridge was raised, but i zoomed in on maps and it's just an intersection. That would be sweet to stand on the side of memorial drive and see those cars rip by.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by Cos
edit: Not the most creative but you could also create a bus trap sort of situation on memorial between one of the splits. I like this because of the intense straight (may need to add some corners in it) and memorial would be SICK to watch cars rip down. Plus the center street bridge :drool:

yeah that course looks good, heres the only thing i'd add: :D

http://imgur.com/8yjWK.jpg

[Cos]

Originally posted by beyond_ban
Oh my bad, i thought the 9/10th street bridge was raised, but i zoomed in on maps and it's just an intersection. That would be sweet to stand on the side of memorial drive and see those cars rip by.

Ah I got ya. Yeah watching them off camber would be cool. Or you could use the louise bridge and the east village.

[Zewind]

I love the idea of having it on memorial. Mostly to spite Druh Farrell

[rage2]

Wouldn't work on that part of memorial. Too many houses.

[Jay911]

De Winton is a piece of crap. The pavement is horrible - but it's used for driver training right now.

De Winton Airport (which is also apparently a rifle range) from teh Google:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee99/jay911_50/ceh4-1.jpg

Close-up of the runways and one taxiway:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee99/jay911_50/ceh4-2.jpg

Cos, I kinda like that track you drew! But surely somebody would have fits about the track going past the drop-in center.

[HuMz]

I can't see any track based in the city that would be feasible. And unless one of the airports closes for the weekend I just don't see any other venue or street that could be shut down to support the event.

Esspecially if its the same people promoting and running the show. I thought I remeber reading that the Edmonton Indy was one of, if not the best event on the circuit attendance wise but they still couldn't turn in a profit.

[rage2]

Originally posted by Jay911
Cos, I kinda like that track you drew! But surely somebody would have fits about the track going past the drop-in center.
Yea, we can't have homeless ppl watch the race for free! :rofl:

[Xtrema]

If they complain about concert noise @ McMhan, this won't fly.

Indy isn't that profitable in Edmonton anyway and it will be a hard seel to a city hall in debt.

[speedog]

http://www3.telus.net/public/slugs/c-i.jpg

Lots of room for the pits and such in the Stampede grounds. Away from pretty much all housing that I can see and lots of areas where temporary bleacher seating can be erected. Also doesn't impact the city too much in terms of restricting access to critical areas such as downtown. Most of the roadways which could be used are fairly wide also providing passing areas as well as one hairpin turn at the southwest side of the cemetery. Some elevation changes also on cemetery hill.

[Cos]

^^^^^ dude...... WAYYYY better track. Great thinking!

[JordanAndrew]

Originally posted by speedog
http://www3.telus.net/public/slugs/c-i.jpg

Lots of room for the pits and such in the Stampede grounds. Away from pretty much all housing that I can see and lots of areas where temporary bleacher seating can be erected. Also doesn't impact the city too much in terms of restricting access to critical areas such as downtown. Most of the roadways which could be used are fairly wide also providing passing areas as well as one hairpin turn at the southwest side of the cemetery. Some elevation changes also on cemetery hill.

This looks good, now how do we convince our city to do this? ;)

[speedog]

Only problem I see is vehicular access to the inner part of the track although I suspect the inner part of every track is closed off at race time. Moving people to the inner part wouldn't be an issue as there are already two elevated pedestrian crossings (one on the west side of Stampede park and one in the park). Roundup Center could probably be utilized in some fashion for this event as secured indoor areas for the teams and for the monied tourists, two casinos within spitting distance of the track.

[speedog]

3 elevated pedestrian walkways - forgot about the one on Cemetery hill.

[Jay911]

Either track suggested has to shut down the LRT (and send cars over the rail tracks) which may not be a positive thing. Didn't they do that in one city years ago - and temporarily pave over the trackway?

The interior of a track like speedog's would be full of haulers and paddock space anyway so don't worry about getting people in. Hell, you could even run the LRT up to Erlton/Stampede and just let people out of the train there. :)

Downside to all of these, which I just thought of: The Edmonton race traditionally ran in July. If IndyCar plans to keep a similar date, Stampede may wreak havoc with that idea.

[speedog]

The Stampede park track doesn't shut the LRT down as the LRT is underground at the points where the race track would cross the LRT (both on the north and south sides) plus it provides two transit stops/stations inside of the track.

[cream]

put our tax $ new bridge to use :)
jk though. that'd be so sick if they came :drool:

[Sugarphreak]

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