Anyone going to the Grand Prix this weekend?

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-03-12, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by superduperman

Here is an idea,close the freeways in and around downtown and have the races on the freeway, that would be so cool.

Too many potholes, those cars are too expensive to destroy on bad pavement. I hate driving my car on some of these streets, let alone a $500,000 or more race car.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-03-12, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I remember going down with my dad and brother to the free day back in the 90's. We were never big race fans, but it was still cool to go check out for a few hours.

Can somebody tell me why the city moved the race to Belle Isle? I'm not a big race fan, but watching a race going through city streets is pretty cool when you see it on tv. Was it poor road conditions that prompted the move?

Yes, too many potholes, uneven pavement, and sunken manhole covers.

**Gannon** · June-03-12, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I remember going down with my dad and brother to the free day back in the 90's. We were never big race fans, but it was still cool to go check out for a few hours.

Can somebody tell me why the city moved the race to Belle Isle? I'm not a big race fan, but watching a race going through city streets is pretty cool when you see it on tv. Was it poor road conditions that prompted the move?

The Formula One drivers were never satisfied with the road conditions here, even the road stripes caused problems with traction and odd tire wear. I remember one news report showing a pedestrian crossing stripe with an accumulation of tire rubber glommed over an inch thick.

I think the death of the downtown run, though, was the little issue of basically closing off the core of the Central Business district...including the building of the paddock and pit areas, removing the sub-levels of parking in the RenCen from use for a month.

It was a total blast, though. There remains nothing in my aural memory that tickles the adrenals more than the musical sounds those F1 cars made roaring through the buildings, taking on the concrete canyons on the way to the river...that little chicane, and then the hated hairpin.

Wow. Forgot how much fun that was...thanks for tickling that memory.

Cheers

**Kathleen** · June-03-12, 08:35 AM

Great memories of the race both downtown and on Belle Isle!! I feel blessed to have shared some of the Free Prix day events in both places with our boys who are now grown up.

Belle Isle is a beautiful setting for this race...great for sharing the D with race lovers around the world.

But the memories of the race on the streets of downtown Detroit are priceless! The echoes of the car engines bouncing from building to building are unforgettable!!

I do remember how disruptive the race was for people working downtown. Sounds like neither course is optimal for the cars, and if the race can't be held on streets of the D, then Belle Isle is the next best choice!

**pgn421** · June-03-12, 09:20 AM

We went yesterday. Took the ferry, very nice. A lot of people don't know, that, you don't need a ticket to get on the island. But, you need a ticket to get into the grand stands. Had a great time. Listened to the B52's untill the storm came thru. Then scrambled for cover. The island looks great. Thanks Mr. Penske!

**Meddle** · June-03-12, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by superduperman

Here is an idea,close the freeways in and around downtown and have the races on the freeway, that would be so cool.

I liked the idea of a closed circuit using I-75, I-94 and the Lodge. Built in embankments for spectator safety and loads of overhead viewing space. Just pull out a couple of median barriers for pits.

Talk about a traffic nightmare though.

**stinkytofu** · June-03-12, 03:48 PM

Race is under yellow as the track is literally tearing apart and causing accidents...what a mess. Somebody should be yelled at...not a good image for Detroit...yikes...

**river rat** · June-03-12, 03:56 PM

What a joke! This city and everything connected with it is a joke. You can't even keep a road together for a race. The race is stopped, don't restart it, go home, and just end the misery of the city by closing it. Stop the expense of good money after bad. Everybody just leave....

**stinkytofu** · June-03-12, 03:58 PM

Racers and hardcore fans already hate the track because it is so hard to pass...now this...I don't know what the future has in store...

**Downriviera** · June-03-12, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by One Shot

My Dad used to take me to the free day when it was downtown. I was probably there for a formula 1 race. Wish I remembered it! To think we had F1 cars in Detroit!

Yessir, F1 cars on the streets of Detroit. Great times. I was lucky to have worked for a few F1 teams in those days. The main reasons F1 left is that the city refused to build permanent garages in the pit lane. It was very hard to move all the equipment from the temporary garages inside Cobo all the way to the pit lane east of the Rencen. Had they built the garages they could have been used for vendors the rest of the year. Also was a money issue. You can run Indy Car a lot cheaper than F1, but with F1 you get a lot of bang for the buck. Huge worldwide TV ratings and people coming here from all over the world. Who can forget all the Brazilians doing the samba in the streets of downtown.

**river rat** · June-03-12, 04:04 PM

Penske now on TV making small talk about the failure and making excuses and actually saying, "we have had a great weekend".

Really RP, what a mess.

**gopher** · June-03-12, 04:47 PM

wow.. I assumed ok they brought the race back - they must of spent lots of money fixing the track up.. . haha what a embarrassment. drivers crashing into the wall cuz the road is falling apart.. drivers showing off the blisters in their hands... just saw a clip of 2 mad drivers after a crash pulling ripping out the asphalt strips used to patch the holes! lol what a fuckin joke

**Meddle** · June-03-12, 04:52 PM

Who's the paving contractor and who got the kickbacks?

**gopher** · June-03-12, 05:00 PM

i dont know... whos is responsible for this? the city or the entity hosting the race? they are re patching with fast drying cement now - duh - why not just use that from the start. FACEPALM...

**gopher** · June-03-12, 05:22 PM

if i hear the word "HOLDING PATTERN" again im gonna shoot my self...

**dtowncitylover** · June-03-12, 05:49 PM

Awful roads even during a Grand Prix race, that's Pure Michigan.

superduperman · June-03-12, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Too many potholes, those cars are too expensive to destroy on bad pavement. I hate driving my car on some of these streets, let alone a $500,000 or more race car.

Why not repave well before race season? That never stopped them from having it downtown years ago,the streets were as they are now.

**stinkytofu** · June-03-12, 06:29 PM

While that was a mess, I thought Belle Isle looked very nice.

**401don** · June-03-12, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

While that was a mess, I thought Belle Isle looked very nice.

I wonder if they asked Hincliffe about that, "Sure the torn up pavement drove your car straight into a wall but didn't you think Belle Isle looked nice?"

muskie1 · June-03-12, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Yessir, F1 cars on the streets of Detroit. Great times. I was lucky to have worked for a few F1 teams in those days. The main reasons F1 left is that the city refused to build permanent garages in the pit lane. It was very hard to move all the equipment from the temporary garages inside Cobo all the way to the pit lane east of the Rencen. Had they built the garages they could have been used for vendors the rest of the year. Also was a money issue. You can run Indy Car a lot cheaper than F1, but with F1 you get a lot of bang for the buck. Huge worldwide TV ratings and people coming here from all over the world. Who can forget all the Brazilians doing the samba in the streets of downtown.

Yes those were the days. I found many great spots to hang out in Detroit during the F1 days. I would get a room at the Ren-Cen Thursday thru Monday. I had a great time exploring the city and visited the bars and restaurants many times during the year.

We made it a truly international event back then and I remember the Brazilians well! I still went when they switched to Indy cars but am sad to say the move to the island was horrible. I hate being stuck in a venue. After F 1 left hereI still had a lot of fun in Montreal.

Even if F1 returned I would not waste my money to see the race on Belle Isle. No where to explore and enjoy the racing vibes.

**kenp** · June-04-12, 08:53 AM

Belle Isle looked nice and the crowd was good.
Personally I hate the track, there really isnt a straight away to pass and it turns into a high speed parade.
With the track breaking up it kind of turned into a fiasco which dosent bode well for next year.

**softailrider** · June-04-12, 04:40 PM

I'm shocked all the way down to my shoes. The phrase "Penske Perfect" really resonates with me. I'll bet you there will not be a pavement problem next year. [[if there is a race)

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-04-12, 04:56 PM

Most of the drivers interviewed said they have experienced the same at other tracks, so I really don't see this as being detrimental in retaining the race in the future. The real issue is, how viable is it financially to continue to have the race.
Didn't the race end a few years ago because Detroit didn't profit from having it?

**mikeg19** · June-04-12, 05:17 PM

I heard an interesting comment from one of the drivers in a post race interview stating that next years race was going to have a track redesign that eliminated several curves and added more straightaway for passing. There was also a comment from an official [[I can't remember if it was Penske) that stated the Belle Isle circuit was going to be completely repaved for next years race. I don't know if that's a hard commitment or wishful thinking, and I don't know who would pay for it, but I think that would have to be a pre-req for a race happening again.

**Gannon** · June-05-12, 07:44 AM

Running the whole course of the island perimeter would be too long of a lap for an Indy race, right?! Six Miles...and plenty of straightaways for passing. Heck, I do it all the time down on partier's row by the Coast Guard station.

That turn down by ItsJeff's bench is nice and wide...perhaps one of the race classes should be those drifters...LOL. I can just see an army of rice-burners sliding sideways through that stretch.

I watched the race prep three days or more per week until the last few weeks...because I assumed the place would be shut down for an entire track resurface. I am aghast that it didn't happen...wtf, Roger. It's not as if you don't know the value of traction and having an actual fucking racetrack under your tires.

Good lord...