Detroit Officials Pave Way for Grand Prix Return

**Searay215** · September-18-11, 12:02 PM

Did not see a post on this and wondered how we all missed this? Like him or hate him Roger Penske is the one you can thank or not for this. Personally I think its great.....time to get back to more events in Detroit and show case the good things that are happening here. Not to mention I am a Indy car fan and just glad they are back.

http://detnews.com/article/20110916/...335/1047/rss20

**eastland** · September-18-11, 12:44 PM

For the sake of Belle Isle, I hope it doesn't return.

**401don** · September-18-11, 12:48 PM

Never understood the whole road course racing thing. You pay to sit in one spot and miss 95% of the race.

muskie1 · September-18-11, 04:45 PM

I went to every one when it was downtown, it was a huge international event when F1 raced here. I would book a hotel and stay Wed-Monday. The great thing about being downtown was the ability to walk off the course and sample the local attractions and food. Once Indy car arrived the international flavor was gone but still a great time.

The move to Belle Isle ,while needed, was terrible. I did not like all the fact that you were stuck in the venue and paying top dollar for terrible food and drink. I only made two races on the island and had enough. Even when I got free tickets I hated the event there and never returned. The event does less for the city than any of the sports events do. Most people come and watch the race and leave with no desire to see Detroit.

I miss it being downtown and all the great places I got to explore.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-18-11, 04:54 PM

On belle isle or not, i'll just be happy if it comes back. Bake in the sun all day, drink crappy beer, watch cars go in a circle. YEEEEE HAAAAWW!!

**Novine** · September-18-11, 05:20 PM

Maybe Penske can show that he can do more than pave over the island by making sure the Scott Fountain is repaired and working by the time of the race.

**pkbroch** · September-18-11, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

Maybe Penske can show that he can do more than pave over the island by making sure the Scott Fountain is repaired and working by the time of the race.

Amen to that!

**animatedmartian** · September-18-11, 08:07 PM

Wikipedia says that the original downtown circuit wasn't economically viable and Belle Isle was supposed to be temporary. Would they ever be able [[or want) to go back to downtown? It definitely wouldn't be the same track with the riverfront built up and all.

**szla** · September-18-11, 08:23 PM

I dont have any problem with the race per se. What I hate is a 10 acre parking lot attached to the fountain.

**Scottathew** · September-18-11, 08:50 PM

For those of you wondering what the course looks like:

**Jimaz** · September-18-11, 09:21 PM

detroitgp.com

HiRes PDF of the above map:http://detroitgp.racersites.com/assets/trackmap.pdf

**Flintoid** · September-18-11, 11:14 PM

The BIGP brought a ton of money to the city and brought renovations from sponsors to park equipment, playgrounds, etc. They repaved roads and improved the island's infrastructure. This race would be a blessing to return!

**Gistok** · September-18-11, 11:47 PM

The Scott Fountain Lagoon looked like a swamp when I saw it 2 weeks ago...

**riviera** · September-18-11, 11:56 PM

Is it possible that Nascar could be brought to Belle Isle at some stage?

Or does the South Michigan track have a monopoly on it?

**Malcove Magnesia** · September-19-11, 04:05 AM

Oh please. Take the Prix back downtown and have race cars occasionally colliding into office buildings and stuff.

Demolition should be more fun than the boredom Adamo brings.

**louis** · September-19-11, 08:09 AM

when you said grand prix i thought F1, now thats a race we should work on bringing back to Detroit!

MojoRacer · September-19-11, 09:28 AM

Yeah, if the GP comes back someone will clean up all the po chip bags and chicken bones on the island. Don't want to see that happen, keep Belle Isle the jewel that it is!

Originally Posted by eastland

For the sake of Belle Isle, I hope it doesn't return.

MojoRacer · September-19-11, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

On belle isle or not, i'll just be happy if it comes back. Bake in the sun all day, drink crappy beer, watch cars go in a circle. YEEEEE HAAAAWW!!

It's not a circle, but I am sure you flunked geometry anyway....

**Gistok** · September-19-11, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by MojoRacer

It's not a circle, but I am sure you flunked geometry anyway....

I think that anyone with half a brain knows what she meant.... oh wait.... sorry... I guess the nuance of abstraction is lost on some...

**Downriviera** · September-19-11, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by louis

when you said grand prix i thought F1, now thats a race we should work on bringing back to Detroit!

Detroit was barely able to afford the F1 GP back in the day. Now it would be impossible. You have to be a country like Bahrain with huge financial backing to get a race these days. There is an effort underway to get an F1 race in Austin, TX. The reason F1 left Detroit is because the city would not build permanent garages near the riverfront where the pits were. These garages, if they had been built, could have housed a variety of vendors the rest of the time as they do on Ile Notre Dame in Montreal.

**eastland** · September-19-11, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by MojoRacer

Yeah, if the GP comes back someone will clean up all the po chip bags and chicken bones on the island. Don't want to see that happen, keep Belle Isle the jewel that it is!

Belle Isle is a jewel, even in its current state. People should turn off NASCAR and go experience it sometime.

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-19-11, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by MojoRacer

It's not a circle, but I am sure you flunked geometry anyway....

WoW. Really?

At least I don't confuse DYes with the Freep comment section...

**Warrenite84** · September-19-11, 10:19 PM

Great! I enjoyed going to the races in '07 & '08.

**Gistok** · September-19-11, 11:55 PM

Since there have been gaps in the years the Grand Prix was held... what number are we up to now??

Reference point... my 1989 Diego Rivera Court Grand Prix poster says VIII.

**louis** · September-20-11, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Detroit was barely able to afford the F1 GP back in the day. Now it would be impossible. You have to be a country like Bahrain with huge financial backing to get a race these days. There is an effort underway to get an F1 race in Austin, TX. The reason F1 left Detroit is because the city would not build permanent garages near the riverfront where the pits were. These garages, if they had been built, could have housed a variety of vendors the rest of the time as they do on Ile Notre Dame in Montreal.

and what makes Austin a better place than Detroit, Austin doesnt have the garages and neither did Indionapolis but they still had the races there.