Grand Prix proposes move back to Downtown...And it IS

**casscorridor65** · September-29-21, 03:41 AM

PLEASE DO!!!!!

I liked it better downtown, it was more convenient to get to and it will give us Belle Isle back. Besides, there's already many cars doing 100mph+ downtown every night. At least now they'll be behind barricades for a few days.

Oh, and please, tear up and take that "SEA Of CEMENT" on Belle Isle with you before you leave! My two cents!

**Richard** · September-29-21, 05:44 AM

Options are always nice.

Where I am at it is downtown St Petersburg,some like it some do not,like everything else.

It does draw large crowds and many that would not necessarily visit downtown see things and come back later.

Its a nice boon for local businesses if you have enough of them to make an impact,verses where it is currently at where the crowds are contained to a limited space.

**401don** · September-29-21, 06:32 AM

Aside from the inconvenience/noise to offices the downtown course was really bumpy, something none of the drivers liked. If Penske didn't control so much of Indy there would probably be louder complaints. They need to do something to revive interest though.

**Kathleen** · September-29-21, 07:45 AM

My first thought was "will they restore Belle Isle to its pre-Prix state?"

Then I saw this....
"Since the Grand Prix returned to Belle Isle in 2007, event organizers and contributing partners have made more than $13.5 million in improvements to Belle Isle, including raising more than $5 million in funds for the Belle Isle Conservancy for their mission to preserve, protect and restore Belle Isle Park through the annual Grand Prixmiere Charity Gala." [[Detroit News, September 28, 2021)

Belle Isle has benefited in many ways from the Detroit Grand Prix.

Surely having the race on the island has disrupted life on the island these past 10 years or so. But having the race back in downtown Detroit will do the same there.

That said, both venues make the Detroit Grand Prix a unique experience. It's not just a race on a racetrack!!

**GPCharles** · September-29-21, 08:12 AM

True Story - when they were excavating for One Detroit Center on Woodward between Larned and Congress, they hit a water main that ran through the site. As they were scrambling to turn off the water, they discovered that the turn-off valve was in a manhole in Larned. Oops, the manhole cover had been welded shut for the Grand Prix. By the time they managed to get the manhole open, the entire excavation had filled with water. I was working in the ANR Building at One Woodward Avenue and saw the entire escapade from our windows. We, of course, laughed hysterically.

**softailrider** · September-29-21, 08:36 AM

Much more interesting race through the downtown roads. Get it off the island.

**Danny** · September-29-21, 09:35 AM

Having the Prix back to Gilbert town [[Downtown) Detroit is an excellent ideal. Leave Belle Isle back the way it was. It's better that way.

**stasu1213** · September-29-21, 05:47 PM

There's a lot of empty spa e even on the near Eastside where there is nothing bit vacant land.especially around E Warren, Forest, Russell arrea

**401don** · September-29-21, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

There's a lot of empty spa e even on the near Eastside where there is nothing bit vacant land.especially around E Warren, Forest, Russell arrea

Yeah that's the image Penske and the city want to project. "The drivers are going up the abandoned street, through the abandoned neighborhood and finishing at that what may have been some sort of factory or warehouse."

**K-slice** · September-29-21, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

There's a lot of empty spa e even on the near Eastside where there is nothing bit vacant land.especially around E Warren, Forest, Russell arrea

Made me think of that scene in Star Wars where the pod racers are flying through the empty desert with sand people shooting at them.

**Ray1936** · September-29-21, 07:44 PM

I dunno, never could get into racing of any kind. So someone gets there first. Whoopdedoo. Lot of wasted effort, IMO.

**djtomt** · September-29-21, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

I dunno, never could get into racing of any kind. So someone gets there first. Whoopdedoo. Lot of wasted effort, IMO.

What a FANTASTIC post!! Your contribution to the discussion is immeasurable

**Genesyxx** · September-30-21, 06:50 AM

I remember watching the downtown races on TV. I'm for it, but won't it affect the 'eventual' 375 and Hart Plaza reconstruction?

**bust** · September-30-21, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

I dunno, never could get into racing of any kind. So someone gets there first. Whoopdedoo. Lot of wasted effort, IMO.

Totally with you on this, when cars.
Auto racing puts an incentive on industry to produce the highest performing vehicles, as measured by speed, and best handling at high speeds.
That's been DONE, a long time ago.
Those are the wrong incentives.
Take the chicken out of the oven, it's way past cooked.
Faster cars are not what we need today.

I have no problem with the race returning downtown.
Belle Isle will be much better off.

**EGrant** · September-30-21, 02:09 PM

Seeing a lot of race fans commenting that the course layout might be boring, or possibly even harder to pass on than Belle Isle. Also, I imagine the roads would need major resurfacing; the current state of even our better downtown roads could tear Indy cars to shreds.

I'd hate to see this move downtown and have a situation like 2012, where they had to stop racing because the Belle Isle course was so bad. I assume the Penske team has a plan for this though.

Getting it off the island will also prove that the setup/teardown time doesn't need to be weeks on end - that simply won't fly downtown. EDIT: Although a lot of the set up for the grandstands and paddock area will be in the GM parking lot, so they can take their sweet time without disrupting a park.

**Downriviera** · October-03-21, 09:26 PM

Bring back F1 too. Indy car is basically a spec series and they have races nearby. F1 brings more people and more dollars and has a huge TV audience. Sure it costs more but they are the top racing series in the world so why should we except second best.

**401don** · October-04-21, 07:09 AM

The fact that admission will be free except for paddock areas, etc. tells you the interest Indy car racing has in the city. There's zero chance of F1 ever returning.

**stasu1213** · October-04-21, 01:19 PM

Lol. I was thinking around the Russell/Warren/E. Forest area. There is plenty of land around the eastside where the inhabitants would not have to be disturbed. This area is not too far from the Eastern Market area and shuttles could be used to transport event goers to and fro

**EGrant** · October-04-21, 01:31 PM

F1 is adding Miami to the schedule next year alongside Austin, TX; I think it's unlikely they'd add a third American race anytime soon. And if they did, I'd put money on [[pun intended) Las Vegas, or somewhere glitzy.

**Jason** · October-04-21, 04:49 PM

I wonder how much of this is just them proposing it so that people see how bad it is in comparison to Belle Isle.

**Downriviera** · October-04-21, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

F1 is adding Miami to the schedule next year alongside Austin, TX; I think it's unlikely they'd add a third American race anytime soon. And if they did, I'd put money on [[pun intended) Las Vegas, or somewhere glitzy.

F1 already had a one off in Vegas on a temporary course at Caesar’s Palace in the parking lot. There’s been Long Beach, Dallas, Phoenix as well as Detroit. Since F1 now has American ownership I think the possibility exists that they will return here one day.

**Hermod** · October-04-21, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

I dunno, never could get into racing of any kind. So someone gets there first. Whoopdedoo. Lot of wasted effort, IMO.

I used to enjoy themidget carracing at Motor City Speeday on 8-mile. One of the regulars [[and stars) was Roger Forberg who had a bar on Gratiot south of 7 Mile with a cutout of his race car as the sign. Foreberg's Bar.

**bust** · October-04-21, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

I wonder how much of this is just them proposing it so that people see how bad it is in comparison to Belle Isle.

How bad for what and for whom?

Maybe if they confined the course to Waterworks Park its real costs to Detroit wouldn't outweigh its benefits.

Or are there real benefits I'm not seeing?

**mikeg19** · October-05-21, 10:44 AM

I'm not a race fan but I've been to a couple races on Belle Isle. Wasn't old enough to attend we it was on the streets of Detroit but I always think it looks awesome when they are racing through the streets of a major city. I'm sure that the road course would need to be paved or improved and approved of before the race could move. IMO it's a huge win if it moves. Belle Isle isn't torn apart for 3 months in the prime of the season, the logistical nightmare or transporting equipment/people onto the island goes away, and downtown gets a premiere race on national TV to show off, plus people will probably stay in downtown after the race or come early and frequent bars/restaurants/shopping. I think this is a no brainer.

**401don** · October-05-21, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I'm not a race fan but I've been to a couple races on Belle Isle. Wasn't old enough to attend we it was on the streets of Detroit but I always think it looks awesome when they are racing through the streets of a major city. I'm sure that the road course would need to be paved or improved and approved of before the race could move. IMO it's a huge win if it moves. Belle Isle isn't torn apart for 3 months in the prime of the season, the logistical nightmare or transporting equipment/people onto the island goes away, and downtown gets a premiere race on national TV to show off, plus people will probably stay in downtown after the race or come early and frequent bars/restaurants/shopping. I think this is a no brainer.

I know nothing about road construction but I know repaving won't do anything to fix how bumpy the downtown street course will be. They repaved prior to the Grand Prix and the drivers complained it was by far the worst course on the circuit. You would need to take it down a few feet and completely rebuild it. That's not going to happen, at least not by next year and I doubt Penske would want to shell out those millions.