IRL to announce Belle Isle race on Friday

UPDATE #4 So it seems the Belle Isle race will indeed cost the Detroit taxpayers $1.5M according to this Detroit Free Press article. Roger says any profits will be passed back to the city, however rest assured there will be no profits- not with two sanctioning fees to pay. Roger also says he will go to the state to get more money if necessary. All total it could cost taxpayers $5M to $10M because attendance on Belle Isle will never be enough to pay for all the costs it will take to set up that circuit.

09/29/06 This rumor is upgraded to 'fact' with today's announcement.

09/28/06 Another reader writes, Dear AutoRacing1.com, So let me see if I've got this right – if all goes according to plan, soon the IRL schedule will have stops at Homestead, St. Pete, Michigan, Montreal, Motegi, Mid-Ohio, and Belle Isle? Why don't they just call the series CART Redux? The false "Vision" can be seen as the mirage it truly was now! Eric Zehnbauer, Palm Bay, FL

Dear Eric, Let's not forget the other former CART venues that the IRL has been or still is going to – Watkins Glen, Fontana, Phoenix, and New Hampshire. Mark C.

09/28/06 A reader asks, With the expected announcements of Mid-Ohio, Montreal and Belle Isle, tell me again why Tony George started the IRL? Arno Fritz, Milwaukee, WI

Dear Arno, It was, and always will be, about control of the sport. CART had it, and Tony George wanted it. Mark C.

09/28/06 We have it on good word that the IRL will announce a race on Belle Isle in the Detroit River, site of CART Champ Car races in the early 90's thru 2001, tomorrow at noon (EDT) in Detroit at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Roger Penske and officials from the IRL are expected to be in attendance. The rumor is that the race will be held on Labor Day weekend. Having failed in their original business model with all rural oval track events, the IRL is now trying to copy CART/Champ Car's urban race model. When all the big names were in the sport and when CART was going strong, this race did not draw a large attendance. What has changed in Detroit to make the IRL think this race will be a success this time around?