Champ Car to Las Vegas?

UPDATE Is Indy getting a bit worried about losing Champ Car ands its teams? This Indianapolis Business Journal article says, Area motorsports leaders are gearing up for another run at unifying the industry and assuring the region retains its status as one of the world's leading motorsports markets.

Organizers of the latest effort promise they won't spin their wheels this time around. They're casting a wider net–going statewide with a motorsports association–to attract more members and build more clout with the media, local and state lawmakers, and service providers, such as banks and insurance companies.

The Indiana Motorsports Association Inc. was officially launched last month with Gov. Mitch Daniels' blessing, and association leaders hope to have a full-time paid executive director hired by year's end.

"That's when we'll really start pushing our membership drive," said IMA Chairman Chris Paulsen, who is also president of C&R Racing Inc., an Indianapolis-based maker of auto racing components. "We think the interest in this association will be substantial, greater than it ever has been before, especially since we're taking it statewide."

U.S. Auto Club President Rollie Helmling, IMA's vice chairman, thinks at least 50 race teams alone will join the association next year, along with sanctioning bodies such as the Indy Racing League and Champ Car; facilities operators such as Indianapolis Raceway Park; and numerous race-related suppliers, manufacturers and other businesses.

The effort is coming at a critical time, said Mel Poole, president of Sponsorlogic, a Charlotte, N.C.-based motorsports marketing firm.

"With efforts in places like North Carolina, Virginia and Las Vegas attempting to grow their motorsports sectors, suddenly it has become real competitive in trying to attract and retain these types of businesses," Poole said.

11/15/05 AutoRacing1.com is hearing that Champ Car might stay in Indianapolis for three more years and then move the entire operation to Las Vegas in year 4. We hear teams could move too because of the huge tax incentives. Remember that Joe Heitzler hatched this idea several years ago, but at the time, CART had bigger fish to fry.

We suspect that this plan, if true, could be tied into the rumored Champ Car street race in Las Vegas. Just think about the ramifications. NASCAR races in its headquarter town of Daytona Beach, the IRL in Indy, and now possibly Champ Car in Vegas.

And what could the Mayor of Indianapolis do to keep Champ Car and all its teams in Indianapolis? Approve a street race in Indianapolis on Memorial Day weekend (Monday) so Champ Car can race where they are headquartered.