Grand Prix of Boston

[JeffDowntown]

Time to update the thread title?

[JohnAKeith]

"Welcome to the Seaport - Boston's Live, Work, Play neighborhood" ... "Well, not Live, really."

[Arenacale]

Brief update from IndyCar boss Mark Miles yesterday that the race may not be the season finale as the organizers wanted Labor Day and now IndyCar is looking at a race or 2 after that date in 2016 (most likely Fontana, which did not draw well this past weekend): http://www.motorsport.com/indycar/ne...ca-may-return/

[Arenacale]

IndyCar Boston has named the first three promotional partners for the race: Herb Chambers, Polar, and the Westin by the BCEC: http://motorsports.nbcsports.com/201...st-3-partners/

They're on the list to be at the Southie Street Festival on Saturday, hoping to pop over and check it out.

[Arenacale]

NZR Consulting, who handles track design and logistics for most street circuits, was out earlier in the week looking over things. The pits will be built in the grass strip between the Bypass and Convention Center, with turn 1 being the left hand onto West Service Road Ext: https://twitter.com/NZRConsulting/st...03340671275008 and https://twitter.com/NZRConsulting/st...03688764936192 . That also puts Start/Finish on that side of the track. Looks like a great passing zone headed into Turn 1, so front straight seats could be a great option.

Also, they will set up screens down by the World Trade Center for the yacht/boat crowd: https://twitter.com/NZRConsulting/st...09745218318336

[JohnAKeith]

Great news.

The organizers have GOT to do something about the 437 D situation. The cars will come out directly at that building, a condo building. 16-foot tall barriers be damned, they aren't going to be enough to make owners in that building convinced that nothing bad could happen.

Beyond that, everything looks good.

[meddlepal]

Don't get too excited: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201...DOM/story.html

[meddlepal]

Prediction: this contract will be terminated after year 1. Boston will have to pay whatever the early termination penalty is.

[JohnAKeith]

LOL, is the "theoretical" Grand Prix title of this thread still accurate? Yes, there's drama right now but it is scheduled.

[statler]

Fixed

[Arenacale]

https://twitter.com/IndyCarBoston/st...35880520474624

[Arenacale]

Massport and the organizers seem to be on the same page: http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nati....html#comments

[JohnAKeith]

Of course the event will cost the city money, and the city tax revenue raised won't cover it. I don't know why the mayor is hedging on this. They have to do a lot of street work - a lot of it, every year - and it's unlikely that will pay for itself. The mayor needs to control the conversation. He always seems to be reacting, not being proactive.

Added cost I just learned about: paving over railroad tracks b/c obviously the cars have to have a flat surface.

[Scalziand]

Really? They're fine going over tracks on other street courses.

[JohnAKeith]

I took my comment based on what I (thought I) read about Baltimore plus what I read in the back and forth emails b/w two groups but perhaps I'm wrong. The manhole covers for sure, obv.

Whoops.

Lol. The exact opposite of my claim, I guess.

[rinserepeat]

This race is a known money loser. The only reason they keep it going is because sponsors pay to keep it afloat. Walsh is in for a rude awakening when the numbers wont pan out. Plus not only is he getting resistance from the people who live on D street, that weekend when they hold it he'll get noise complaints from people as far away as Chinatown and Savin hill. I grew up with the Detroit Grand Prix. It is a really bad fit for this city. Even in the motor city the event doesn't really attract that many people

[Arenacale]

Tony Cotman on the track, and logistics: http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/12...circuit-layout

[JohnAKeith]

Vroom Vroom. There was an IndyCar in the valet circle at the Seaport Hotel, today (second level). I think it was #16, not sure whose that is, if anyone's. Not sure if it's there for more than today.

Was smaller than I expected.

[Arenacale]

Originally Posted by JohnAKeith

Vroom Vroom. There was an IndyCar in the valet circle at the Seaport Hotel, today (second level). I think it was #16, not sure whose that is, if anyone's. Not sure if it's there for more than today.

Was smaller than I expected.

It's no driver's in particular, they use the year number on their show cars (the race is in '16...get it?), though traditionally #16 has been used for Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan's second car.

If it's still there today I might drop by quick and take a photo, did they change the livery from the ex-Verizon Penske black?

[JohnAKeith]

From Joan Vennochi at the Boston Globe

FUN, FUN, FUN.

That seems to be Boston’s new motto. But, to live up to it, do we really need a high speed, IndyCar race clogging up the Seaport with crowds and exhaust fumes?

As Boston booms, it’s loosening up its stodgy Grande Dame attitude about city life.

The Lawn on D Street? Awesome. Artificial turf and plastic chairs on City Hall Plaza? All good.

But race cars rocketing around the waterfront at 180 mph, revving up engines to noise levels as high as 140 decibels?

The bid elicited a citywide conversation about Boston’s future, and the challenge now is to keep that forward-looking energy going.

It’s certainly more Indianapolis than Athens of America, if that’s the preferred image of Boston 2.0. But this makeover is a mess.

Column continues ... http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2...loI/story.html