Wouldn't it be great to attract an F1 event? Maybe with the success of BGP, it'll happen one day!

I'm not much of an Indy or F1 fan, but I wish ALMS gets more publicity. I can identify with the ALMS street cars a lot better than Indy/F1; plus it's always great to see Vettes and Porsches looking at an M3s rear spoiler

 

haha yea, it would be a dream for F1 to be in the MD area. They require huge spaces!

I don't follow indy or ALMS at all. But ALMS was much cooler than Indy in person and on TV. I do however follow F1 religiously. The sound and the speed is just amazing. But seeing the ALMS cars is pretty cool.

 

IMO there will very likely never again be another F1 true street circuit other than Monaco (I don’t think Valencia and Singapore really count as “street circuits”). And the royalties etc. Bernie Ecclestone and his clan require it almost takes a sovereign government's backing to get a race. Will be interesting to see how TX does. We're lucky to have the TX people trying their thing even if it is half the country away. It has a lot of st. gov't backing itself. Whoever wants to try and keep F1 coming to U.S. should go to TX race and spend LOTS of money.... and stop supporting NASCAR and NASCAR sanctioned series (i.e. Grand Am). Their stranglehold on motorsports marketing with media conglomerates in U.S. can be a real challenge for competing series / sanctioning bodies, although Rupert Murdoch and Ecclestone apparently are pretty chummy. Supposedly ALMS used to PAY to get on TV! Now that is a tough cookie to chew on. Not sure about now.

And if you haven’t ever seen one, even if you’re not an open wheel fan, go see an F1 race. They make Indy cars look like pig sleds. And the new engine format coming will really be something to see.

I also just hope the Balt. GP can keep it going. Street circuits in U.S. don’t have a good track record of sustainability at all. Only one that has really survived over the years is Long Beach. St. Pete was around for long while but now gone too. Phoenix lasted a bit. D.C. lasted a whole inaugural event. Like so many things, I think it will ultimately come down a lot to politics and general economy / perceptions thereof. I think the Balt. mayor’s craving for publicity and cross-demographic support for upcoming election had a lot to do with getting the race on board (who didn’t even win a mayoral election but got in by procedural default when last elected sweetheart of a gal started stealing foodstamps the first weeks in office). I don’t know how much, but I know the city spent a lot of money to get the race here. I’ve spent some time working in various levels of pro motorsports and I know the history of pay off in terms of overall economic impact etc. for these gov’t supported street circuit type of deals is not favorable….. at all.

But hopefully it has staying power, b/c it was a great event and there is nothing else anything close to like it anywhere nearby and there seems to be plenty of local / area interest and support.

IMO ALSM def. has always needed to do more grassroots type of marketing. If you’ve ever been to a race before, esp. a big one like Sebring or Petite LeMans you’d think the whole world knew about ALMS….. trust me they don’t. They have all these participating mfg.ers that have umpteen bazillion dealerships and car owners around the country and I think they do a **** poor job of leveraging that base. I’d say BMW does the most with leveraging it, but how hard would it be to put a kiosk in each dealership showing at least the schedule or something? I’ve brought it up to Scott Atherton = head of ALMS and his head marketing guy many times and answer is “we don’t have money for that”? …. And I’m sure I got a big “who the F is he?” after I asked them LOL. To me that is a pretty myopic lame reason…. You don’t have money to do that b/c you don’t do things like that.

It would be sooo nice to see Audi comeback to the series in full, and Peugeot for something more than two races…. Maybe Balt. GP will be a big step towards getting it back on track. That would be really nice.

 

I thought most of the funds for creating this circuit was paid for ARRA $$.

 

I am really not trying to detract from the event - the opposite - I think so much more money is wasted on things with zero possibility of positive economic or social impact. And I really hadn't read or heard anything about the funding but I know how these deals work.... they're always the same twist.

I just googled 'balt Grand Prix funding" and below is excerpt from tpyical search return. I'm not vouching for article's precise accuracy but I'm sure Balt. paid a lot, and I'm sure certain bus. and politician's pockets were getting lined in conjunction with... thats just status quo.

Stephanie Rawlings was a year ahead of me at UMD Law School. Her social affinities didn't seem too diverse to me from what I knew of her, if you know what I mean. She married the brother of a high-school friend of mine hence the Blake hyphenation. Her dad passed away not too long ago but was a major state gov't player for many many years, i think he was house speaker for good while.

Ok I digress, mayor's bio info has little to no place on a car forum.... and the event was great... just saying, politcal b.s. has been the death nail to a lot of these type deals across the country. Hopefully not here. All we can do is support it.

Grand Prix boosters race ahead with campaign contributions
$42,400 has been funneled so far to Mayor Rawlings-Blake and other supporters of the race
Fern Shen and Mark Reutter August 25, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Big Public Outlay by Baltimore
Cole tells a by-now well-honed story about his initial skepticism in February 2008 when he met with the Rodger’s Forge man, Steven Wehner, who hatched the idea of bringing Indy-style racing to Baltimore.
Despite obvious challenges – the high cost of the event, the mixed success of similar events in other cities, the need for significant government financial help and likely traffic-snarling street work – the idea won converts.
Cole and others, including then-City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and then-Mayor Sheila Dixon, became firm supporters.
Since then, the city has spent more money on preparations for the Grand Prix than any other city in the U.S. with a similar event, according to most accounts.
In Baltimore and Annapolis – where Gov. Martin O’Malley also took a shine to the project – major government horsepower was harnessed to get the project over the finish line, which organizers estimated would cost about $14 million in all.
The City Council and Board of Estimates approved needed permits and committed $7.75 million in state and federal funds to prepare roads for the race. The Board approved the contract to Flanigan & Sons for the roadwork. The Board also approved a five-year contract with Baltimore Racing Development to put on four more races.
Millions of dollars have been spent on preparing Pratt and other downtown streets for the races.
Note the spectator stands rising on Pratt at Light Street. (Photo by Fern Shen)
The Maryland Stadium Authority last year approved $1.9 million to cover the up-front cost to convert the parking lots at Camden Yards into a pit lane.
When Baltimore Racing Development needed a bailout earlier this year, the state again came through.
Unable to secure a title sponsor just as their $500,000 bond payment to the Stadium Authority was coming due, the race organizers were gifted by the Maryland Economic Development Corp. with an unprecedented $500,000 loan. (Leonard R. Sachs, chairman of MEDC, is an Inner Harbor parking garage operator.)
“It’s Going to Look So Freaking Sexy on TV!”
Whenever they are questioned about this public spending, or about tree removal and traffic snarls caused by race roadwork, city officials have a ready answer: their contention that it will be an economic windfall for the city.
Last week, Mayor Rawlings-Blake told radio talk-show host Marc Steiner that while others might see the Grand Prix as a time for fun and parties, “it’s about jobs and economic development to me.”
Crabs, cars, curves - this race poster shows what the organizers are shooting for. (Grand Prix Facebook page)
With an expected 100,000 visitors coming to the city for the event, Gov. Martin O’Malley has said the race would create 400 jobs and generate $65 million to $70 million in economic benefits.
More recently, the Mayor’s Commission of Sustainability said the race will bring in nearly $250 million over the next five years (or about $50 million per year) and $11 million in tax revenues, again spread over five years.
Those numbers have met with heavy skepticism from some residents, economists and the candidates vying in the upcoming election to wrest the mayoralty from Rawlings-Blake.
Grand Prix boosters have also sought to whip up, in a city with little to no racing fan base, enthusiasm for Indy race cars themselves – “the low-slung, open-wheel rockets driven by stars like Danica Patrick,” as the New York Times put it in a recent peppy story on the event.
One of just five races on the 2011 Izod IndyCar Series schedule to be held on a temporary street courses, Baltimore’s Grand Prix is going to be the racing equivalent of having the Ravens play a home game before a national audience on Monday Night Football, enthused course designer Martyn Thake, at an event last year featuring racing star Al Unser Jr.
“It’s going to look so freaking sexy on TV,” Thake told the Baltimore Sun. “The water, the ships, the buildings.”

 

Here are some videos from the ALMS race on Saturday.

ALMS practice session:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN--fIP_jaQ

ALMS race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b_EuMoxqmU

 

Videos from the Indy Car race on Sunday. The 2nd and 3rd videos are form Grandstand #20 which was the designated seating for the Car Corral folks.



Indy car race: fence seats:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRlkxtOxrqs

Indy car race: through turn 10:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X51goZ6JtgY

Indy car race: turn 11 into 12:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmM4vX7_kGA

 

There has been a lot of debate as to the merits of the Baltimore Grand Prix and the pros and cons of committing to hosting such an event. It being the inaugural event, there were many imperfections, ranging form the inconvenient to the downright inexcusable. There is myriad speculation as to the motivations and legitimacy of securing such an event. To MOST ALL of this mental masturbation there is neither certitude nor evidence; it tends to be mostly rumor, hearsay, and innuendo.

What I, as a three-day participant, choose to focus on is that it was a fun-filled three days over-flowingwith camaraderie, beautiful exotics, and much world-class racing. The chance to participate in such an event may be viewed through a filter of skepticism, complaint, fault-finding, or a more charitable acceptance of the compromise such an undertaking requires. I choose to revel in the enjoyment, make note of some flaws, make recommendations on improvements, and move on, thankful for the opportunity to experience ALMS and Indy Car racing, and doing my very small part to help secure a future for this so that there will be a 'next time' that may be improved upon.

I, for one, am very thankful to have had the opportunity to attend such an event, imperfect as it was, and I am already looking forward to next year.

 

Very nicely said, and the exact sentiment I and I am sure many others had along with you. It was nice meeting you by the way.

 

Dang, Kevin, that was right out of a movie and what I wish I knew how to say. I had a great time and don't care for the deep, deep inner workings of the BGP. Will support it again and again. Just be sure to have a double bridge over to the ALMS paddocks and it'll all be good.

Saw your car but missed you. Next Bull Run, maybe? See ya on the roads.

 

I hope they made some good bank so they'll do it again. Despite the rather significant sang my group ran into with the drugged drinks, the family wants to head back next year.

 

^^^ fraggle what exactly happened...I couldn't understand your texts completely...your wife and drinking buddy bought a drink from an event vendor which was ruffeed and then split that drink with each other and both became sick??

That's horrible, sorry to hear that ...I called you back as soon as got your message to offer any assistance I could in the situation...glad things worked out ok in the end though...

 

I thought the whole event was cool and hope it will be back next year and many more after that. It's great for Baltimore's reputation and from what I gathered from the interviews with drivers it was better attended than some other venues. While I'd much prefer F1 over Indy, I love the ALMS and was really entertained by all of it. They did a good job overall and will do better next year with this experience behind them.

Hopefully PCNA will also.

 

My buddy and wife split a margarita bought at a bar stand near grandstand23. I had a sip, too. I wasn't totally with it either, that's one reason my texts were a mess - and especially after I started putting two and two together. I've NEVER seen my buddy that messed up in 10years and my wife only had two drinks! Lucky I have a liver like an ox, because while my friend and wife passed out, I was still awake to take care of them and my 6 year old. The cops and medics wrote us off as dehydrated and drunk, which was total BS - I must have spent $60 on just lemonade that day and what kind of *** drinks that much when they've got their kid around anyway?? The guys at the ER were a little more inclined to listen.

I actually challenged the bar tent on my way out telling them something was f'd with their stuff, but again I got "well patron is strong" line. Nothing over the counter is that strong.

My wife actually was drugged another time by a bartender about 8 years ago - same effects.

Next time I'm stickin with cans of beer.

 

man sorry to hear that ... I couldn't figure out uour txt kept reading them over and over ... but glad everyone is ok... yeah stick to beer you'll be fine next time...I only had one margerita from the offical Patron tent and bar...it was ok, not strong though