Manchester bids for Champ Cars

[gearboxman]

Headline in this week's Motorsport News.
I must admit that when I saw it I thought it must be April 1st.
Champ Cars don't race in the wet!

[Eric Mc]

Yes they do - only not on ovals.

Maybe they are planning on using the velodrome.

[McNab]

Good point Eric. I've seen a lot of good Champcar races in the wet - one particular thriller with a very close finish was won by Mark Blundell.

Lucky Manchester - it will make up for the loss of the GP to some extent, and Champcars are first-class on street circuits.

[hornet]

McNab said:

Good point Eric. I've seen a lot of good Champcar races in the wet - one particular thriller with a very close finish was won by Mark Blundell.

I remember watching that live on Eurosport - Portland in about 1996 I think? One of those wet/dry/wet/dry races where everyone was on different tyre strategies. Blundell stuck it out on slicks whilst everyone else went to wets, as he thought (correctly, as it transpired) that the track would dry out enough for it to pay off. Remember him being 30 seconds off the lead with about 6 laps left, but lapping 5 seconds a lap quicker. Literally caught the leader coming out of the last corner and just outdragged him to the finish. Classic stuff, and one of the closest non oval finsihes ever recorded I think. Still got it on tape somewhere. I believe that was his first win as well.

A Champcar street race in the UK would be good, especially if they had the BTCC and Tuscans as support races. Would bring back memories of the Birmingham Superprix.

[condor]

Didn't Rockingham build their oval primarily for the Champ cars?

They charged £150 for race day....wonder what Manchester plan to charge.

[steviebee]

condor said:

Didn't Rockingham build their oval primarily for the Champ cars?

Exactly! What's wrong with running them there or even at Brands come to that.

Manchester is an interesting concept but for a series in dire need of consistency, such a move wouldn't help much.

What next? Touring Cars at Milton Keynes! - GTs through Romford?

[LancsDriver]

Reminds me of the superprix races through the centre of Birmingham in the 80s (?).............

Could be good for us up north :-))