Chris Christie helps land Formula 1 Race

[dbacks fan]

The plan is for the first race to be held in 2013, with a ten year agreement, and options beyond the ten years.

http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/18227/7264682/Official-confirms-plans-for-New-Jersey-GP

[Red Arrow]

I went (as a spectator) to several GP races in the early and mid 70s when they were held at Watkins Glen, NY.  They were fun to watch.  We used to pick a spot, watch for a while, then move to another spot.  Watkins Glen in early October was really pretty too.

[Conan71]

Wonder what ever happened to the Meadowlands as a viable venue?

[dbacks fan]

Wonder what ever happened to the Meadowlands as a viable venue?

It started out decent, but people lost interest in it since it was mainly in parking lots instead of an actual temporary street course.

The inaugural event's purse of $536,000 made it the richest race in CART history apart from Indianapolis.[6] The race carried high expectations, was televised nationally, and came on the heels of high-profile successes at former Formula One events in Long Beach and Las Vegas. A crowd of 50,000 was expected.[3] During practice and qualifying, drivers criticized the tight nature of the course.[7][8] The race began on a damp track, and Mario Andretti led all 100 laps to win.[9] Despite the rainy weather, 34,388 spectators watched the race.[6]

The 1985 event saw better weather and better attendance, but still fell short of expectations.[10] The organizers signed a 3-year contract to continue the race, but the circuit's parking lot nature, giving neither the park-like setting of a natural terrain road course nor the atmosphere of a downtown street race, began to draw criticism from drivers and journalists.[11] In 1988, officials changed the layout to a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) semi-oval layout in an attempt to improve sight lines for spectators, and the race attracted a record 45,025.[12] In addition, new race sponsor Marlboro offered a $1 million bonus for any driver who could win at the Meadowlands, Michigan, and the Marlboro Challenge in Miami in the same season;[13] no driver would ever win the bonus.

Despite the new layout and increasing purses, attendance dipped and the race failed to turn a profit.[14] The promoters considered moving the event to Washington, D. C., Miami, or Englishtown, New Jersey. The race was eventually scheduled for 1992 on a circuit in Manhattan on the roads surrounding the World Trade Center and West Street. The race was postponed until 1993 then cancelled due to cost and conflicts between sponsor Marlboro and Mayor David Dinkins' anti-tobacco advertising policies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlands_Grand_Prix

[Breadburner]

There is one in Austin next year I belive....

[Conan71]

There is one in Austin next year I belive....

It's F-1. Without a Bacon, Stewart, Kinser, Swindell, Schatz, Jones, etc. in the field who really cares?