2009 Detroit Grand Prix cancelled
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Detroit Sports Car Challenge
We've thoroughly enjoyed covering the Detroit Grand Prix in the last two years (2007 coverage, 2008 coverage), but it looks like this will be our last year at the event -- at least for a while. Roger Penske, who played a key role in returning racing to the Belle Isle Park circuit, announced that the race would not return in 2009, mainly due to the economic challenges plaguing Detroit. "There's no reason at this point to have an event that wouldn't be first-class," Penske told AutoWeek. This comes after a tough few weeks for the ALMS in which both Audi and Porsche announced they would be pulling their racing programs from the series. The ALMS schedule has now been reduced to ten races, with the IRL moving to seventeen.
Gallery: Detroit Grand Prix 08: IndyCars
Gallery: Detroit Sports Car Challenge 08
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 6:20PM (12/18/2008)
That sucks, I was planning on going next year, guess not.
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Mobius_1 6:24PM (12/18/2008)
I just hope I won't be queueing for bread and soup next year...
AZZO45b 7:12PM (12/18/2008)
SPEED's Robin Miller will not lose any sleep over this news... not his favorite track
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Pete 7:23PM (12/18/2008)
Ya, that'll help put Detroit back on it's feet! Think about the money being lost by the city when those teams and visitors go spend all that cash somewhere else!!
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why not the LS2LS7? 7:36PM (12/18/2008)
Completely unshocking. Penske was instrumental in getting this race and Penske left ALMS.
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AZZO45b 12:12AM (12/19/2008)
No Porsche left ALMS & told Penske to save them some $$$ in Grand Am. P2 will be for privateers soon, so future RS Spyders have to be redesigned for P1
Roger doesn't spend his own $$$... The Redwings & the Pistons are having to hustle to get people into the formally sold out arenas. Corporate luxury suites are empty during these games...
... if they are suffering the DGP's corporate potential was D.O.A.
DAlps 7:38PM (12/18/2008)
sadness
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Brian Richardson 8:29PM (12/18/2008)
Glad I made the trip this year, figured tough times ahead could cancel this great event.
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andrew f 8:58PM (12/18/2008)
great event, penske did a fantastic job. Hope to see it brought back. Not much else going for detroit.
Peter 2:15PM (12/19/2008)
I hear there is a great track available in Montreal sometime around the beginning of June.
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