REPORT: Plans under way for harborfront IndyCar Grand Prix in Baltimore
Racing fans looking for that Monaco or Long Beach-style harbor-front open-wheel racing experience on the East Coast of the United States will be pleased to learn that plans are under way to bring an IndyCar street race to Baltimore's picturesque Inner Harbor. The plan, still being assessed by local officials, would involve a four-day event at the end of the summer (book-ending the season started by the Indy 500) for at least five years starting in 2011.
Baltimore Racing Development is bringing in consultants, including two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr., to evaluate the prospect, which would be based around a track running through downtown Baltimore, past Camden Yards and Oriole Park, along the Inner Harbor by the National Aquarium and past the Maryland Science Center. Organizers are looking at Indy races in St. Petersburg, Toronto and Long Beach as their model, projecting some $100 million in tourism revenue from 150,000 visitors during an four-day event that would eclipse the Preakness Stakes horse race as the biggest racing event in the area. Thanks to hoov23 for the tip!
[Source: The Baltimore Sun | Image: Stephen Munday/ALLSPORT/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
~D. 7:35AM (7/09/2009)
HELL
YES
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Derek 8:13AM (7/09/2009)
Haha! That was literally the same thing I said to myself when I read the headline. Living 15 minutes outside of Baltimore I cannot wait for this to happen!
Mike 9:05AM (7/09/2009)
My first thoughts were F**K YEAH but I am right there with you...
I have been waiting for a decent open wheel street course on the blue portion of the East Coast ever since I first discovered motor sport. I'll be making my way down from Rhode Island for this without a doubt.
Protzenegger 9:50AM (7/09/2009)
Maryland FTW! One more reason to head up to Inner Harbor for the weekend.
Shipey 10:15AM (7/09/2009)
OH HELL YEAH
+1
yomama84 10:41AM (7/09/2009)
I live 15 minutes away from the harbour...this would be grreeeaattt. BRING IT!!!!
Jared 11:07AM (7/09/2009)
Jacksonville would be a far more beautiful city to do that in then Baltimore. The 4 bridges and the nice Florida weather. The only problem would be population isn't as dense down here as in Baltimore.
audi_arena 12:39PM (7/09/2009)
FREAKIN AWESOME
MK 1:12PM (9/14/2009)
My wife's family lives up in Ballamore... I'm so there if this happens!
Joe K. 7:40AM (7/09/2009)
Hopefully we can drink in the infield...
I'm in NJ and have made the trip to the 500 a couple of times. I would certainly go to this.
I love road racing, and anything that could make it more popular in the US is a good thing.
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Davin Black 3:47PM (7/09/2009)
"Hopefully we can drink in the infield..." LOL@Preakness; this cracked me up :-p One can only hope, brother.
My plans to move to B'More have sped up solely because of this happening.
ederer62 7:43AM (7/09/2009)
A race through the streets is cool, but generating $100 Mil.? It's a nice idea.
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RG 7:48AM (7/09/2009)
Friggin' AWESOME. That would be a hell of a weekend.
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RG 7:51AM (7/09/2009)
Maybe they should try to include F1 in the discussions. An F1 road race in Baltimore would drag people down from DC, Philly and NYC. Not to mention the mass transit train lines in place to ease congestion.
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Jim 9:27AM (7/09/2009)
I feel sorry for Baltimore residents/commuters. Traffic congestion in this area is already horrible.
Hopefully they have some good security for the event as well, Baltimore at night isn't somewhere I would want to be alone.
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John P. 8:12AM (7/09/2009)
Great Idea! Especially since I live 20 minutes away. I'd definitely go see this.
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Phil L. 8:22AM (7/09/2009)
I live within half an hour of the Inner Harbor. Bring it, and I will be there!
I went to the (only) National Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. (the ALMS held an event on a temporary track created in the RFK parking lot in 2002 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Grand_Prix_of_Washington_D.C. ). It was hardly an ideal setting - but the event was still a lot of fun, and I would have loved to see it continue.
This would rock!
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Flat4 8:55AM (7/09/2009)
Since Montreal was dropped from the F1 calendar this year all I have to look forward to this year is superbikes @ NJ Motorsports Park.
This is great news for us on the East Coast!!!
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cjdabb 8:34AM (7/09/2009)
Um... I drive these roads every day... I hope there is a MASSIVE injection of cash to fix the streets... and perhaps you could get an updated photo? That is no where near what the inner harbor looks like... perhaps circa 1970?
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lotusman91 10:48AM (7/09/2009)
FYI- That is a current picture. You can see Ravens stadium in the background.