https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/2021-american-festival-of-speed-wants-to-bring-the-glory-of-goodwood-to-pontiac-michigan/ar-BB15FgAh?ocid=msedgdhp
Excellent idea - but I say have it at Circuit of the Americas instead. It's an F1 track, tons of parking, close to the airport, and Texas has better barbeque and mexican food than Michigan. (The fact that I live 20 minutes away is simply a happy coincidence.)
It's hard to argue with that part of michigan for something like this though since it's the epicenter of American automobile history
And no offense to COTA as I worked/volunteered there over 100 days, It has the personality of a dead fish. The track doesn't have the soul of a barber, leguna seca, or VIR. Michigan is very appropriate for this type of event.
In reply to bmw88rider (Forum Supporter) :
Agree. COTA is big nice race track in the middle of a field. And it's berkeleying hot.
Detroit is a good location, but I think the Belle Isle course would maybe be a better choice.
Michigan has better weather. Watkins Glen or Elkhart Lake would be great, but no nearby big airports and probably not enough lodging.
Looking at the link , I do not see any big trees and an old rich guys home......
its just big and flat.......
is there any hills around there for a hill climb ?
But if its old cars I hope they have it and make $$$$ to have it again......
will they have fish and Chips ?
stuart in mn said:
Detroit is a good location, but I think the Belle Isle course would maybe be a better choice.
Agreed. M1 is a neat little track, but there's not a ton of space there, and it's not the prettiest location. Belle Isle would be much better, but there's the issue of closing it down to set up the track, which already creates headaches with the community for the Indycar race.
As much as I'd like this to be local, Road America seems like a better choice.
I'm hoping for some normal in 2021 . . . I'd love a Goodwood type of event.
Understand that this is meant to draw in MORE cars to the world's happiest traffic jam.
I like the idea, even more that it's at M1. Maybe people will all go there and leave Woodward to those who want to cruise!
Historic race calls for a historic track and COTA doesnt have it.
So, what tracks have a history and are close enough to airports and hotels?
One keeps rising to the top to me, though I cant comment to how good the track is... Sebring?
bridgehampton would be perfect but is gone.
Watkins glen has been hosting races since the 50's?
or a flyer in the middle of savannah harbor....
http://www.savannahsportscouncil.com/event/savannah-speed-classic/
The Glenn would be fantastic... if it werent a bit in the middle of nowhere. (as pertains to that large of an event, travel and hotel concerns)
Yeah yeah, Laguna, but I want East Coast! and they have the monterey historics.
I'm not sure why this wouldn't be at either Road America or Indy..
But looks like fun. Goodwood has always looked like a fun event and hope they can be successful in bringing the spirit stateside.
Actually the best place except for the no sunday rule would be Lime Rock Park. But I still think VIR is the most Goodwood like in the US.
M1 has no runoff anywhere and steel or concrete barriers right at the edge of the track. Forget running wheel to wheel - I'd be seriously sketched out by timed runs of motorcycles or open-wheelers.
Holding it at Waterford Hills only a few miles away would be a lot better, especially given that the layout itself is classic.
chaparral said:
M1 has no runoff anywhere and steel or concrete barriers right at the edge of the track. Forget running wheel to wheel - I'd be seriously sketched out by timed runs of motorcycles or open-wheelers.
Holding it at Waterford Hills only a few miles away would be a lot better, especially given that the layout itself is classic.
WHRRI has it's own set of issues around noise restrictions, and there are a few places without a ton of runoff there, too. Trust me...
While the greater Detroit region has the potential to be a great choice for this, I question whether M1 can pull it off from a "vibes" standpoint. I've never been to Goodwood, but I get a sense of what it is not only by the vehicles that are there, but the backdrop it provides. Grass and trees and hay bales and ivy covered historic buildings.
M1 is a new facility in a flat fairly industrial area, with more chain link fences and power poles and pavement surrounding it.
Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:
Apexcarver said:
Historic race calls for a historic track and COTA doesnt have it.
So, what tracks have a history and are close enough to airports and hotels?
One keeps rising to the top to me, though I cant comment to how good the track is... Sebring?
Laguna Seca?
Since it's a celebration of historic cars, you could call it the Historics.
Goodwood is a track, not an event. This is talking about replicating the Festival of Speed, which is more of a high speed flyby and a big car show than a race. That's the Revival.
Another vote for COTA. You will draw more cars from Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, plus surrounding states like Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
How many people live in Detroit these days?
Snowdoggie said:
Another vote for COTA. You will draw more cars from Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, plus surrounding states like Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
How many people live in Detroit these days?
A bit over 4 million in the metro area. With Chicago, Indy, Cleveland, and Cincinnati all within a 4-hour drive. Oh, and also three pretty major car companies you may have heard of, as well as R&D centers for several others.
Tom_Spangler (Forum Supporter) said:
Snowdoggie said:
Another vote for COTA. You will draw more cars from Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, plus surrounding states like Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
How many people live in Detroit these days?
A bit over 4 million in the metro area. With Chicago, Indy, Cleveland, and Cincinnati all within a 4-hour drive. Oh, and also three pretty major car companies you may have heard of, as well as R&D centers for several others.
There are 29 million in the State of Texas. There is a reason the USGP is where it is. We have the airports and the lodging as well.
There are as many registered cars in Texas as in both Illinois and Michigan.
We may have Tesla soon.
The USGP is where it is because Texas paid a bunch of money.
It's an okay F1 track. It has no heritage, it's kinda bland and it's out in the sticks. If you want to give people a reason to travel to this event, there has to be more than just the cars. Watkins Glen would be a lot more appropriate - the reason the Revival is interesting is because the track is frozen in time. If they were running at Silverstone, it would be less involving - and that's a track with a lot more heritage than COTA.
If you're trying to ape the FoS instead of the revival, you don't even need a track. You just need a piece of road where the priceless cars can show off briefly one by one, and a big exhibit area. Lots of potential for that, but it'll be either in the historic Northeast or California.
Cactus
HalfDork
6/19/20 1:20 p.m.
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is kinda similar to the revival. Significantly closer to my house though.