New Brazil IndyCar Race Paying Large Price To Be Part Of Series
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Angstadt Expects Brazil
Race To Be Lucrative |
The IndyCar Series' decision to race at a road track in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, to open next season "promises to be profitable -- for the series and, more importantly, for its teams," according to Robin Miller of SPEEDTV.com. Promoters reportedly are "going to shell out the largest sanction fee ever" -- maybe as much as $6-7M. IndyCar teams will receive "free airfare, rooms and meals" in addition to collecting a "six-figure paycheck -- in the vicinity of $125,00-150,000 -- to make this arduous journey more palatable." IRL Commercial Division President Terry Angstadt: "We've said all along that any foreign races must be lucrative for the league and for our teams and this model in Brazil includes both." Miller wrote the "bottom line is how can Ribeirao Preto spend all this money and be profitable at some point?" That was "always the downfall of CART's away races." However, the fact IndyCar is "going to open the season earlier is a good thing and, if Brazil is a winner for the series and its teams, great." Meanwhile, Miller wrote the fact that there will be a race in Brazil but not Cleveland next season is "disappointing on many levels" and "speaks volumes about the reality of staging an open wheel race in this country." Promoter Mike Lanigan said he does "want to run Cleveland in 2011 and everyone from the Mayor's office on down has been extremely cooperative but the economy isn't helping me." Lanigan: "When I do it, I want to do it the right way and have the proper sponsorship and marketing." Angstadt added, "There's still a high level of interest from Cleveland and we're going to leave the door open for 2011" (SPEEDTV.com, 6/24). In Indianapolis, Curt Cavin wrote he believes the Brazilian deal, "if it's signed, will go a long way to helping the series break even, which would be a huge step forward" (INDYSTAR.com, 6/24).
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