The Cleveland Grand Prix was the Highest Rated TV Broadcast of the series in the US

 

www.clevelandairport.com/Portals/Documents/2005_Grand_Prix.pdf

 

www.grandprixofcleveland.com

From another thread.........

On the walk back I got interview by Channel 5 on the possible closing of the Cleveland Grand Prix??  I was damn cold, so I hope I don't sound too stupid on the 5 o'clock news tonight.

 

I'm looking at a race schedule for some other things, we have it confirmed to take place until 2012.

 

What was this interview about??

He said there is a proposed merger of leagues in the near future, which would create the need to trim locations to all fit into one schedule.  Apparently Cleveland is on the list to be eliminated if this happens....all this according to the Channel 5 reporter.

I know a bit about this.  (Some years ago, in fact, I wrote the cover story for the Scene on that year's race)

 

Basically this is a really big deal in the open wheel racing world.  *opinion* - Tony George is a selfish b*stard who basically took the IMS and created his own series of smaller races around the Indy to support it.  He didn't like the rules in Champ Car and wanted to run mostly US races with mostly US drivers.  It created a lot of confusing and splintering of the sponsorship money, tracks and drivers and has been nothing but a headache for race fans.  Within a few short years both leagues were suffering and everyone is glad they are finally talking about merging back together.  As usual, there are problems and growing pains to work out in contract negotiations but I have faith they'll work things out - it basically means the survival of CART/open wheel at this point.  JMO but I don't see Cleveland being knocked out.  It's a very well attended race.

Well, I stand corrected. It's been knocked out for this year.  They claim it's this year only.  I can only hope that's true.

Well, this really sucks.  I'm not a big racing fan, but I did enjoy attending the race here.  It had to be a decent boost to the economy here as well.  Hopefully we will see the series return next year.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3259364&type=story

 

After 12 years of conflict, IRL and Champ Car merge

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press

 

Indy Car racing has finally gotten together.

 

The Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series signed a deal Friday to unify the two American open-wheel circuits, bringing them under the umbrella of the IRL.

 

[sNIP!]

Read more at http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/06/city_officials_make_pitch_to_r.html

 

City officials make their pitch to revive lakefront IRL race for 2009 open-wheel season

 

 

By Elton Alexander

June 11, 2008 18:33PM

 

In a quiet, yet high-powered, round of presentations and meetings, Indy Racing League officials heard from Cleveland political and civic leaders Wednesday afternoon about the importance of putting the Grand Prix of Cleveland back on the open wheel racing calendar for 2009.  Since the IRL and Champ Car merged in February, many races -- including Cleveland -- were bumped off the schedule.  But the IRL also said 2009 will offer a chance for several events to get back on the slate.  Cleveland is among a number of cities trying to make the cut, including Toronto, Portland, Houston and Mexico City.

 

When Bobby Rahal crashes a meeting in support of a track, that says something. I think Cleveland will be back on the schedule next year. Not a wise decision to cut a race well liked by drivers & owners. Hopefully one of those big Cleveland companies will step up as title sponsor.

2009 Schedule is out. Cleveland Not Included. http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/indycar/news/story?id=3511344

Grand Prix of Cleveland auto race won't be included on 2010 Indy Racing League schedule

by Elton Alexander / Plain Dealer Reporter

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 11:15 AM

 

 

 

The Grand Prix of Cleveland will not be on the Indy Racing League schedule for 2010, even though the IRL clearly wants to be on the North Coast.

 

"From what we have been told by the promoter, both the city and event supporters feel the timing would be challenging," John Lewis, the IRL's vice president for marketing and Development, said this morning in an e-mail.

 

 

More at Cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/06/grand_prix_of_cleveland_auto_r.html

I remember a while back when the IRL wanted to set up a temporary oval at Burke Lakefront.

I really hope we can find a way to bring this back before it's too late:

 

Is time running out on reviving Cleveland's tradition of open-wheel racing?

Published: Sunday, July 11, 2010, 1:30 AM

Elton Alexander, The Plain Dealer

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Change is coming to the Indy Racing League. However, will Cleveland be a part of it?

 

By 2012, the IRL will unveil a new chassis and engine package that figures to be cutting edge. With new internal management and an aggressive new title sponsor in Izod, the IRL is out to jump-start its image and its open-wheel product.

 

All parties -- the city of Cleveland, the IRL and Mi-Jack Promotions -- agree, it's about money. Specifically, finding a title sponsor willing to offset what industry sources say can be a $6 million project annually to set up, tear down, pay fees and administrative costs, and more for the race at Burke Lakefront Airport.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/autoracing/index.ssf/2010/07/is_time_running_out_on_revivin.html

I'd say it's about time to update this thread :).  I'm hoping the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is involved?

 

Indy returning to Cleveland airport?

 

Apr 6th 2015 at 8:29AM

 

The South may be NASCAR country, but in the Midwest, it's all about Indy: this season, the open-wheel series will host two races at Indianapolis, another in Detroit, one in Milwaukee, one in Iowa and one at Mid-Ohio. That's already six out of the sixteen races on the 2015 calendar, but the Buckeye State could be set to host another in the heartland in the near future.

 

Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport on the shores of Lake Eerie hosted Champ Car races every year without exception from 1982 through 2007. The event was a fan favorite, but after the Champ Car World Series re-merged with the Indy Racing League to make today's IndyCar Series, the event was dropped from the calendar. Following an eight-year gap, however, discussions are reportedly underway to bring the race back to the lakeside airport.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/06/indy-cleveland-airport-return-report/