Spain on 2008 Champ Car schedule
11/04/07
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Aerial Photo of Jerez, Spain Track |
This rumor is upgraded to 'strong' as AutoRacing1.com sources tell us that the 2008 Champ Car schedule to be released Monday afternoon will look very close to the following with the series returning to Portland (under new management), but in July instead of June, and Zolder, Belgium (also under new management) back paired with a new race in Spain in June. A race in Nurburgring that was previously rumored is not going to happen as we doubt Bernie Ecclestone would ever let Champ Car on one of his F1 tracks in Europe.
Approximate 2008 Champ Car Schedule
1. Long Beach, CA………………..April 18-20, 2008
2. Houston, TX…………………..April 25-27, 2008
3. Laguna Seca, CA ………………May 16-18, 2008
4. Zolder, Belgium……………….May 30 – Jun.1, 2008
5. Jerez, Spain………………….June 6-8, 2008
6. Cleveland, Ohio……………….June 20-22, 2008
7. Mt. Tremblant, Canada………….June 27-29, 2008
8. Toronto, Canada……………….July 4-6, 2008
9. Edmonton, Canada………………July 18-20, 2008
10.Portland, OR………………….July 25-27, 2008
11.Elkhart Lake, WI………………August 8-10, 2008
12.Assen, Holland………………..September 12-14, 2008
13.Surfers Paradise, Australia.. ….October 24-26, 2008
14.Mexico City, Mexico……………November 7-9, 2008
11/04/07 In this original rumor back on September 3rd we told you we spotted a Spanish TV crew at Assen surveying the TV production facilities. Now we hear that when the 2008 Champ Car schedule gets released, possibly this week (Monday), a race in Spain is a good possibility. Word is that the Las Vegas race may be gone, which we predicted when all the bundled safety tires burned weeks after the event while in storage.
We hear 5 USA races, 3 Canada, 3 Europe, 1 Mexico, 1 Australia, and 1 in the Middle East. If Champ Car wants to be a global product, the 2008 schedule certainly will reflect that. Now it remains to be seen whether they know how to market a global product.
What a 14-race schedule might look like
Long Beach, CA………………..April 18-20, 2008
Houston, TX…………………..April 25-27, 2008
Laguna Seca, CA ………………May 16-18, 2008
Nurburgring, Germany…………..June, 2008
Spain………………………..June, 2008
Cleveland, Ohio……………….June 20-22, 2008
Mt. Tremblant, Canada………….June 27-29, 2008
Toronto, Canada……………….July 4-6, 2008
Edmonton, Canada………………July 18-20, 2008
Elkhart Lake, WI………………August 8-10, 2008
Assen, Holland………………..September 12-14, 2008
Dubai, UAE……………………October, 2008
Surfers Paradise, Australia.. ….October 24-26, 2008
Mexico City, Mexico……………November 7-9, 2008
09/03/07 Whether it was wishful thinking or just a guess we do not know, but a program that was handed out in the Champ Car Club this weekend had a partial 2008 schedule printed in it. Unchanged from '07 were the first three races – Las Vegas, Long Beach and Houston, all in April. Zolder was listed in June paired with a race in Germany (venue not listed – any number are possibilities) while the date shown for Assen remained on the same weekend as in '07. It was not paired with another European race yet. We have heard anywhere from Italy, Greece, Spain and England are possibilities. We spotted a race promoter from Spain checking out the TV production facilities. With F1 having both Barcelona and Valencia locked up, we wonder if it was possibly Jerez or the permanent facility in Valencia as Bernie is bringing his circus to a street circuit. The partial schedule also listed Phoenix on the same weekend as this year, but of course the program was printed prior to the Phoenix race being torpedoed. Portland was not listed. The remainder of the schedule looked similar to 2007 – holes and all.