IRL may add 18th race to ’07 schedule
GULFPORT – City Hall is working a deal to bring professional auto racing to Jones Park, but one councilwoman seems to have her foot, at least gently, on the brakes.
The Indy Racing League, which features famed drivers Danica Patrick and Michael Andretti and team owner David Letterman, has announced plans to add another event to its 2007 schedule, and Gulfport appears to have won the race of cities hoping to land it.
The IRL reportedly has been in talks with Dallas-based Marquis Sports Marketing, which wants to bring the race to South Mississippi. The plan is to race on a temporary road course through Jones Park for about three years and, if the races are a success, build a permanent speedway somewhere in the city, making Gulfport an annual stop on the IRL circuit.
"The location in Gulfport is just wonderful and that's why the Gulfport-Biloxi area was our selection," said Stephen Kaminski, a spokesman for the marketing firm. "Hopefully we can get this approved within the next 24 hours and once we do the big announcement down there, then people are going to really understand exactly how big this is."
Councilwoman Ella Holmes-Hines expressed concern this week over a full-blown, 180-mph road race through Jones Park, which is under a restricted-deed agreement, preventing the exchange of money in some areas. More at Sun Herald
02/23/07 Jones Park is under consideration for an exhibition race in this year's IRL circuit. If the race is a success, a permanent speedway could be built for Gulfport. GULFPORT – City Hall is working a deal to bring professional auto racing to Jones Park, but one councilwoman seems to have her foot, at least gently, on the brakes.
The Indy Racing League, which features famed drivers Danica Patrick and Michael Andretti and team owner David Letterman, has announced plans to add another event to its 2007 schedule, and Gulfport appears to have won the race of cities hoping to land it.
The IRL reportedly has been in talks with Dallas-based Marquis Sports Marketing, which wants to bring the race to South Mississippi. The plan is to race on a temporary road course through Jones Park for about three years and, if the races are a success, build a permanent speedway somewhere in the city, making Gulfport an annual stop on the IRL circuit.
"The location in Gulfport is just wonderful and that's why the Gulfport-Biloxi area was our selection," said Stephen Kaminski, a spokesman for the marketing firm. "Hopefully we can get this approved within the next 24 hours and once we do the big announcement down there, then people are going to really understand exactly how big this is."
Councilwoman Ella Holmes-Hines expressed concern this week over a full-blown, 180-mph road race through Jones Park, which is under a restricted-deed agreement, preventing the exchange of money in some areas.
According to the 1935 deed, ownership of the land reverts to Jones family heirs if the property is ever used commercially, meaning the city would have to strategically place any merchandise and ticket sales outside of the restricted area.
City attorney Harry Hewes is sifting through details of the agreement this week, hoping to figure exactly what the city can and can't do when it comes to racing in the park.
If a deal can be hammered out soon, City Hall hopes to schedule this year's race for the second weekend in October, a week after the annual Cruisin' the Coast event. An IRL race could generate as much as $2.1 million for the state and about $500,000 in Gulfport, according to city estimates.
IRL spokesman John Griffin told the Sun Herald the league would consider adding to its current 17-race schedule with a road race. Currently the IRL has just two road races. The other 15 are on more conventional, oval racetracks.
"We are open to the idea of adding another road race to our schedule," he said. "Those types of events could enhance our schedule long term."
Griffin said the IRL eventually would need to review the track layout and design in Jones Park, but before it gets to that point, he said, "a lot depends on the local government."
John Kelly, the city's chief of operations, said City Hall has asked the City Council for it's blessing to continue the negotiations and he hopes to have a green light in the next few days.
"First, we want to make sure we don't violate the restrictive deed in Jones Park, and we don't think we will," Kelly said. "If the council approves it, we will go back to (Marquis Sports Marketing) in the next few days and notify them of our interest." Sun Herald
12/15/06 Indy cars are on the road to helping revitalize the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. If a Dallas-based sports marketing company can coordinate the infrastructure in time, the Indy Racing League will sanction a street course race in Biloxi, Miss., next September or October. Larry Cahill, a former IRL team owner who is a partner in Marquis Sports Marketing, is so certain the race will happen, he has organized a two-car, full-season Indy-car team to boost it. "I'm an owner of that track, and that (event) will happen," he said Thursday. Cahill Racing has signed sports car driver Milka Duno, a female from Venezuela, and is nearing a deal with sprint car driver Jeff Matrisin. IRL spokesman John Griffin confirmed the league's interest in the Biloxi project, although he said it will be a non-points race initially because of existing contracts. Seventeen races will count toward determining the 2007 championship, which concludes Sept. 9 at Chicagoland Speedway. Indy Star