motorsport travel news - 2003

Here's some motorsport venue news that I've collected in my research for grand prix cities over the years. From here you can go back in the history of this fine website and you'll find tidbits of travel information, exciting changes to motorsport schedules especially venues and other website news that might be of interest for the sports traveler, a kind of blog of thoughts and ambitions. Of interest might be if some of my predictions are true. Not many consultants want their chrystal balls out in the open, but here goes. Knock yourself out. If you've got some news that you'd like me to add to the current news page, let me know via the contact link in the left column.
As always, Godspeed on your motorsport adventures! Cvetko Ostroznik.

This is an Archive News page: Find current Motorsport Travel News

2003 Menu: News appears in reverse chronological order - last news first.
January-June 2003
July-August 2003 (this page)
September-October 2003
October 2003-December 2003

2003 motorsport travel news


AUGUST 2003

> * 083103: Kurtkoy, (suburb of Istanbul) Turkey agrees to pay $13.5M per year for right to hold Turkish F1 Grand Prix. 7 year contract signed. First event will be held in 2005. Kurtkoy Circuit to cost $70M. Ground breaking set for September this year. Was set for June but there was some danger to local butterflies in the circuit area that needed to be researched. Source: SABCNews South Africa. See my Istanbul Park Circuit Guide featuring hotels and travel information.

> * 083003: Jarno Truli and Fernando Alonso to demonstrate their Renault F1 cars on Moscow Streets Saturday October 18, 2003. Source: Motorsport.com

> * 082803: Malaysian Government bullied into allowing Sepang Circuit (which they run) to display Tobacc0 ads until 2006 to kids around the world who like to watch MotoGP racing. No one (dares to be) heard complaining. Source: utusan.com.my (a government sanctioned local news source). (P.S) Local Organizers are now free to continue running out of food and cold drinks at noon on their MotoGP race day, and ignoring other much more serious stuff on their F1 Grand Prix weekends.

> * 082703: Get free tickets to Denver Grand Prix Friday free race activities from Bridgestone.

> * 082703: NHRA® Sport Compact Nationals (Sep 6 & 7, 2003) at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California.

> * 082603: Four possible New York City NASCAR® sites closer to the realm of possibility. Including the Aquaduct Raceway near JFK Airport Source : >News Journal Now - Carolina

> * 082603: A local Denver Post writer disses Denver GPas an ill-fated farce around "the can". If you're feeling farcical and going to the Grand Prix of Denver. You can find hotels near the Pepsi Center + Tickets.

> * 082603: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Click for a Full Indy Travel GUide) adds more infield seating for their September 2003 F1 USGP event. Find Indianapolis Speedway Tickets

> * 082203: Montreal Events Listing & fan fun for this weekend's Champ Car event See also my full Montreal Motorsport travel guide

> * 082303: Work begins on Kurtkoy/Istanbul Turkish Grand Prix track in September this year for a 2005 event date. Source: Turkish Press

> * 082203: Grand Prix of Denver may generate $17 Million US, says Mayor. Source: Rocky Mountain News

> * 082203: America's foremost racing radio host, Larry Henry, offers this week that the only person in the U.S. who may still care where the ill fated F1 circus might be welcome in the country is Las Vegas Casino operator Steve Wynn. Could this mean we'll be seeing a Hermann Tilke designed casino parking lot? Tickets to this weekend's Hungarian GPnear Budapest down by 33%. Find Hotels near Hungaroring Circuit

> * 081903: Sears Point Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California (near SF) completes it's repaving and massive renovations. Will this bring the track one step closer to becoming the second U.S F1 destination ? I wonder...

> * 081903: Kentucky Speedway still hoping for 2004 NASCAR® event Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

> * 081803: Spa Francorchamps, Belgium to host 2004 Belgian F1 event. Source: F1-Live
> * 081703: Finally, the IRL IndyCar Series Schedule is set! But wait, there may be more, perhaps Long Beach, Calif., Mexico City or Montreal. Does this mean? Could it mean?

> * 081603: What if Montreal Grand Prix organizers finally thought the local public were worth considering and held a rally to get their backing to save the dumped cash cow? And what if less that 200 people showed up? Would that mean that the Canadian Government, Ernie Becklestone, and the local population didn't give a rat's a$$ about what the organizers thought, or if the series, whose attendances are flagging, would ever set foot on North American soil again? Source: Canada East. P.S. Almost 1/3 of the crowd at Sunday's Brooklyn, Michigan NASCAR event were from Canada! Source: My own eyes!

> * 081303: Musicians (inlcluding Hank Williams Jr. & Wayne Newton) are preparing for the awesome Winston Cup Extreme Tribute Party at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 7, 2003, ahead of the UAW-GM Quality 500 race October 11. Source: Charlotte.com. Find Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets and Hotels near Lowes Motor Speedway (and all NASCAR racing Venues)

> * 081303: Hyberabad, India, has high hopes of holding F1™ race sometime in the future, and becoming a high tech center (Cyberabad?). Efforts fueled by Malaysian Airports to try to recoup the zillions lost in the ill-fated Malaysian Motorsports tourism project. Hyberabad to hold UIM Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship event in 2004. Source: Grand Prix.com Find Hotels in India & Malaysia

> * 081203: Bunbury, South-Western West Australia to create an F1™ standard International Motorsport circuit. Will it steal the event from Melbourne when the contract expires? Source: ABC NEWS - Australia

> * 081103: Champ Car shakes up it's 2004 schedule. Several destinations confirmed, several dumped, but no firm dates yet. Source: ESPN

> * 081003: Champ Car™ doesn't renew contract for Cleveland Grand Prix with IMG. Future of race and CART in doubt. Source: Cleveland Plains Dealer

> * 080903: Mid-Ohio and Champ Car do a perfunctory last dance. Loveless marriage in the midst of a potentially messy divorce. ALMS consoles this grand prix city with a date in 2004 . Source: my own eyes.

> * 080803: Mr. Ecclestone and his buds butt out Montreal after 25 years because Quebec won't let them sell nicotine products. Sad. Source: Canada News Wire

> * 080803: Milwaukee Mile gets an IRL IndyCar Race, July 25, 2004. Source: IRL

> * 080703: Kentucky Speedway and city of Newport to host IndyCar Series IRL Festival of Speed August 14 Source: IRL Press office

> * 080703: Indianapolis USGP 2003 ticket holders offered Formula One™ Pitwalk. Find F1 Tickets. Source: IMS Press office

> * 080703: Darlington Raceway in South Carolina , to race NASCAR event under lights in 2004? Source: sptimes.com. Find Hotels near Darlington Raceway & Darlington Raceway NASCAR Tickets

> * 080703: Bahrain F1 Circuit drawing closer to completion. April date? Source: Gulf Daily News

> * 080603: NASCAR to travel to Mexico City? Source: Charlotte Observer. Find Mexico Hotels and Mexico Airport Hotels

> * 080503: Spa-Francorchamps and Donington Park to feature on F1 Schedule? Source: Motorsport.com

> * 080403: Will Pikes Peak to lose it's IRL race in 2004? Will there be a 2004 Grand Prix of Denver ? . Source: Denver Post

> * 080403: What goes into scheduling an F1 calendar year? Source: grandprix.com

> * 080403: Donington Park Circuitready to step in and take over British F1 Grand Prix from Silverstone Circuit? Source: Guardian. Be prepared find Hotels near Donington Park or Hotels near Silverstone

> * 080103: 2004 F1™ USGP™ at Indianapolis Motor Speedway moved to June Date.

JULY 2003

> * 073103: Birmingham, Alabama's Barber Motorsport Park will NOT have U.S. MotoGP™ Grand Prix in 2004. Perhaps 2005. Source: MotoGP.com. Find Hotels near Barber Motorsport Park in Leeds Alabama or Birmingham Airport Hotels BHM. For that matter, find all Alabama Hotels

> * 073103: Las Vegas Motor Speedway loses 2004 IndyCar IRL event but keeps NASCAR . Source: IndyStar. Find Hotels near LVMS and Las Vegas Motor Speedway NASCAR tickets

> * 073003: Shanghai International Circuit on track for 2004 inagural Formula 1 Grand Prix. Check current F1 Dates Source: focusf1.com

> * 072503: History of Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina . Source: wsoctv

> * 072403: Hungaroring set for accellerated growth. A touch of repaving might be a nice start. Source: Budapest Sun

> * 072303: Spa-Francorchamps could again be one of the elite F1 destinations. Source: ESPN. Find Hotels near Spa Circuit

> * 071503: Hyderabad, India "on track" to host an F1!™ race, says Mr. Ecclestone. Source: iafrica Find a Hotel in India

> * 071403: Bahrain looks forward to a boom in 2004! Source: grandprix.com

> * 070803: Indianapolis USGP F1 event could change dates to June: Source: f1.racing-live

> * 070803: Bloomberg reports that attendances at Imola for the 2003 F1™ GP were around 82,000, a decline of 23,000 on 2002, and almost 100,000 down on the 2000 race! See more Racing Attendance Figures

> * 070703: Bahrain says it will be ready in November for an April 2004 Formula One date, should it come. Silverstone & Monza still under threat for 2004. Source: iol.co.za

> * 070103: Vancouver, B.C, Canada wins right to host 2010 Winter Olympics! Congratulations!!!!! Snow board cross SBX to be included as a sport! I'll be whistling on Whistler will you. Find Vancouver Canada Hotels & Canada Airport Hotels

> * 070103: Ride a bike around a lap of the Cleveland Bourke Lakefront Airport circuit with Paul Tracy before the 2003 race, get a free ticket to the race. Limit 200 fans. See this motorsport.com article for application details.

2003 Menu: News appears in reverse chronological order - last news first.
January-June 2003
July-August 2003 (this page)
September-October 2003
October 2003-December 2003

Find Motorsport Travel News Archive 2003 through current day.

If you spot an error, omission or inaccuracy, either while visiting this site, or that you find after visiting these cities, Contact me so that I can immediately amend any incorrect, or questionable, info.
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