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2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:06 am
by thermatico
The Baltimore Sun has pretty regular articles about how the Grand Prix is shaping up. Here is a recent one.
With the second Baltimore Grand Prix less than five months away, organizers of the race have yet to sign key agreements, land sponsorship deals, launch a marketing campaign or start selling tickets.

Downforce Racing LLC has not fulfilled three of five benchmarks that its contract with the city required to be done three weeks ago. The contract, drawn up following the financial debacle of last year's race, was designed to prevent the new racing group from falling into the same problems as the previous organizers.
There are a collection of Grand Prix links here.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:23 am
by Sabre
I really hope this works out, but that is not a positive note :( Thanks for the update!

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 2:49 am
by zaxrex
I'm all in if this happens.
If.
Big if.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:15 pm
by ElZorro
:evil:

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:12 pm
by thermatico
New article from today. I'm not sure how I feel about this.
Bernard acknowleged questions about Dillon's future role in leading the race, and said Monday he would know "by the end of this week" whether Dillon would remain with Downforce Racing. Dillon, who has worked on races in other cities, was hand-picked by IndyCar and city officials to take over the Baltimore race.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:01 am
by Sabre
Not sounding good :(

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:46 pm
by ElZorro
If it falls through, I'll probably be here: http://www.alms.com/races/american-le-mans-series-vir

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 12:02 am
by thermatico
Sources close to Downforce say that the three members of the racing group — Indianapolis-based contractor Dale Dillon and Baltimore businessmen Dan Reck and Felix Dawson — are locked in a struggle.

Dawson and Reck, who are business partners in Wilkes Lane Capital, a Baltimore investment firm, want Dillon out of the group, according to the sources. Dillon, who owns a 50 percent stake of the company, has declined to leave.
Things are not looking good.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:01 am
by complacent
dang. :(

*crosses fingers*

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:49 am
by thermatico
Tickets are for sale, but that's not guarantee of a race.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/auto ... 6735.story

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:58 pm
by zaxrex
"I'm the one who understands the thousands of little details of racing"
Awesome, now how about the details involved with planning and logistics?

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:34 am
by thermatico
Organizers of the Grand Prix of Baltimore say they plan to start construction on the downtown auto race circuit by the end of July and finish just in time for the three-day Labor Day weekend event.

Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting, the company in charge of building the race circuit, said preparing the 12-turn course around the Inner Harbor should take about 32 days.

"The majority of it will be done in the final 22 days," Cotman said in a statement released Friday. In the final week, he noted, streets will be closed around the circuit so crews can work through the night.
j

Sounds like things are actually moving into place. I guess it's actually worth it to start making plans.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/auto ... 8832.story

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:24 pm
by Sabre
:nana: :nana:

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:39 am
by zaxrex
Well, look at that.
I am surprised.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:25 pm
by complacent
nice!!

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:34 am
by Mr Kleen
:cheers: :popcorn:

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:30 pm
by zaxrex
Tickets on sale
I dont believe it.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 2:05 pm
by WRXWagon2112
So what are peoples plans for this? I can offer my place (15 minutes outside Baltimore) as a staging point / overnight location. Warning: we have cats and children. Last year I took light rail into the city and it worked great (except for a little rain in the morning) so you don't have to worry about trying to get into the city.

And during the downtime, "The Block" is not that far away. IJS

--Alan

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:58 pm
by zaxrex
Has Christy approved this offer? And does she know you just equated your children to your pets? Haha.
That sounds great, thanks Alan.
I have two rooms at the Hilton reserved for Friday and Saturday nights that I am looking to cost share. That should net us two parking spaces that we can "stage supplies" from for reduced wallet hurt.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:14 pm
by Sabre
zaxrex wrote:Has Christy approved this offer? And does she know you just equated your children to your pets? Haha.
That sounds great, thanks Alan.
:ohsnap:
zaxrex wrote: I have two rooms at the Hilton reserved for Friday and Saturday nights that I am looking to cost share. That should net us two parking spaces that we can "stage supplies" from for reduced wallet hurt.
I'm on that list for the room!!!! Might even bring homemade salsa again if you all want. Tickets are included with the room, right? Don't want to make the same mistake as last year...

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:30 pm
by zaxrex
Last year, some of us went in to the hotel before they started checking for tix. If you walked in later, you needed a ticket.

I think it would be nuts to take people's registration for the hotel, but deny them entry b/c they don't have an event ticket.
But then again, few people have called me sane...

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:57 pm
by zaxrex
OK, so each room is $385 per night, taxes included. Both are Park and Stay rooms with Stadium view and double beds. Last year Jason got a good spot on the 14th floor where we could look down onto a set of turns. Will try and get lucky like that again. We didn't need tickets to the event if we were staying in the hotel, but then you can't leave and get back in until evening when the open the driveway across the track again.

If you know that you are for sure going to need a spot in a room for the two nights, post up here and I will add to the list.

Zak
Jason
Brent

List updated and finalized.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:28 am
by brentcombsphoto
add me to the list!

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:50 pm
by complacent
let me check a few things... i may be in.

Re: 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:42 pm
by zaxrex
Shaaweeet!