Baltimore Grand Prix

How AMLS and IndyCar are Going Green

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

People have become more aware of their effect on the environment, including the racing community whom has been environmentally conscious since 2006. Here’s what ALMS and IndyCar have been doing to be green.

ALMS Series

ALMS, with all cars now racing several different types of alternative fuels, was the first race series to meet the green racing criteria.
In 2006, ALMS introduced a turbo diesel race car by Audi Sport North America which offers lower emissions levels, improved efficiency and higher refinement levels than naturally aspirated engines.
In 2007, the Series introduced ethanol – E10 blend, a mixture of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline – demonstrating the Series’ dedication to automotive relevance
In 2008 came E85, an 85 percent ethanol-gasoline blend – cellulosic ethanol made from wood waste.
The Green Challenge™ award is awarded the class team that demonstrates the best overall performance, fuel efficiency and environmental impact during the race.
The MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge is a revolutionary competition that grades manufacturers and teams on their overall performance and energy efficiency at each ALMS event. (View article)

IZOD IndyCar Series

In 2009 at the Indy 500, drivers ran on 98% ethanol and 2% gas. The switch was made for environmental and economic benefits, as well as to be an example to race fans and the racing community. (View article)
On June 25, 2011, Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer had cars run on 100% corn ethanol and had its fans wearing green to support the ‘green movement.’ (View article)
Leilani Münter started in two Indy Pro Series races in 2007 and has committed to purchasing an acre of endangered tropical rainforest for every race she’s in the Indy Pro Series. She is speaking out about her actions in hopes of bringing awareness to race fans and the racing community. (View article)

By Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in ALMS, IndyCar | No Comments »

Is it really over for the Baltimore Grand Prix?

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Baltimore is still optimistic that the race will still go on Labor Day weekend 2012, provided that a new organizer is appointed. So what are the chances that the BGP runs this year?

As a matter of fact, not all IndyCar host cities have had the smoothest of startups. Here’s a little history lesson of a few cities who had caution flags waving as well.

Streets of St. Petersburg – St. Petersburg, FL

The SCCA Trans-AM series started the race held from 1985-1990. The conservative people of the town thought unfavorably of the noise, traffic, and litter created by the event and had it banned from 1989 to 1995.
In 1996, the race was moved to Tropicana field, but the course setup failed to amuse drivers and fans.
Then in 2003, St. Petersburg ran the gulf side course, but problems between promoters ended up canceling again.
In 2005, Indycar held its first non-oval event, which resulted in a contract between St. Petersburg and Andretti Green Promotions that allows races to be held up until 2013.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, IN

On August 19, 1909, the track surface became a concern with drivers being covered in dirt, oil, and tar and with ruts and chuckholes in the turns. Halfway through, the leader was temporarily blinded when a stone smashed his goggles. Both he and his mechanic died. Concerns over safety led AAA officials to consider canceling the remaining events. Carl G. Fisher, a co-founder of the track, promised repairs would be made. By the next day, no major incidents occurred.
On the third day, 175 miles into the race, Charlie Merz’s right front tire blew and mowed down five fence posts and toppled dozens of spectators. Two spectators and his mechanic died. Ten laps later, Bruce Keen struck a pothole and crashed into a bridge support. The race was stopped and resulted in the AAA boycotting future events at the speedway unless significant improvements were made.
A couple months after the races, paving began on the track consisting of brick and concrete which proved successful. Today, a yard of original bricks remain at the start/finish line, giving the track its nickname “The Brickyard”.

Edmonton Indy – Edmonton, AB

During the 2010 race weekend, it was announced that Octane Motorsports Events was taking over as the new promoter. In November, the city and the promoter could not reach an agreement concerning pavement work to be done and the event was cancelled.
Further negotiations had the race returned the next year.

Despite their setbacks, each of these cities reorganized themselves and introduced solutions to continue hosting race events. Let’s hope that Baltimore, too, can make the needed changes to host the BGP in the future.

By Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in IndyCar | 1 Comment »

Types of Cars in AMLS Series

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, December 27th, 2011

Unless you’re a racing fan or work in the industry, the types and classes of racing can be a little confusing.

When talking about racing, there are four different types:
1. American Le Mans Series (ALMS)
2. Formula One
3. IndyCar Series
4. Nascar

However, unlike the other three, ALMS has different classes of cars all racing on the same track.

2010 Le Mans Prototypes 1 (LMP1) Class Champion

2010 Le Mans Prototypes 1 (LMP1) Class Champion

These ultra-engineered racing cars typically produce between 475-575 horsepower, have a minimum weight of approximately 1,985 lbs, can accelerate from 0-100 mph in 4 seconds and reach top speeds near 200 mph. All LMP1 race cars have red Leader Light System race position lights and red car numbers.

2010 GT Class Champion

2010 GT Class Champion

The GT class is comprised of production-based, moderately modified two-wheel drive race cars. With top speeds of up to 180 mph, these elite GTs produce between 450-500 horsepower and have a minimum weight of 2,480 lbs. All GT race cars have green Leader Light System race position lights and green car numbers.

2011 Le Mans Prototypes 2 (LMP2) Class

2011 Le Mans Prototypes 2 (LMP2) Class

Smaller and less powerful than their LMP1 counterparts, LMP2 cars can produce similar horsepower figures to GT cars (450-500) with speeds up to 170 mph but weigh 900 kilograms. All LMPC race cars have blue Leader Light System race position lights and blue car numbers.

2010 LMP Challenge Class Champions

2010 LMP Challenge Class Champions

These ORECA Courage FLM09 prototypes have a minimum weight of 900 kilograms with 430 hp and speeds up to 170 mph. The FLM09 features a full carbon fiber chassis, carbon brakes and an Xtrac sequential gearbox with paddle shifting. All LMPC race cars have yellow car numbers and a single green light at the rear of the car.

2010 GT Challenge Class Champion

2010 GT Challenge Class Champion

The GT Challenge class features the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. With 450 hp and top speeds of up to 150 mph, the minimum weight is approx. 2,655 pounds. All GTC race cars have orange car numbers and a single green light at the rear of the car.

You can view and compare these cars on the AMLS website and pdf.

By Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in ALMS, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Safety Concerns Post Wheldon Accident

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

After the Dan Wheldon accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October, IndyCar Series safety came to the forefront of concern.

1. The type of track the IndyCars race on
In an article from Racer.com, Scott Dixon, two-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion and an Indianapolis 500 winner, reinforced Randy Bernard’s, CEO of IZOD IndyCar Series, position on switching to a street race at Las Vegas instead of the oval race like the one held this year. The article explains that racers drive at top speeds the whole time, with no reason to brake to slow down, in such close proximities create optimal conditions for high speed accidents. With the insertion of a street race, the drivers would adjust their speeds for the turns and straightaways and would diminish the likelihood of tragic accidents.

2. The catch fence design at LVMS and if that had an impact in the outcome of the accident

"At Las Vegas Motor Speedway and all Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks, steel supports sit on the racetrack side with the fencing located behind them." -http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

An article on the Sports Illustrated website explains that “the fencing is on the racetrack side, with the steel supports behind them on the grandstand side.” However, at other racetracks, it is the opposite with the fencing on the grandstand side of the supports. The difference in the design of the fences is causing questions to arise such as did this contribute to the outcome of the accident? and was it designed for safety reasons? Answers to both of these questions are being investigated.

3. The open cockpit of the IndyCars
Ryan Briscoe, an Australian auto racing driver, gave his point of view on the topic in an article on autosport.com. Having experienced an aerial crash of his own, he believes a closed cockpit design would improve the safety of the drivers. Briscoe stated, “If you look at major open-wheel injuries in the past decade, they have come because of an open cockpit.”

It is unfortunate that it sometimes takes a tragedy to uncover problems. Hopefully, these mistakes can be caught now to prevent other accidents from occurring in the future.

By Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in IndyCar, Uncategorized | No Comments »

The Wheldon Family Trust Fund

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

After the death of Dan Wheldon in the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) on October 16, 2011, many drivers felt compelled to help out Wheldon’s wife and two young children. Graham Rahal was one IndyCar individual in particular who greatly helped.

Rahal wanted to raise some money for the Wheldon family, so he decided to auction off his helmet from the championship at LVMS. He announced the auctioning on Twitter and gained immediate attention. Rahal got responses from not only other IndyCar drivers, but also from those outside of the racing community. In an article from The Daily Journal, San Mateo County’s Homepage, Rahal was quoted:

“I thought we would have a lot of support and a pretty good turnout of people saying ’We’ll give this’ or ’We’ll give that,’ but for it to get as large as it has — nobody ever expected this.”

Rahal and his girlfriend, Laken Kurtz, began running the auction from their home; however, because of the overwhelming response, they had to outsource. The Internet domain registrar and Web hosting company, GoDaddy.com, helped Rahal with an eBay account, who waived all fees, and got him in touch with Auction Cause, an auction management agency.

Wheldon Family Trust Fund Homepage

The Wheldon Family Trust Fund is marketed through its Twitter account, @DWheldonAuction, where followers are alerted on newly posted items in the auction on the eBay website.

It is amazing what can be accomplished from an idea, compassion, and the power of the Internet.

By: Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in IndyCar, Uncategorized | No Comments »

IndyCar Driver, Dan Wheldon (1978-2011)

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

On Sunday, October 16, media blew up from the news of the death of IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from a 15 car pile-up, with Wheldon’s car flying over another and tragically hitting the catch fence.

Photo from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/

During the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix held on Labor Day weekend, Dan Wheldon commentated on the race. Also, Sam Schmidt’s #77 car did race that weekend; however, it was driven by Alex Tagliani. Family, friends, and fans of Dan Wheldon and the IndyCar series are in our thoughts through this difficult time.

Read the full story on ESPN.com.

By Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in IndyCar, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Multiple ‘Thank Yous’ to ALMS

Posted by shollands on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Round 7 of the American Le Mans Series occurred on Saturday, September 3 in Baltimore, MD during the Baltimore Grand Prix on a temporary street course. The results are as follows:

Photo from http://circuitprodigital.com

Winners:
Humaid Al Masaood / Abu Dhabi, UAE
Steven Kane / Newtownards, Ireland

Sponsor/car:
Mazda/ Dunlop / Lola B09 / 86 / Mazda

Length of Race: 71 laps for 144.840 miles
Time of Race: 2 hours 1 minute 3.170 seconds

Photo from Team Baltimore Racing Facebook fan page

One of our own local Baltimore organizations, Team Baltimore Racing, competed in the ALMS race on Saturday. From their Facebook page:

Team Baltimore Racing is a Maryland-based team with local ties to the Baltimore community. Marc Bunting and Kieffer Rittenhouse created the concept to bring local businesses together through the 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix and introduce them to marketing and hospitality opportunities with a real race team and local driver.

Marc Bunting raced in the #68 car and placed 5th in the Grand Touring Class (GTC).

Finally, a special thanks to Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer and Baltimore celebrity, for being the Honorary Grand Marshall for the ALMS race. Phelps posted on his Facebook fan page:

“I got to be the Grand Marshall at the Baltimore Grand Prix last weekend. It was amazing, top 5 coolest things I’ve ever done!”

Thank you ALMS fans that came out to the Baltimore Grand Prix and supported the city of Baltimore!

By: Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in ALMS, Uncategorized | No Comments »

A Big Thank You from the Baltimore Grand Prix

Posted by shollands on Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Photo by Christopher Sieradzan

The Baltimore Grand Prix (BGP) would like to say thank you to all of the race fans, Baltimore community members, and surrounding area residents who came out to support their event in Baltimore, MD on Labor Day weekend!

Ihe IZOD Indy Car Series raced at the inaugural IndyCar Baltimore Grand Prix and the results were as follows:

Will Power
Oriol Servia
Tony Kanaan
Dario Franchitti
Scott Dixon

The Baltimore Grand Prix was exciting for everyone, even the IndyCar drivers. This was best expressed by the winner, Will Power, in the article Will Power wins the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix in the Baltimore Sun:

“This feels like one of my best wins. The atmosphere — this is the best podium ceremony I’ve ever had in my career — massive! So many people. On my cool-down lap, I looked at every stand, absolutely full. They put on the best race we have had all year, really impressed, really impressed”

The BGP knew that this event would be a success, but were pleasantly surprised at the outcome and community involvement. Even racecar fans from other states traveled to Baltimore to witness a part of history. On September 7, Charlie Anti commented on the Baltimore Grand Prix Facebook wall:

“AWESOME event! I drove down from Pittsburgh and was my first time in Baltimore. The atmosphere was amazing and I had a blast exploring the city!”

Thank you IZOD IndyCar Series, race fans, and community for all of your love and support toward Baltimore!

By: Sara Hollands
shollands@baltimoregp.com

Posted in IndyCar, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Are you ready? The Baltimore Grand Prix is Almost Here!

Posted by akatz on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Are you ready for the Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix? Take a look at our newly revised, more detailed track map to see where you are going to be spending your race day weekend!

**Click on map for larger preview**

The locations of the grandstands will stay the same, as will the track. If you are interested in visiting your favorite vendors, the middle of the map features the four locations of vendors: Camden Vendors, Family Fun Zone, Block Party Vendors and Restaurant Row. Also, make sure you take a look at the approved 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix Schedule!

Coming soon: Check out the official Baltimore Grand Prix Media Guide on our website before you pick up your own copy race day weekend!

By: Abigail Katz

akatz@baltimoregp.com

Posted in Construction, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

The 2-Mile Track Takes Shape on the Streets of Baltimore

Posted by akatz on Monday, August 15th, 2011

Have you noticed that you suddenly have the urge to speed down Conway Street? Or that you take curves a little faster when you drive down Light Street? It may be because you are driving down what is soon to be a street race track, come Labor Day Weekend. The Baltimore Grand Prix has been hard at work constructing its 2-mile course and fan areas for the past few weeks. The grandstands are up by the Inner Harbor, and new race walls are installed daily. Take a drive around Camden Yards, suddenly things are feeling a little faster. Here are a few pictures and updates to get you excited about the Festival of Speed, coming to Baltimore in three weeks!