Surrey looks into getting NASCAR

[Whalleyboy]

From the Surrey leader

Gentlemen, start your engines... maybe.

A group is looking to bring NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) racing to North Surrey.

The Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (DSBIA) confirmed Tuesday it met with a group looking to bring NASCAR racing to the downtown core.

While NASCAR usually requires a track, the group has a novel idea.

"They're planning to use the streets in City Centre," said DSBIA Executive Director Elizabeth Model.

"It's going to impact different businesses in a different way," Model told The Leader Tuesday. "Everyone will be unique."

The group pitching the idea has to seek approval from individual businesses in the area.

Model said the group wants the flags to drop by July 2012, but it remains flexible regarding the timeline.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_ar...116270704.html

[geoff's two cents]

NASCAR = pedestrian-oriented, urban utopia? "The future lives here," indeed. This will surely help the city center develop. After all, what's more conducive to condo living than a bunch of smoke-spewing, ear-splitting stock cars racing outside one's living room?

[Whalleyboy]

yeah well there is that
but hey its finally a big event kinda thing surrey is looking to bring to the area and glad there trying something and not aiming small
dont forget back in the day vancouver had racing there

[invisibleairwaves]

A bunch of rednecks driving unreasonably loud cars at ridiculous speeds through Surrey streets? What's new about this, exactly?

[agrant]

If not NASCAR, then swamp buggy racing.

[tovan]

Wow, Surrey is really trying hard to shake that redneck reputation...

[jlousa]

As a car racing enthusiast, I'm not all that impressed with Nascar and I appear confused by this proposal. I fully get the Surrey/Nascar connection, what I don't get is Nascar doing a street course?? They are almost completely oval tracked races with a couple of road courses thrown in, I just don't think they'd be willing to completely redo their cars for a single street course.

[go_leafs_go02]

I would assume it would be a branch of NASCAR, aka..whatever CASCAR is called now.

[Whalleyboy]

more news on it in the leader

A group is looking to bring Canadian NASCAR racing to Surrey.

Ryan O'Connor, president of the Children's Charities Racing Society, told The Leader Wednesday he's aiming to bring the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series to Surrey in the next couple of years.

"We've been in discussions for three to six months as an organizing group, trying to figure out how we can approach this," O'Connor said.

The plan is to use King George Boulevard from 104 Avenue 100 as the straight-away for the high-powered stock cars.

Two options exist from there.

The course could veer west, around the back side of the City Central tower, or go east, through the commercial and residential areas of Guildford.

O'Connor said there are pros and cons to each route.

"What are the main conflicts of the zones, in terms of traffic, people, fire and rescue, transit and all those other things?" O'Connor said.

He said the difference between the major NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) events, such as those held in Las Vegas, and the Canadian Tire series, is similar to the difference between major and minor league baseball.

O'Connor and his partners met with the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (DSBIA) on Tuesday to discuss the plan.

"It's going to impact different businesses in a different way," DSBIA Executive Director Elizabeth Model told The Leader. "Everyone will be unique."

The group pitching the idea has to seek approval from individual businesses in the area over the coming months.

O'Connor says has spoken to Surrey staff, but not city council as of yet.

He noted he has early approval from the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series about his aimn to start an event in Surrey.

"Yes, they've indicated an interest in it, and they want to see our business plans," O'Connor said. "We have to show all parties, from the city to NASCAR to the sponsors... that this is a viable event."

That has to be done on three platforms, he said. They include; the economic benefit to the community and the business model for financing the race; the environmental sustainability of the event; and the social contribution.

The latter, he said, will include donations to charity as part of the event.

The group wants the flags to drop in July 2012, but it remains flexible regarding the timeline.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_ar...116270704.html

[whalley13]

No harm in trying, and it would be fun to have an event out here. More things to do out here the better and it will bring in eyes and attention. If it works out well, which it could since three skytrain stations feed that part of king george, it could lead to others having more confidence in doing events that can't fit into vancouver anymore

[xd_1771]

Actually this isn't a half bad idea at all!

[invisibleairwaves]

Forget the arena, THIS is something that really belongs here in Cloverdale rather than the city centre. Heck, tie it in with the city's other big redneck-fest, and give me yet another reason to get out of town that weekend. Seems like that would be a better fit than "downtown" Surrey.

[Yume-sama]

It's actually surprising how big of a following NASCAR has in Canada, despite it being the stereotypical Southern US redneck "sport".

People from all across Canada would come to see it. Even redneck Montreal has a NASCAR race.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's actually surprising how big of a following NASCAR has in Canada, despite it being the stereotypical Southern US redneck "sport".

People from all across Canada would come to see it. Even redneck Montreal has a NASCAR race.

Montreal has F1 - which is pretty much the polar opposite of NASCAR. Different cars, different tracks, different culture (european, classy, etc)

[Yume-sama]

Yes, they have F1, but they also have had NASCAR since 2007 They race on the F1 track. NASCAR does have several road courses.
http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/cgv/

Amazingly, some cities have a wide array of entertainment that appeals to a broad base of people.

[GMasterAres]

It isn't April 1st yet is it?

wtf. I'm all for more things in Surrey but this seems just a bit strange. "Let's build a stadium in Cloverdale and have NASCAR in downtown Surrey! "

Huh? Not saying I'm for or against but it just seems a bit... well wtf. Seems a bit out of left field. We'll see where it goes. *shrug*

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Yes, they have F1, but they also have had NASCAR since 2007 They race on the F1 track. NASCAR does have several road courses.
http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/cgv/

Amazingly, some cities have a wide array of entertainment that appeals to a broad base of people.

Alright - you proved me wrong - never had a clue NASCAR did anything officially in Canada - surprising for me at the least.

[Yume-sama]

Well, I would be more keen on seeing the Indy return. Vancouver does seem like a logical choice for a possible future F1 race, too.

Very cosmopolitan city, and they love to show off the yachts in the background at the races like in Monaco

Unfortunately the money for that all seems to be in Asia.

The carbon footprint of one F1 car would be enough to make Gregor's head explode, though.

Maybe we can just get the World Cycling Championships or something.

[wrenegade]

You can forget about F1 ever coming to Vancouver. There are only a handful of real street circuits in F1 (Singapore, Monaco, Valencia), and two of those three are ridiculously boring. I really don't see Valencia's race continuing after their current contract is up. The only reason they got a race in the first place was to capitalize on the (at the time) current 2-time World Champion (Alonso). Spain was ridiculous unemployment and debt issues and they already have the Spanish GP in Barcelona. Monaco is boring, but it's Monaco. Singapore is exciting/different only reason because of the night racing aspect, it isn't really a terrible good track.

Why would F1 leave a fantastic european style city (Montreal) with a phenomenal racetrack (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) to come to a ho-hum city with no track and a likely fervent opposition to a street circuit? Sorry, not going to happen. Book yourself a ticket to MTL and enjoy it there.

As for Nascar, the Canadian Tire series is garbage. I'm not a Nascar fan at all, but half the fun (or most of the fun) is going somewhere with a huge oval, 200,000 drunk rednecks, hundreds of RVs in the infield, and watching 43 cars turn left for 3 hours at 180mph waiting for a crash. Street circuits seem to go against everything that Nascar is. Again, if you want to really enjoy it, book a ticket to Talledega or Daytona.

Personally I would much rather see WRC come to the Vancouver area (perhaps Squamish or something). And I don't think wishing for that is anymore unrealistic than hoping F1 will leave Montreal.

[Yume-sama]

Well, I wouldn't anticipate it leaving, just being in addition to. But it is quite a long shot *_*

Though I think we have the proper demographics / geography that they seem to like

I seem to recall reading the vast majority of F1's money comes from Asia. If there's one thing we excel at it's Asians!