Opponents Say Grand Prix Races Would be Too Costly

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Grand Prix racing could be speeding down Oklahoma City streets by 2012, but there are some in the community who are questioning the move.

Just three months after Save the Speedway group was told the summer races could be called off at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, news about a Grand Prix race possibly coming to Oklahoma City caused some confusion for the group.

Earlier this week, Mayor Mick Cornett said he has been looking into the American Le Mans Series and found Oklahoma City has a shot at landing a race. He said an event of this caliber would drive business downtown.

"This is a brand new market for racing, and I think it's under tapped and I think the racing community will be well served," Cornett said.

Save our Speedway supporters said the possibility of a Grand Prix race in Oklahoma City is concerning.

"For the fan, which I am, and for the average citizen, it would raise some eyebrows and make you scratch your head. It's like, 'OK I'm confused. We can't support racing at this venue, but we can support racing through the City of Oklahoma City.' It'll be very confusing," said John Banks, a Save the Speedway supporter.

The Mayor is proposing to bring the race from downtown Oklahoma City into Bricktown streets.

"We had an engineer two or three years ago that laid out a track for us. I don't know if that'll be the ultimate track or not," Cornett said.

But opponents said it will be a costly move for the city.

"Over our winter months, we had this really bad weather and you start to see potholes and erosion of the roads. Now you put 32 race cars on a Grand Prix circuit with big tires and a whole lot of horsepower, you're going to do damage to the existing road structure we have," Banks said. "You'll have to segregate the city. Think of a Sunday afternoon or a Saturday afternoon in downtown Oklahoma City. Traffic is bustling there."

City officials, however,said they believe a track through the city is possible with plenty of planning.

"We would be one of only a couple of cities where the racing will actually be on real city street, and that'll take a lot work to get ready. Obviously the street surface has to be on a certain level of quality," said Mike Carrier, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitor Bureau President.

Nothing has been set in stone for the high-profile event. Cornett is planning to meet with the city council on Tuesday to discuss the race.