[TLK]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

Why is CART running in South Africa?

It basically comes down to money. SA is willing to pay the $2 million sanctioning fee. The propsed track I saw looks to have a few quality passing areas, which will make for a decent race.

Durban to get world motor race
February 5, 2004

Johannesburg: Durban has been chosen to stage a major international motor racing event later this year.

A company called Racing For South Africa (R4SA) has announced plans to hold a round of the Champ Car World series in a Monaco-style street race in the city.

The event will be the centrepiece of a motorsport programme intended to encourage investment in the country and create employment and educational opportunities.

South African racing driver Stephen Watson, Managing Director of R4SA, said he was concluding negotiations with Open Wheel Racing Series, the organisers of the Indy-style Champ Car World Series, for a five-year agreement to host the event in Durban, his home town.

The US-based championship travels the globe, with events in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Asia and Australia.

Watson said it would be the largest annual sporting event in South Africa. He said the event would generate an estimated R250 million in direct economic benefits and R1.26 billion in indirect benefits.

"Hosting a street race in Durban means we have to create a temporary circuit like those in Surfers Paradise, Australia, and Long Beach, California. These events have been highly successful for their host cities, for 13 and 22 years respectively.

"It will be an immense undertaking. Temporary grandstands have to be erected, concrete barriers, safety fencing, PA systems, security, hospitality suites, press facilities, pit areas, all have to be put in place and then removed after the event," Watson said.


"South Africa has hosted the rugby and cricket world cups and has an understanding of the significant economic benefits events of this calibre deliver.

"These events only come around once every four years and South Africa may only have the opportunity to host them at best once every 20 years or so.

Circuit

"The Champ Car World Series will deliver these benefits every year and will showcase to the world that we have the
capability and first-world infrastructures to accommodate international events of this scale," he said.

Several circuit layouts and locations have been studied in detail by R4SA, and the final design will be formally unveiled next month.

"We will have a potential 700 million global television viewers in key tourism markets for SA tuning into watch this event," said Watson.

"More than 400 000 spectators attended the 2003 Mexico City World Champ Car Series event over four days. And when you take into account how starved Africa is for international motorsport, my fellow directors and I are sure we will have a sell-out crowd too." - Motoring Staff