Should FIA GT3 Race in the United States?

GT3 racing cars in the FIA GT3 series are some of the most awesome racing cars anywhere in the world. That's even if they aren't their fire-breathing counterparts in what is now known as FIA GT1. A lovely array of cars race in this series. Question is... should this lovely series race in the United States, even if for a one-off race? That's the main focal point of this blog entry.

--- FIA GT3 in the United States... Why? ---

Unless the majority of the American crowd follows this series online, I think it would be very fair to give the American fans a look at what this series has to offer. We have great GT racing in the American Le Mans Series. You may even say the same for GT in the Rolex Sportscar Series. However, what if you could showcase these cars in the United States? That's the premise here. I think that as much as it's fun to see these cars online or in pictures, it would be even better seeing these race in the United States. That's even if they share a weekend with another series. The thing I fear is FIA GT3 playing second-fiddle to some American series, because I highly regard FIA racing more than any other such organization. We're a people that love racing as much as anybody else. Lots of people tend to think of American racing fans only as those who care more about NASCAR than any other series. That's not true! While the majority do love NASCAR more than any other motorsport, you have lots of people who follow Formula 1, World Rally Championship, British Touring Car Championship, DTM, Australian V8 Supercars, Super GT, and series like that. So why not showcase these cars in the States?

Each section will explain possibilities as to HOW this series can come to the United States if there was such a deal.

--- Where Would They Race? ---

I think more than likely, it has to be something along the East Coast or near the East coast. There are four key sectors of racing in the United States to me- the Atlantic coast, the American Southeast, the Midwest, and the Pacific coast. I think the FIA may stick to the east coast or American Southeast. The Midwest is also possible. I'm ruling out the Pacific coast because I am uncertain about travel costs for the teams to travel further out.

East Coast Candidates.
These are tracks that would be great fits for FIA GT3:
* Road Atlanta - great racing on a competitive course.
* Sebring - this used to be run by FIA GT back in 1997 in an event called "Sebring Octoberfest." Still a great track even today.
* Daytona International Speedway (Road Course) - high-banked goodness and high speeds!
* Virginia International Raceway - This track is VERY tough and will keep you on your toes for many laps.
* Watkins Glen International - While I don't like this track as much as I used to, it's still a competitive course.
* New Jersey Motorsports Park - a fairly new race course based in southern New Jersey
* Homestead-Miami Speedway (Road Course) - the road course is pretty tough.

American Southeast Candidates.
* (Road Atlanta, Sebring, Daytona - Road Course)
* Barber Motorsports Park - a fantastic race course for motorcycles as well as cars. European-beautiful, but deep in the heart of the South.
* (not likely) Motorsport Ranch Houston (or MSR Houston) - The track may not be an FIA-type facility, but this course has a great configuration for almost any kind of circuit-racing machine.

American Midwest Candidates.
* Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course) - sacred racing grounds, but still a great and classic race course.
* Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course - This is a great race course for a variety of car and motorcycle races.
* Road America - Four miles of road racing goodness. High speeds and decisive corners make this track fun.
* Autobahn Country Club - Miles away from downtown Chicago, this is a fantastic fairly new course with a very tricky and long configuration.

Pacific Coast Candidates.
* Laguna Seca - Like Sebring, this course was also a stop for the FIA GT series in the 1990s. Why should you care? One word- corkscrew.
* Sears Point (nowadays Infineon Raceway) - miles from San Francisco, this course has a great rhythm all around.
* Portland International Raceway - this course is beautiful and challenging.
* Pacific Raceways - it's an amateur-spec track, but this track not far from Seattle is a beautiful facility.
* (longshot) Long Beach - the streets of Long Beach have seen all kinds of races, so why not another good race around these streets?

Other Candidates.
* Miller Motorsports Park - this track offers an intense challenge no matter which configuration is used.
* Heartland Park Topeka - this course is tough to race. Used to host SCCA Runoffs.

--- FIA GT3 in the United States... As a One-Off Race ---

The first vision is my idea of FIA GT3 racing in the United States as a one-off race. This is simply where the series holds a race in the United States, and moves on with the rest of the season. It could be just a racing event that may or may not get television coverage. It may be an event that's on the same weekend as some other race.

So what would make for great One-Off race deal? I think if there was a deal to race around a certain popular American road course, and if there was a certain gap in the FIA GT3 schedule, the deal would likely happen that an event can be arranged in the States for these cars to race. Whether or not such a deal materializes depends on if FIA considers the United States a good-enough market to showcase these cars. Also of consideration would be if a TV deal could be arranged to deliver this product to the motorsports masses in America.

--- FIA GT3 in the United States... to Share a Race Weekend ---

As I said before, I just don't like the idea of any FIA series playing second fiddle to any American series. If this was possible, it would be most likely either during either of NASCAR Sprint Cup's two road racing weekends, during a road racing event with the IndyCar Series, or during an American Le Mans Series weekend.

--- FIA GT3 in the United States... with the American Le Mans Series ---

Many people feel that car counts in the American Le Mans Series is severely low and that anything to provide a helping hand will help out the ALMS. While I love GT racing in the ALMS in addition to the prototypes, imagine if the ALMS cars had to take on FIA GT3 cars. Doesn't that sound like fun to see these cars compete? Heck, I'd love to see that Audi R8 GT3 car race here in the States.

This would be another cool idea- imagine a special GT challenge between the ALMS GT teams and the FIA GT3 teams. No prototypes- just GT cars on one track. May the best car and team win.





If you envision FIA GT3 racing in the United States, feel free to chime in and offer your thoughts on what it would be like if FIA GT3 raced in the United States!