ISC teaming with Montreal group to promote Busch race
By Lee Montgomery
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The promotion of the unnamed NASCAR Busch Series race in Montreal in 2007 will be done by a limited partnership between International Speedway Corp. and Montreal-based Group Motorise International, both groups announced Monday.
The race will be held at the 2.709-mile Circuit Gilles Villenueve on Aug. 4, 2007, though the race sponsor, length and purse were not announced Monday. A Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series event will also be held the same weekend.
ISC Executive Vice President John R. Saunders said the purse will be announced soon, pending final negotiations of television contracts, but said the Montreal race would be an "upper-tier" event in terms of prize money. Saunders said ISC/GMI are vigorously pursuing sponsors for the race, both title and presenting.
"It's a very big milestone for the track here and certainly for everyone at NASCAR," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said at the formal news conference in Montreal. "This is an important event. We know that this event is going to expand the footprint for NASCAR."
France said he hopes to get several Canadian drivers to enter the race, much like the number of Mexican drivers who competed in the first two Busch Series races in Mexico City.
France added that he hoped some Nextel Cup drivers would enter the race, which is being held the same weekend as a Cup race at Pocono Raceway. He said NASCAR would not offer extra incentive for Cup drivers to race in Montreal, saying the attraction of Montreal to sponsors would be incentive enough.
