Vancouver Molson Indy cancelled
There will be no more Vancouver Molson Indy races, ending a racing tradition in the city that goes back over 15 years.
The Vancouver race had been left off the Champ Car schedule released Oct. 28 while Molson Sports and Entertainment, which runs the race, determined whether there was enough corporate support in Vancouver to sustain the event.
 Canadian driver Paul Tracy sprays champagne at the Vancouver Molson Indy in July. The race will not run this year.(CP File Photo) |
- FROM OCT. 28, 2004: Vancouver Indy race a question mark
"The decision to end the Molson Indy in Vancouver after 15 fabulous years of racing was extremely difficult for all involved," Jo-Ann McArthur, president of Molson Sports and Entertainment, says in a statement.
"We have worked very hard with the Vancouver business community over the past few months to make every effort to continue racing prior to construction of the Olympic Village."
McArthur says the race had just two season left in the city, because of the Olympic Village development. She says that lack of a long-term commitment made it difficult to attract sponsors.
The company is giving the city $100,000 to be spent in the False Creek area as a legacy to the Vancouver Molson Indy.
There will still be Champ Cart races in Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton in 2005.
The 20th edition of the Toronto Molson Indy is scheduled for July 10 on the 2.824-kilometre street circuit at Exhibition Place. Montreal's race is slated for Aug. 28 on the 4.359-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
Edmonton, the new host city, will have its race on 2.5-kilometre road course near the old downtown municipal airport on July 17.
- LINK: 2005 Champ Car schedule
with files from Canadian Press