This circuit has big Formula E energy! You've got: - An unnecessarily clumsy chicane - A pitlane with an unconventional layout - Section barely wide enough for 2 cars - Contract issues with the circuit itself
Genuinely one of the most entertaining races in IndyCar and the ALMS in those days. It's a shame it disappeared, as the insanity was always a good watch. Great video as always, thanks!
This track was honestly just...funny for lack of a better word. Even though all the crashes and stuff happened, it was still really funny to watch them pile up every 15 minutes, cause you'd think they would have learned after the first 3 pile ups! Track felt like a gimmick too with all the railroad crossings but it somehow worked and made for a really interesting track. Honestly if they repaved the whole circuit, i think it'd be quite fun and challenging! The racing wasn't too bad either. Like in 2012, somehow the leading P1 car finished in 13th overall, being beaten out by P2s, PCs and GT2s. That was just interesting, watching the P1s attempt to pass all the slower cars for position
I think if the track had temporary tarmac over all the rail sections, and left some of the concrete sections (as in my view it added an extra challenge), then this track would've been improved in my view.
I'm such a sucker for "bad" street circuits. I love crazy death chicanes, I love sections barely wide enough for the cars. watching cars literally jump over kerbs in Surfers Paradise, and watching them snake through Macau inches from the wall. it's just something I've always loved. would love to see an episode on the Sydney 500 at Sydney Olympic Park. the silly square as me and my friends used to call it.
Absolutely the same here. Gold Coast is one of my favorite racetracks in the entire world. Something about crazy chicanes, strange corners and concrete walls has always appealed to me.
I agree. Look at how exciting this is compared to the one pass spectacle of Monaco. Still not same cars but you know.... Should fixed the bumps a bit but you know
Great installment of Street Track Failures! For me, one memory of the Baltimore track that I vividly remember is that infamous ALMS pileup at the start of the 2013 race. Good job and I'm looking forward to more installments of Street Track Failures.^^
I attended the 2012 event and still have my Chevrolet IndyCar tee shirt. It’s a wonder how this event ever came into being. Driving downtown in Baltimore gave me severe stress merely by the bumps, traffic, and youths who threaten to wash your windows. Luckily for them, the racing drivers only dealt with those first two.
I attended the inaugural Baltimore GP for ALMS racing and I gotta say, the best part had to be the sound. Something about the tall buildings made the engines echo and reverberate in amazing ways. I still have a few photos, but my ears will never forget the roar!!
@tydyeracinggaming4742 oh god, the V8 Corvettes, Jaguar XK, M3 and 458s were lovely. You could feel it in the pit of your stomach every time they opened the throttle.
I went all three years and had a blast. This track was big dumb goofy fun and I miss it like crazy. Partly because of the insane racing, but partly because neither series comes to this part of the US anymore. No more Baltimore, Nazareth, Pocono, or Dover. I also want to add that Andretti marketing in particular did a great job of making sure there was a ton for fans to do between ALMS and IndyCar. Was the first race I had gone to where there was a ton to do outside of watching cars go in circles. Definitely helped set the template for future road and street track events.
I went in 2013 and it was so much fun, logistically and in legitimacy it was a nightmare but the actual on track action was so fun to watch, ESPECIALLY the ALMS cars
I was at all 3 of the races and worked as a volunteer at all 3 races. This was one of the best events I ever went to- 150,000 people went to this race and the atmosphere was always fantastic. The circuit was actually pretty damn good, and to see that Lola-Aston Martin with its screaming V12 going between the tall buildings was spine-tingling, to say the least. And that ALMS pile-up in 2013 happened right in front of me- I was standing on the nearest grandstand on the outside and I remember turning my head and all these wrecked cars were sliding to a stop right in front of me. But the chicane was the result of light-rail track where the road was raised to the height of the tracks, and this part was an almost impossible problem to fix. The punishing bumps on the concrete road sections were seriously bad- but the tarmac sections were perfectly smooth. The circuit had a lot of character, which is why it was good.
One of the "minor" scheduling conflicts was the race taking place on the labor day weekend here in the US. That was and is the traditional date of the local SCCA region's biggest race of the year for the club, The Labor Day Double at Summit Point Raceway. The region had to staff the turn marshalls at both events.
The whole track was susceptible to accidents, I guess) Thanks for the video, remember this track in rfactor. The AI was the same as real drivers here: struggling to go in one piece.
Macau I wouldn't say is a failure, but a video on that circuit is planned for the future. São Paulo may feature in this series. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Nashville Street Circuit for Indycar might be one to look into. They've raced there twice. First race had over 30 laps under caution and last year's race had half the field crash out. It's still on the schedule this year.
as "bad" as the track is, it is super satisfying to watch those C6Rs and M3s bounce through that chicane and through those tightening blind corners. definatley one of the more visually appealing street circuits
This was the very first race I ever went to, and I went all 3 years they ran it. I still have every trinket, keychain, and piece of merchandise I got on race weekend, including a painting I have framed on my wall. It's what got me into motorsports in the first place, and it's honestly one of my favorite memories looking back. I got to go into the pits and meet the drivers and stay in the VIP boxes the first year. The reason I got to stay in the VIP boxes and meet Will Power, however, was because the incompetent organizers never actually built the grandstands where me and my dad were supposed to sit, so we had to go all the way across the track to see the managers to get that sorted out. It was unbelievable fun in the end though, so it was worth it. They had to get the race haulers all parked up inside the convention center and i still remember the Corvettes shaking the windows of the atrium as they went by. You did a nice job on this video, I had forgotten just how many pileups there were!
I visited Baltimore for the first time as they were constructing the track for the 2011 race and I moved there three years after the last one in 2013 10 years later, the paint for the curbs at turn one and turn five chicane are still in the pavement today as reminders of what was Also talked to a few people who lived in the city during the race depending on who you asked they either loved it or thought it was a headache Lastly it's a shame the race was so poorly run because it was a fan favorite and people came out to see the race in droves each year
Maryland resident here. I'm proud that Baltimore has a real racing "heritage" albeit for only a few years. This kind of track mixed with maryland roads really wasn't a good idea from the get-go (the roads here are godawful) but I'm still glad they did it, gave me some entertainment back then. I think they could've had more success if they made a street circuit elsewhere in the state, particularly around the reservoirs perhaps, they seem to have interesting layouts that would actually challenge drivers, but wouldn't have many overtaking spots.
As one of the multitude who suggested this track, it lived up to the memories. It was an entertaining mix of some really good corners, some really bad bumps, some "entertaining" kerbs, and some bad management. The resulting racing was as chaotic as expected... Here's another suggestion - the Pescara Grand Prix circuit. It was used from 1924 to 1961, ran through several towns & villages, and was notable as the longest circuit ever used for a round of the F1 world championship, at 25.801km (16.032 miles) - longer than the Nurburgring. Genuinely terrifying, it featured two straights over 5km in length...
I remember going to one of these races whilst living in Washington, D.C. My father traveled in from father afield so we got a hotel room. As it happened, the hotel stood at the inside of the track at the last turn. It was definitely the best view of the track we had the entire time, but since our reservation ended Sunday morning, we couldn't stay up there to watch the IndyCar race itself.
Strangest pitlane on a street circuit has to the Columbus circuit IMSA ran in the 80s. The entrance and exit were at the same place. Once you go down to the end of the pit lane you had to make a 180 turn and come back down the other side of the street.
I'm glad I was able to attend all the runnings of the race. Still remember watching the Kanaan / Castroneves crash in person. One of the wildest moments I've had watching sports.
This track is without joking better for Demolition Derby events, that IF a pile up was occured that they can smash through it without creating red flags and delays.
Great vid! Always enjoy. Especially enjoyed seeing the ALMS cars. Sucks we don't get Corvette over here anymore. Being a fellow Brit we rarely see street tracks these days so is always a nice educational treat as I missed many of these back in the day. You'd generally see the tracks mentioned in Autosport or DSC and maybe see a few pics but unless you had friends who knew how, actually getting video of these races was pretty difficult. Really nice to know these American street tracks were as insane as they sounded!
Glad you enjoyed the video! It's educational for me as well, as I keep discovering tracks I never knew existed from requests in the comments and it's great researching these circuits.
Being a Marylander, I can firmly say we have decent motorsport history with Budds Creek motocross track, Maryland International Raceway and home of Travis Pastrana but Baltimore as a track was good and kinda reminds me a little bit of that proposed Vietnam GP and I like it but not surprised it didn’t last long
The Moosehead Grandprix in Halifax, Nova Scotia is a pretty good example of a weird street circuit. It was raced on between 1990-1995. It had a few series visit but its a weird looking circuit.
I was 10 or 11 when these happened and my dad has an office on the 21st floor looking out over the front straight at turn one so we watched them from there. We could see pretty much from the wacky chicane on the straight through turn four so the view was awesome. I wasn’t into racing at all and don’t remember much of it but man I really wish it came back around now when I’m into racing especially single seaters. Hearing so much shit ab it over the years is so bittersweet, I just wish it happened again now :/
I always remember this event very fondly. I don't think the old layout would work anymore, but a race returning to Baltimore would be awesome. Cool story by the way.
Great video! I was at this race in the T1 grandstand and of all the reviews and wrap ups and discussions I’ve seen, you seem to be the first person besides me who noticed the safety truck! That was pants-soilingly frightening in person. I do miss this event though - pit lane was a joke, but the paddock was inside the convention center - meaning an Air Conditioned garage! A nice break from the stifling Baltimore summer heat. Cheap beers and good viewing were available at the Harbor Place patios, and the city really was into the race. It is a shame about the chicane - I think without that this would have been remembered as a really good modern street circuit.
I have an idea for a street track failure, since I've watched the races that happened there. Valencia Street Circuit (Formula 1) - This track hosted the European Grand Prix between 2008 and 2012. The track was marred with overtaking issues due to the layout (Classic Tilkedrome syndrome), which led to boring races and even had a few scary incidents (Mark Webber repeating his Le Mans crash with the help of Heikki Kovalainen's rear end for example). The track was supposed to be signed for 7 years, but Bernie Ecclestone didn't sign the last two years off as the names of the track owners kept changing. You could also do the likes of Dallas Street Circuit and Ceasars Palace. Dallas was cancelled after 1 year due to safety concerns and financial problems, whilst Ceasars Palace was raced at for 4 years. 2 years for F1 and 2 years for CART. The track barely offered good racing, drivers and fans hated the track and it was rightfully panned after 1984's CART race.
I'm so happy you finally did this one. I remember being so excited since it was the first time a street circuit was even remotely close to me. I would argue that it's one of the worst street circuits ever in terms of location/layout, nothing tops the chicane of death or the fact that it had TWO railroad crossings, but I agree with your closing remarks. I wish it had stayed longer just because it is so unlike any other racing facility anywhere in North America and it presented so many unique challenges to the drivers, and I know we'll probably never see another one like it (at least hopefully not any more with railroad tracks in them).
I've been waiting for this video since I found your channel!!! From what I remember, the drivers didn't really hate the track design itself, just how awful the roads were, and how dangerous steering was since they were gaining and losing so much grip bouncing all over the place. We can blame an anime convention for the cancellation since the paddock was inside the convention center. I'll never forget meeting Joerg Bergmeister, Scott Dixon and JR Hildebrand (with half his body in a cast) in 2012!
Being from the area, I loved watching these races as a kid... but what I certainly didn't enjoy was the road closures for said races making my drive to school quite complicated lmao. Besides that, the start finish line is still on Pratt street despite being near a decade since the last race, and in 2019 a massive sinkhole opened up at the rail stop that was right next to the cross over point on the track. Everyone once and a while I go down to the convention center for sentimental reasons (IYKYK) and during that little bit of driving in my modified car I wonder how in the hell did those cars deal with that road? No wonder they had to slow them down. Bumpy as hell to this day.
A video on the Changwon street circuit in Changwon, South Korea would be interesting. F3 raced there from 1999 to 2003 for the Korea Super Prix, but there isn't that much footage (a lot of pictures however). Btw, awesome content. Love the video's!
All the cities in the US that I've learned had street tracks at one point. Kind of surprised that nobody's ever set one up in Pittsburgh besides the Vintage Grand Prix circuit. We have a metro of 2.4 million and nothing bigger than F3 has ever come here, and that's to a proper track nearly 50 miles from the city.
I have a true story about the Baltimore Grand Prix : I was there for the first ever IndyCar Baltimore GP back in 2011. Living in Maryland as a motorsports fan is a nightmare levels of brutal. With a lack of race tracks around, the only options are either 1) drive north to Dover International Speedway in Delaware or 2) drive south to Virginia where Martinsville and Richmond are. So you can imagine my delight to see that a top level racing series in IndyCar was taking interest to race in racing in my home state, even more so the biggest city in the state *and* it was the city I was born in? Sign me right the hell up! I sat in turn 3 on Sunday, September 4th, 2011. Yes, the hairpin turn 3. It had been no problem for the drivers all race long right up until we got a restart, don't remember what lap it was, but everyone got through turns 1 and 2 just fine... drivers get to turn 3, and all chaos breaks loose. Big time pile up, they red flagged the race. In fact, I vividly remember one of the announcers yelled "What the truck" and I absolutely had a good laugh at that. Will Power went on to win that day. I was getting into IndyCar as it was, but that was the race that hooked me on IndyCar racing and I've been keeping up with IndyCar ever since. Heck, I still have my 2011 Baltimore GP ticket *and* the program from that year as well. The Baltimore GP was the one thing that could've kept me from wanting to leave this state. I had been heading down a road of wanting to leave for Colorado in 2012 with the GP being the saving grace . Once it left in 2013, I was hellbent on leaving for Colorado, and I still am to this day. So hopefully, Colorado does get the nod to host an IndyCar race or a NASCAR race.
@@michaelkitz2090 Oh, trust me. I'm in the same boat as you, my dude. I have lived in Maryland since the day I was born. I hate it here. Heck, the only race track I know of is in Hagerstown and that's on the Western side of the state *and* it's a dirt track which is vastly under prepared for a big league like NASCAR or IndyCar.
That's an awesome story! Plus it's cool that you've kept the tickets and program, always very nice souvenirs you can have to remind yourself of the event. It's a shame that that area doesn't have a load of tracks available because the crowd certainly seemed to show up for the Baltimore event.
Lived in baltimore at the time, alot of controversy circling the event. They cut down alot of trees and lost alot of money. I luckily knew the area so well I could get right in or find the best views for spectating. First time seeing open wheel cars in person almost made me emotional
That's a really cool story. I remember when I saw the World Endurance Championship for the first time (the first big international motorsport event I've seen in person), that it was an awesome experience.
Really kicking myself for not going to one of these races. I had indycar half an hour away in my home state but didn’t take advantage of it. Now the closest race to me is 6 hours away. Anyway, the track itself was definitely interesting. Kinda like Nashville before Nashville. This was a fun look back on a race that I can guarantee you will never happen again. Also, I might be jumping the gun here but I’m willing to bet the nascar Chicago street course will end up on this series one day.
Most of the tracks on the opening review deserve to be on the street track failure list...except for Hamilton NZ. The current Nashville Indy Car circuit should be near the top of the list too. Also, we can add the Chicago NASCAR circuit to this list soon.
After requesting Punta del Este a few times. I was thinking about Shanghai used by DTM a few years. With it's most famous moment of Bernd Mayländer (yes that Mayländer) hitting a man hole cover during the race
i was at the 2011 and 2013 races! ALMS had Indy beat in the sound department, hands down i love that V12 Aston Martin Lola! also the races had amazing attendance
I’ve enjoyed binging this series, I wonder if you’d consider a follow-up/counter series of Street Track Successes. Would be fun to see your take on the better street tracks out there like Long Beach, Bathurst, Montreal, etc.
I'm definitely taking a small break, the last week in particular was pretty non-stop. I have loads of video ideas. However, it'll be around Thursday at the earliest before another video is uploaded. Glad you enjoyed the video though!
I really liked this video. And I really liked that track. In my opinion it presented unique challenges. If they could solve once and for all that problem with the chincane at the entrance to the main straight (in this case, a solution to remove it permanently and safely) and increase the length of the track a little more, it could probably have a few more years of life. And of course.....no debts to be paid off. The pit lane was unique, very different and very beautiful. Unbelievable how Indycar put it in that tight region. Too bad it got off the calendar. I hope this race comes back someday.
Glad you enjoyed the video! It would be cool to see this location return. However, I think the layout would have to be different as it was a bit too chaotic I think.
I heard some time ago about Dyson Racing catching people trying to remove bits off the cars during the grid walk for an ALMS race. Hate to say it but that’s my biggest recollection of the track.
Once again a good video for this city route. Very Nice. I got scared every time I saw the Indy cars or GT cars jump. :D A brutal stretch for cars and drivers. Would you also do a video for the Wellington GP ( in New Zealand )? When I saw this route for the very first time, I had to swallow...
There is a very peculiar track that I would like to suggest for an upcoming video, in case someone hasn't already suggested it: Alcañiz Street Circuit. Or Guadalope Circuit. When you see videos of it on TH-cam you just don't believe it would be ever possible to race there. But was. And they were fantastic.
A1GP did a race in China (Beijing) that had a hairpin that was so ridiculously tight the cars couldn’t get round it without crawling under 10 mph or deliberately spinning/drifting. They had to red flag the session and amend the track, the two straights were two parallel two lane roads, they were asking the drivers to turn the cars around an apex not much bigger than a traffic cone. They cut the straight in half in order to have the hairpin go around a section that featured a junction so was wider, however this wasn’t perfect as the cars exited the corner with the pit lane entry barrier head on in front of them and had to swerve it. Add in other problems like dusty, manhole covers, bumpy, Mickey Mouse chicane and it’s very worthy of an episode.
This was one of my favorite race weekends of the year for those 3 years. I was sad to see this event go. The track had its problem areas for sure, but street circuits are supposed to be diabolical.
I thought this event was cool while it lasted. However, it was chaos most of the time unfortunately, which I think impacted the event's image to the public.
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 That is why he always wears a helmet. Helmet Bob is one of those flaggers that everyone knows about even if they have never met him
I absolutely love this track and I desperately wish there was a version of this (without the train tracks) for assetto corsa. Also great work, have you considered a street track success series?
about those tire bundles of nightmare. While you said "they weren't probably not that scary", tell that to the person that just flew over it 😂 impeccable timing of mentioning that 😁 But then again, great job again. They are getting better by the episode, including the oh so known British sarcastic humour from time to time 😁
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 don't sell yourself short, sir. Okay it's not the level as Rowan Atikinson in Blackadder for example, but you hear a lot worse here on TH-cam ;-)
I attended the first ever baltimore GP in 2011 for all 3 days and I had an amazing time, I loved the difficulty of the track and I loved finally having professional racing in Maryland, I wish the organizers could've sorted out a deal to continue it in 2014 but the mayor insisted on preference to the baseball team
I would suggest Columbus, Ohio as a street track failure. You could also do two videos on failure then rebirth, then future death for Detroit and Las Vegas.
If there wasn't the train tracks running across the track I think the track would have been better, if the same layout (minus the final chicane) was used as it does give some good overtaking opportunities but with the bumps of the concrete also makes it challenging.
I went to first practice and couldn’t even believe they pulled it off. However the city of course overestimated what benefit it would provide the city and it went away. A shame though because the northeast/mid Atlantic is pretty far from the nearest Indy event. You either have to go Mid-Ohio or Toronto. IMSA is a little closer with Lime Rock, Watkins Glen or VIR.
Glad you're enjoying the videos! That track has been mentioned before, however if more people request them, then their's a greater chance it'll be featured in this series.
as a person from maryland and who lives in maryland it feels super funny seeing all the sponsors that are on the track and knowing about every single one of them
the random kerbs in the middle of the racing surface truly complete the baltimore experience that this track is
Everyday I feel the random kerbs everywhere in Baltimore 😭
This circuit has big Formula E energy! You've got:
- An unnecessarily clumsy chicane
- A pitlane with an unconventional layout
- Section barely wide enough for 2 cars
- Contract issues with the circuit itself
Genuinely one of the most entertaining races in IndyCar and the ALMS in those days. It's a shame it disappeared, as the insanity was always a good watch. Great video as always, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the video!
This track was honestly just...funny for lack of a better word. Even though all the crashes and stuff happened, it was still really funny to watch them pile up every 15 minutes, cause you'd think they would have learned after the first 3 pile ups! Track felt like a gimmick too with all the railroad crossings but it somehow worked and made for a really interesting track. Honestly if they repaved the whole circuit, i think it'd be quite fun and challenging!
The racing wasn't too bad either. Like in 2012, somehow the leading P1 car finished in 13th overall, being beaten out by P2s, PCs and GT2s. That was just interesting, watching the P1s attempt to pass all the slower cars for position
I think if the track had temporary tarmac over all the rail sections, and left some of the concrete sections (as in my view it added an extra challenge), then this track would've been improved in my view.
I'm such a sucker for "bad" street circuits. I love crazy death chicanes, I love sections barely wide enough for the cars. watching cars literally jump over kerbs in Surfers Paradise, and watching them snake through Macau inches from the wall. it's just something I've always loved. would love to see an episode on the Sydney 500 at Sydney Olympic Park. the silly square as me and my friends used to call it.
The Sydney track may feature in this series.
Absolutely the same here.
Gold Coast is one of my favorite racetracks in the entire world.
Something about crazy chicanes, strange corners and concrete walls has always appealed to me.
I agree. Look at how exciting this is compared to the one pass spectacle of Monaco. Still not same cars but you know.... Should fixed the bumps a bit but you know
Great installment of Street Track Failures!
For me, one memory of the Baltimore track that I vividly remember is that infamous ALMS pileup at the start of the 2013 race.
Good job and I'm looking forward to more installments of Street Track Failures.^^
what connection do you have to GT racing and why are you the moderator for GTWorld?
Glad you enjoyed the video!
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 😉👍
OMG you've been blessed by Omaris himself
@@MrBrno itself*
I attended the 2012 event and still have my Chevrolet IndyCar tee shirt. It’s a wonder how this event ever came into being. Driving downtown in Baltimore gave me severe stress merely by the bumps, traffic, and youths who threaten to wash your windows. Luckily for them, the racing drivers only dealt with those first two.
This comment really sums up Baltimore 😂.
Ww call them squeegee boys 😂
I attended the inaugural Baltimore GP for ALMS racing and I gotta say, the best part had to be the sound. Something about the tall buildings made the engines echo and reverberate in amazing ways. I still have a few photos, but my ears will never forget the roar!!
I imagine the sound would've been absolutely amazing for that race.
@tydyeracinggaming4742 oh god, the V8 Corvettes, Jaguar XK, M3 and 458s were lovely. You could feel it in the pit of your stomach every time they opened the throttle.
Can’t believe it was 10 years ago. Thanks for (finally) doing this video!
I went all three years and had a blast. This track was big dumb goofy fun and I miss it like crazy. Partly because of the insane racing, but partly because neither series comes to this part of the US anymore. No more Baltimore, Nazareth, Pocono, or Dover.
I also want to add that Andretti marketing in particular did a great job of making sure there was a ton for fans to do between ALMS and IndyCar. Was the first race I had gone to where there was a ton to do outside of watching cars go in circles. Definitely helped set the template for future road and street track events.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the event! The crowd seemed very keen for it for sure.
I went in 2013 and it was so much fun, logistically and in legitimacy it was a nightmare but the actual on track action was so fun to watch, ESPECIALLY the ALMS cars
It's like a modern, old-school circuit, which is part of the charm of the circuit. Loved the video, I enjoy them a little longer.
I was at all 3 of the races and worked as a volunteer at all 3 races. This was one of the best events I ever went to- 150,000 people went to this race and the atmosphere was always fantastic. The circuit was actually pretty damn good, and to see that Lola-Aston Martin with its screaming V12 going between the tall buildings was spine-tingling, to say the least. And that ALMS pile-up in 2013 happened right in front of me- I was standing on the nearest grandstand on the outside and I remember turning my head and all these wrecked cars were sliding to a stop right in front of me.
But the chicane was the result of light-rail track where the road was raised to the height of the tracks, and this part was an almost impossible problem to fix. The punishing bumps on the concrete road sections were seriously bad- but the tarmac sections were perfectly smooth. The circuit had a lot of character, which is why it was good.
i find it funny that they built a street track in top 3 city for worst drivers in the country
Indycar drivers are the best in the world, the 2011 field especially. don't you forget that.
@@DW98rosy the track's various problems made them look like fools anyways
@@farhanatashiga3721 yes, well, that's the track's fault.
One of the "minor" scheduling conflicts was the race taking place on the labor day weekend here in the US. That was and is the traditional date of the local SCCA region's biggest race of the year for the club, The Labor Day Double at Summit Point Raceway. The region had to staff the turn marshalls at both events.
I can see why that might've been somewhat hard to organise.
The whole track was susceptible to accidents, I guess)
Thanks for the video, remember this track in rfactor. The AI was the same as real drivers here: struggling to go in one piece.
Two humble suggestions: São Paulo (IndyCar from 2010 to 2013) and Guia Circuit (Macau).
Great video, congratulations!
I don't think Macau can be classified as a failure given that it's such an engraved part of the Motorsport calendar now despite of its issues
@@farhanatashiga3721 and the events are still being held there
Sao Paulo will be used again for Formula E in three weeks. And no, Guia is not even close to failure.
Macau I wouldn't say is a failure, but a video on that circuit is planned for the future. São Paulo may feature in this series. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Nashville Street Circuit for Indycar might be one to look into. They've raced there twice. First race had over 30 laps under caution and last year's race had half the field crash out. It's still on the schedule this year.
as "bad" as the track is, it is super satisfying to watch those C6Rs and M3s bounce through that chicane and through those tightening blind corners. definatley one of the more visually appealing street circuits
It was definitely cool aesthetically for sure.
This was the very first race I ever went to, and I went all 3 years they ran it. I still have every trinket, keychain, and piece of merchandise I got on race weekend, including a painting I have framed on my wall. It's what got me into motorsports in the first place, and it's honestly one of my favorite memories looking back. I got to go into the pits and meet the drivers and stay in the VIP boxes the first year.
The reason I got to stay in the VIP boxes and meet Will Power, however, was because the incompetent organizers never actually built the grandstands where me and my dad were supposed to sit, so we had to go all the way across the track to see the managers to get that sorted out. It was unbelievable fun in the end though, so it was worth it. They had to get the race haulers all parked up inside the convention center and i still remember the Corvettes shaking the windows of the atrium as they went by.
You did a nice job on this video, I had forgotten just how many pileups there were!
I visited Baltimore for the first time as they were constructing the track for the 2011 race and I moved there three years after the last one in 2013
10 years later, the paint for the curbs at turn one and turn five chicane are still in the pavement today as reminders of what was
Also talked to a few people who lived in the city during the race depending on who you asked they either loved it or thought it was a headache
Lastly it's a shame the race was so poorly run because it was a fan favorite and people came out to see the race in droves each year
Thanks for the added information on the track. It was always a circuit I looked forward to on the Indycar and American Le Mans Series calendar.
Maryland resident here. I'm proud that Baltimore has a real racing "heritage" albeit for only a few years. This kind of track mixed with maryland roads really wasn't a good idea from the get-go (the roads here are godawful) but I'm still glad they did it, gave me some entertainment back then. I think they could've had more success if they made a street circuit elsewhere in the state, particularly around the reservoirs perhaps, they seem to have interesting layouts that would actually challenge drivers, but wouldn't have many overtaking spots.
I think that whilst the track was flawed, it's quirkiness endeared it to people.
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 couldn’t agree more!
As one of the multitude who suggested this track, it lived up to the memories. It was an entertaining mix of some really good corners, some really bad bumps, some "entertaining" kerbs, and some bad management. The resulting racing was as chaotic as expected...
Here's another suggestion - the Pescara Grand Prix circuit. It was used from 1924 to 1961, ran through several towns & villages, and was notable as the longest circuit ever used for a round of the F1 world championship, at 25.801km (16.032 miles) - longer than the Nurburgring. Genuinely terrifying, it featured two straights over 5km in length...
I can certainly take a look at the Pescara track. Baltimore was certainly a unique circuit.
the "However, This section was seceptible to Pileups" bit reminds me of the "They're a bit Heavy" bit from Potential History's latest video
I remember going to one of these races whilst living in Washington, D.C. My father traveled in from father afield so we got a hotel room. As it happened, the hotel stood at the inside of the track at the last turn. It was definitely the best view of the track we had the entire time, but since our reservation ended Sunday morning, we couldn't stay up there to watch the IndyCar race itself.
That seems like it would be an awesome view of that track.
Strangest pitlane on a street circuit has to the Columbus circuit IMSA ran in the 80s. The entrance and exit were at the same place. Once you go down to the end of the pit lane you had to make a 180 turn and come back down the other side of the street.
Great channel and content. Truly an hidden gem. Keep up the good work TD
Thanks for the high praise. I'll do my best to keep the videos as good as I can.
I'm glad I was able to attend all the runnings of the race. Still remember watching the Kanaan / Castroneves crash in person. One of the wildest moments I've had watching sports.
This track is without joking better for Demolition Derby events, that IF a pile up was occured that they can smash through it without creating red flags and delays.
Great vid! Always enjoy. Especially enjoyed seeing the ALMS cars. Sucks we don't get Corvette over here anymore. Being a fellow Brit we rarely see street tracks these days so is always a nice educational treat as I missed many of these back in the day. You'd generally see the tracks mentioned in Autosport or DSC and maybe see a few pics but unless you had friends who knew how, actually getting video of these races was pretty difficult. Really nice to know these American street tracks were as insane as they sounded!
Glad you enjoyed the video! It's educational for me as well, as I keep discovering tracks I never knew existed from requests in the comments and it's great researching these circuits.
Being a Marylander, I can firmly say we have decent motorsport history with Budds Creek motocross track, Maryland International Raceway and home of Travis Pastrana but Baltimore as a track was good and kinda reminds me a little bit of that proposed Vietnam GP and I like it but not surprised it didn’t last long
The Moosehead Grandprix in Halifax, Nova Scotia is a pretty good example of a weird street circuit. It was raced on between 1990-1995. It had a few series visit but its a weird looking circuit.
That track has been requested a few times before and it may well feature in this series.
I was 10 or 11 when these happened and my dad has an office on the 21st floor looking out over the front straight at turn one so we watched them from there. We could see pretty much from the wacky chicane on the straight through turn four so the view was awesome. I wasn’t into racing at all and don’t remember much of it but man I really wish it came back around now when I’m into racing especially single seaters. Hearing so much shit ab it over the years is so bittersweet, I just wish it happened again now :/
I always remember this event very fondly. I don't think the old layout would work anymore, but a race returning to Baltimore would be awesome. Cool story by the way.
Great video! I was at this race in the T1 grandstand and of all the reviews and wrap ups and discussions I’ve seen, you seem to be the first person besides me who noticed the safety truck! That was pants-soilingly frightening in person. I do miss this event though - pit lane was a joke, but the paddock was inside the convention center - meaning an Air Conditioned garage! A nice break from the stifling Baltimore summer heat. Cheap beers and good viewing were available at the Harbor Place patios, and the city really was into the race. It is a shame about the chicane - I think without that this would have been remembered as a really good modern street circuit.
Glad you enjoyed the video and that you enjoyed the event. Sounds like a really cool garage area for sure.
I have an idea for a street track failure, since I've watched the races that happened there.
Valencia Street Circuit (Formula 1) - This track hosted the European Grand Prix between 2008 and 2012. The track was marred with overtaking issues due to the layout (Classic Tilkedrome syndrome), which led to boring races and even had a few scary incidents (Mark Webber repeating his Le Mans crash with the help of Heikki Kovalainen's rear end for example). The track was supposed to be signed for 7 years, but Bernie Ecclestone didn't sign the last two years off as the names of the track owners kept changing.
You could also do the likes of Dallas Street Circuit and Ceasars Palace. Dallas was cancelled after 1 year due to safety concerns and financial problems, whilst Ceasars Palace was raced at for 4 years. 2 years for F1 and 2 years for CART. The track barely offered good racing, drivers and fans hated the track and it was rightfully panned after 1984's CART race.
All of those tracks may feature in this series at some point.
You should do the Niagara Falls street circuit that Trans-Am raced at in the 80s
That track may feature in this series at some point.
This channel is the best thing that has washed up on the home page for a long time
Glad you rate the videos so highly!
I have a soft spot for Baltimore partly because of the bonkers nature of the track.
Just subbed! First video I’ve seen of yours and the content is top notch! Love me some weird street circuits
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for the subscription as well, it's enormously appreciated.
I'm so happy you finally did this one. I remember being so excited since it was the first time a street circuit was even remotely close to me. I would argue that it's one of the worst street circuits ever in terms of location/layout, nothing tops the chicane of death or the fact that it had TWO railroad crossings, but I agree with your closing remarks. I wish it had stayed longer just because it is so unlike any other racing facility anywhere in North America and it presented so many unique challenges to the drivers, and I know we'll probably never see another one like it (at least hopefully not any more with railroad tracks in them).
I've been waiting for this video since I found your channel!!! From what I remember, the drivers didn't really hate the track design itself, just how awful the roads were, and how dangerous steering was since they were gaining and losing so much grip bouncing all over the place. We can blame an anime convention for the cancellation since the paddock was inside the convention center. I'll never forget meeting Joerg Bergmeister, Scott Dixon and JR Hildebrand (with half his body in a cast) in 2012!
Great video! I would sometime like you to cover the Valencia Street Circuit that F1 raced on.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Valencia may feature in this series at some point.
Being from the area, I loved watching these races as a kid... but what I certainly didn't enjoy was the road closures for said races making my drive to school quite complicated lmao. Besides that, the start finish line is still on Pratt street despite being near a decade since the last race, and in 2019 a massive sinkhole opened up at the rail stop that was right next to the cross over point on the track. Everyone once and a while I go down to the convention center for sentimental reasons (IYKYK) and during that little bit of driving in my modified car I wonder how in the hell did those cars deal with that road? No wonder they had to slow them down. Bumpy as hell to this day.
This street track certainly had it's quirks that's for sure. Cool story though!
A video on the Changwon street circuit in Changwon, South Korea would be interesting. F3 raced there from 1999 to 2003 for the Korea Super Prix, but there isn't that much footage (a lot of pictures however).
Btw, awesome content. Love the video's!
Wait, Korea actually hosted motorsports? I thought there's not even such a thing as a car culture over there.
That track could feature in this series. Glad you're enjoying the videos!
@@romiarkan450 Korea even had an F1 race for a few years, 2010-2013 I think
All the cities in the US that I've learned had street tracks at one point. Kind of surprised that nobody's ever set one up in Pittsburgh besides the Vintage Grand Prix circuit. We have a metro of 2.4 million and nothing bigger than F3 has ever come here, and that's to a proper track nearly 50 miles from the city.
It would be cool to see a street race held there for sure.
I have a true story about the Baltimore Grand Prix : I was there for the first ever IndyCar Baltimore GP back in 2011.
Living in Maryland as a motorsports fan is a nightmare levels of brutal. With a lack of race tracks around, the only options are either 1) drive north to Dover International Speedway in Delaware or 2) drive south to Virginia where Martinsville and Richmond are. So you can imagine my delight to see that a top level racing series in IndyCar was taking interest to race in racing in my home state, even more so the biggest city in the state *and* it was the city I was born in? Sign me right the hell up! I sat in turn 3 on Sunday, September 4th, 2011. Yes, the hairpin turn 3. It had been no problem for the drivers all race long right up until we got a restart, don't remember what lap it was, but everyone got through turns 1 and 2 just fine... drivers get to turn 3, and all chaos breaks loose. Big time pile up, they red flagged the race. In fact, I vividly remember one of the announcers yelled "What the truck" and I absolutely had a good laugh at that. Will Power went on to win that day. I was getting into IndyCar as it was, but that was the race that hooked me on IndyCar racing and I've been keeping up with IndyCar ever since. Heck, I still have my 2011 Baltimore GP ticket *and* the program from that year as well.
The Baltimore GP was the one thing that could've kept me from wanting to leave this state. I had been heading down a road of wanting to leave for Colorado in 2012 with the GP being the saving grace . Once it left in 2013, I was hellbent on leaving for Colorado, and I still am to this day. So hopefully, Colorado does get the nod to host an IndyCar race or a NASCAR race.
Living in MD sucks as an Indycar fan. The pandemic prevented Richmond from coming back. Closest race I can get to is mid Ohio six hours away
@@michaelkitz2090 Oh, trust me. I'm in the same boat as you, my dude. I have lived in Maryland since the day I was born. I hate it here. Heck, the only race track I know of is in Hagerstown and that's on the Western side of the state *and* it's a dirt track which is vastly under prepared for a big league like NASCAR or IndyCar.
That's an awesome story! Plus it's cool that you've kept the tickets and program, always very nice souvenirs you can have to remind yourself of the event. It's a shame that that area doesn't have a load of tracks available because the crowd certainly seemed to show up for the Baltimore event.
Just stumbled across your content and am loving it! I want a new whole video dedicated to that chicane at the start it’s hilarious
Glad you're enjoying the videos!
5:21 My favorite bit, seeing that safety truck just get behind the wall driving the wrong way in the nick of time before having a head on collision!
i just binge watched every ep from this series! ...top stuff!..looking forward to more
Glad you're enjoying the videos! Hope you continue to enjoy them!
I love tracks with quirky pit lanes
I feel like this track fits perfectly with Baltimore, the place where hopes and dreams go to die
I loved this video. Thank you, TyDye! ♥️
Glad you enjoyed the video!
Lived in baltimore at the time, alot of controversy circling the event. They cut down alot of trees and lost alot of money. I luckily knew the area so well I could get right in or find the best views for spectating. First time seeing open wheel cars in person almost made me emotional
That's a really cool story. I remember when I saw the World Endurance Championship for the first time (the first big international motorsport event I've seen in person), that it was an awesome experience.
Really kicking myself for not going to one of these races. I had indycar half an hour away in my home state but didn’t take advantage of it. Now the closest race to me is 6 hours away. Anyway, the track itself was definitely interesting. Kinda like Nashville before Nashville. This was a fun look back on a race that I can guarantee you will never happen again. Also, I might be jumping the gun here but I’m willing to bet the nascar Chicago street course will end up on this series one day.
Insane amount of damaged cars in just 3 years!! Thanks for making this!
Hope you enjoyed the video!
Most of the tracks on the opening review deserve to be on the street track failure list...except for Hamilton NZ. The current Nashville Indy Car circuit should be near the top of the list too.
Also, we can add the Chicago NASCAR circuit to this list soon.
After requesting Punta del Este a few times. I was thinking about Shanghai used by DTM a few years. With it's most famous moment of Bernd Mayländer (yes that Mayländer) hitting a man hole cover during the race
That track may feature in this series.
i was at the 2011 and 2013 races! ALMS had Indy beat in the sound department, hands down
i love that V12 Aston Martin Lola! also the races had amazing attendance
If that Aston in videos sounds incredible, I can't imagine what it sounds like in person.
I personally really enjoyed this street circuit. It had so many unique characteristics that made it a really challenging one to tackle.
Very well done video! I liked this track, it was cool seeing the old ALMS footage too! 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed the video!
I’ve enjoyed binging this series, I wonder if you’d consider a follow-up/counter series of Street Track Successes. Would be fun to see your take on the better street tracks out there like Long Beach, Bathurst, Montreal, etc.
Glad you're enjoying the videos! If people would like to see a series on that, then I'll definitely consider it.
thanks for adding my home track 👍
The Bmore street circuit is BUILT for a Nascar race. I would absolutely pay money to see that.
I worked for the Baltimore Grand Prix. Thank you for making this video.!
No worries. It was a very cool event, I always used to look forward to the race on the Indycar calendar.
It's always fun to be leaping off the track in an open wheeler (:
Woo another fantastic TyDye upload, keep up the good work!
Glad you enjoyed the video! I'll do my best to keep the video quality as high as I can make it.
Can’t wait for you to do a video on an event closer to your location. Birmingham comes to mind
Was waiting for this one. Loved the video! Take your time and rest, quality over quantity. Don't get burnt out.
I'm definitely taking a small break, the last week in particular was pretty non-stop. I have loads of video ideas. However, it'll be around Thursday at the earliest before another video is uploaded. Glad you enjoyed the video though!
That truck. I remember that. One of the scariest things I've ever seen watching a race...
Love it, as always!
Glad you enjoyed the video!
It's almost like the designer of Baltimores street circuit designed the St Pete street circuit!
I really liked this video. And I really liked that track. In my opinion it presented unique challenges. If they could solve once and for all that problem with the chincane at the entrance to the main straight (in this case, a solution to remove it permanently and safely) and increase the length of the track a little more, it could probably have a few more years of life. And of course.....no debts to be paid off. The pit lane was unique, very different and very beautiful. Unbelievable how Indycar put it in that tight region. Too bad it got off the calendar. I hope this race comes back someday.
Glad you enjoyed the video! It would be cool to see this location return. However, I think the layout would have to be different as it was a bit too chaotic I think.
Oh my goodness! Thank you for granting my wish!
Hope you enjoyed the video!
I heard some time ago about Dyson Racing catching people trying to remove bits off the cars during the grid walk for an ALMS race. Hate to say it but that’s my biggest recollection of the track.
Never knew about that, thanks for saying.
Once again a good video for this city route. Very Nice.
I got scared every time I saw the Indy cars or GT cars jump. :D
A brutal stretch for cars and drivers.
Would you also do a video for the Wellington GP ( in New Zealand )?
When I saw this route for the very first time, I had to swallow...
Glad you enjoyed the video! Wellington could feature in this series.
There is a very peculiar track that I would like to suggest for an upcoming video, in case someone hasn't already suggested it: Alcañiz Street Circuit. Or Guadalope Circuit. When you see videos of it on TH-cam you just don't believe it would be ever possible to race there. But was. And they were fantastic.
I'll definitely do some research on these tracks for sure. Sound very interesting.
If they made the pavement suitable for race cars instead of Baja trucks then it probably would have lasted longer
Keep an eye on that Chicago street course NASCAR thinks is a good idea. It's sure to give you an immense amount of content. LOL
A1GP did a race in China (Beijing) that had a hairpin that was so ridiculously tight the cars couldn’t get round it without crawling under 10 mph or deliberately spinning/drifting.
They had to red flag the session and amend the track, the two straights were two parallel two lane roads, they were asking the drivers to turn the cars around an apex not much bigger than a traffic cone.
They cut the straight in half in order to have the hairpin go around a section that featured a junction so was wider, however this wasn’t perfect as the cars exited the corner with the pit lane entry barrier head on in front of them and had to swerve it.
Add in other problems like dusty, manhole covers, bumpy, Mickey Mouse chicane and it’s very worthy of an episode.
That track may feature in this series at some point.
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 If you can get footage of the original hairpin then that alone is worthy of an episode. Love the series!
This was one of my favorite race weekends of the year for those 3 years. I was sad to see this event go. The track had its problem areas for sure, but street circuits are supposed to be diabolical.
I thought this event was cool while it lasted. However, it was chaos most of the time unfortunately, which I think impacted the event's image to the public.
1:03 The marshal running from the flying KV IndyCar is my friend and mentor. Apparently that corner station was literally a bus stop.
They had a bit too close of a call with two Brazilian Indycar icons.
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 That is why he always wears a helmet. Helmet Bob is one of those flaggers that everyone knows about even if they have never met him
I think that Baltimore was one of the unique and interesting street circuits in US
I absolutely love this track and I desperately wish there was a version of this (without the train tracks) for assetto corsa. Also great work, have you considered a street track success series?
that would be a brilliant series. Long Beach, St. Pete, Guia, Circuit de la Sarthe, Pau and Bathurst come to mind for me
Glad you enjoyed the video! If people would like to see a series on that then I'll definitely look into something like that.
Late to the party, but love the content. Have you considered reviewing Macau? The only think I can remember from that circuit is the pile up in 2017.
I would love to see your take on the old Wellington street circuit from back in the 80s and 90s
That turn 3 hairpin gave me flashbacks to the Durban video and its first corner, haha
All i can say is i do see the failings of the track layout, but all of the 3 indycar races i saw on the streets of baltimore i certainly enjoyed.
That pit road reminds me of the "Gilligans Island" from Sonoma
about those tire bundles of nightmare. While you said "they weren't probably not that scary", tell that to the person that just flew over it 😂 impeccable timing of mentioning that 😁
But then again, great job again. They are getting better by the episode, including the oh so known British sarcastic humour from time to time 😁
Glad you enjoyed the video! I try my best to add humour, even if it's sub-par.🤣
@@tydyeracinggaming4742 don't sell yourself short, sir. Okay it's not the level as Rowan Atikinson in Blackadder for example, but you hear a lot worse here on TH-cam ;-)
@@thomassmets8303 Definitely, not to Rowan's level. Personally, he's my favourite comedian, an absolute genius. Plus he's a petrolhead.
I attended the first ever baltimore GP in 2011 for all 3 days and I had an amazing time, I loved the difficulty of the track and I loved finally having professional racing in Maryland, I wish the organizers could've sorted out a deal to continue it in 2014 but the mayor insisted on preference to the baseball team
I see you making a video later this year on the upcoming Chicago Street circuit race. 😂😅
When you can, Houston. It has some interesting history and a couple of iterations I believe
Those tracks may feature in this series in the future.
I'm noticing a trend with this track being susceptible to pileups
You may have picked that up from the video.
I would suggest Columbus, Ohio as a street track failure.
You could also do two videos on failure then rebirth, then future death for Detroit and Las Vegas.
All those tracks could very well feature in this series.
If there wasn't the train tracks running across the track I think the track would have been better, if the same layout (minus the final chicane) was used as it does give some good overtaking opportunities but with the bumps of the concrete also makes it challenging.
I'm looking forward to the inevitable episode on Nashville
I went to first practice and couldn’t even believe they pulled it off. However the city of course overestimated what benefit it would provide the city and it went away. A shame though because the northeast/mid Atlantic is pretty far from the nearest Indy event. You either have to go Mid-Ohio or Toronto. IMSA is a little closer with Lime Rock, Watkins Glen or VIR.
I love these, would like to see one on the Birmingham Superprix (assume this has already been mentioned though)
Glad you're enjoying the videos! That track has been mentioned before, however if more people request them, then their's a greater chance it'll be featured in this series.
as a person from maryland and who lives in maryland it feels super funny seeing all the sponsors that are on the track and knowing about every single one of them
South Central PA, and same! Was surprised to see a local construction company on one of the cars
This man makes better content than some YTers with millions of subs
Thanks for the very high praise.
Great Vid!!! MARYLAND MENTIONED 🙌🙌🙌
Glad you enjoyed the video!