The community of Otaru, Japan has been talking about hosting a race for years source: paddocktalk.com - rumors In October of 2003, the Hokkaido Otaru Grand Prix Preparatory Commission was formed to formalize the discussions. Over the years, the Otaru Grand Prix officials have struck up a conversation with the Champ Car World Series. In 2005, Otaru GP officials visited the Long Beach, and Australian rounds, and Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven visited Otaru twice. So when Otaru GP officials visited the season opening Champ Car race, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Nor should it have been a surprise that 2007 has been the targeted date for this event. That has been the targeted date agreed to by the two parties back in March of 2005. The PaddockTalk Perspective: A1 Grand Prix's Durban South Africa event was another venue that had been in the planning stages for years. In fact, Durban officials worked to organize the event around the Champ Car series back in February of 2004. Unfortunately for Champ Car the timing, and event didn't work out. Fortunately, for the A1 Grand Prix series it did, and was a huge inaugural success. Argentina was at one point thought to be a destination for the Champ Car World Series, with elected officials said to be nearly ready to approve it. Kevin Kalkhoven even ventured to the country and met with the organizers, and spoke positively of the meetings. Yet, in the end, nothing became of it. We mention these instances simply to illustrate that there comes a time when the talk, turns to momentum, which turns to action. And the resulting action either moves in a positive or negative way. Even with great planning, and organizing, the situations that arise in these final stages of the negotiation determine the race's fate. Otaru and Champ Car seem to be closing in quickly on this crossroad. Champ Car is either going to be racing in Japan in 2007, or they won't be. So stay tuned.
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