September 6, 2001                                                       Version 1.1
===================================================================================
Track Facts

The construction of the grandstand seats for the 2001 race started on June 1, 2001.  65% of the track work was completed prior to IMG Motorsports' temporary acquisition of the airport at 6:00 a.m. on the Friday of race weekend.  Planes continued to land right up until 6:00 a.m.  On the Friday morning of race weekend, IMG prepared the other 35% of the track in the four hours prior to actually having the track go hot.  IMG had a very specific military-lie plan in place and used the following equipment and workers during that four-hour period:

. Six heavy-duty forklifts to put over 200 cement blocks in place
. Eight tractor-trailer trucks to place signage towers
. Two tractor-trailers to place the timing and scoring tower supplemented by two, two-ton cranes to lift the timing and scoring structures in place
. Approximately 200 workers to put over 5000 tires in place
. Over 1/4 mile of debris fencing placed by ten workers
. Over 200 signs both on track and on barriers throughout the temporary circuit placed by twelve workers
. Over 250 sandbags to hold trackside A-frame signs in place

IMG Motorsports started construction of the track and the surrounding grounds approximately six weeks prior to the July 1st race.  To construct the track, IMG:

. Installed and then removed 38,000 feet or over 7.2 miles of fence
. Installed and then removed over 30,000 feet or over 5.2 miles of cable
. Installed and then removed over 1,400 concrete barriers (equal to 3.2 miles) which is the equivalent of 11,200,000 pounds or over 5,600 tons
. Installed and then removed over 100,000 grandstand seats.

Event History:
Clevelander and Indy car racing advocate, Ernie Holden, was the visionary for a Cleveland Indy car Race at Burke Lakefront Airport.  With the help of Chuck Newcomb, President of C. K. Newcomb and Associates and organizer of the National Air Show, Holden ensured that his Grand Prix vision became a reality.  A veteran event promote, Chuck Newcomb worked with the FAA in approving use of Burke Lakefront Airport for the race and coordinated CART's involvement in designing the circuit.  It was Chuck Newcomb who served in 1982 as the first President of the "Budweiser Cleveland 500."  In 1985, the "Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix" was bought and promoted by Shaker Heights native, Roger S. Penske.  Then in the fall of 1991, CART removed Cleveland from the organization's schedule.  Upon learning of their action, Mayor Michael R. White, along with corporate leaders and Cleveland 500 Foundation Board Members, traveled to Houston to meet with CART.  This group successfully convinced CART to put Cleveland back into the 1992 race schedule.

1993 brought another upset; after seven years of ownership, Roger Penske withdrew as owner and operator.  Ironically, it was about this time that IMG Motorsports' Meadowlands Race had been cancelled.  IMG had the date and the staff with which to run a race, but did not have a race.  And, Cleveland had a race but no promoter.  IMG quickly submitted a bid for the Grand Prix to an eleven-member search committee and won out over two other contenders.  In September 1999, IMG Motorsports and CART agreed to a new three-year deal which will keep Champ Cars running at Burke Lakefront Airport through at least 2002.