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A decision by a startup Formula One team to set up shop in Charlotte, N.C., is fueling debate over whether Indianapolis still is the self-proclaimed "motorsports capital of the world."
U.S. Grand Prix Engineering announced its formation in late February and is the only Fl team headquartered in the United States. It plans to field two cars, both driven by Americans, for the 2010 season.
There are grounds for dismissing the significance of the decision. The F1 circuit this year features 17 races, none of which are on North American soil. Indianapolis Motor Speedway last hosted the U.S. Grand Prix in 2007, and never recovered from the race two years earlier, when all but six cars pulled out because of tire issues.
Still, that the new F1 team chose Charlotte over Indianapolis and a racing heritage dating to the first 500 Mile Race in 1911 could signal the end of an era.
The loss should be taken seriously, said Drew Klacik, a senior policy analyst and motorsports researcher at IUPUI's Center for Urban Policy and the Environment.
"We need to realize that other parts of the nation and the world are moving to maximize their share of the motorsports industry," Klacik said.
Charlotte is considered the hub of stock car racing, as most NASCAR teams and race shops are within 40 miles of...