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IndyCar, Louisiana on track for 3-year race deal

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

AVONDALE, La. (AP) — IndyCar racing officials expressed confidence Monday that NOLA Motorsports Park will be able to complete the track improvements it needs to host the proposed Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana in suburban New Orleans next year.

“IndyCar is on the rise and we are determined to be in great markets in this country and eventually throughout the world,” IndyCar chief Mark Miles said in an announcement at the track. “We have no doubt this will be one of the great venues for IndyCar racing in very little time.”

Gov. Bobby Jindal, joined by officials from the track and Andretti Sports Marketing, said the race is expected to be locked into the IndyCar schedule for “at least three years, though the goal is to make this a permanent event.”

Ongoing negotiations include scheduling a weekend for the event, which would also affect the timeline for track improvements that Miles said are needed for “safety, fan enjoyment and quality of racing.”

Miles said the IndyCar series is looking at weekends in mid- to late-March and in June, largely because those are periods when New Orleans’ robust tourism industry could use a spike in business.

Jindal will need state Legislative approval for $4.5 million, which will be combined with private money to cover marketing expenses and track improvements, including pit area, straight away and perimeter fencing enhancements. Organizers estimated as many as 80,000 spectators for the three-day event, which is slated to include a “racing festival” with live music and races featuring developmental open-wheel racing series such as Indy Lights as well as sports car series.

“This is great news for Jefferson Parish and our entire state,” Jindal said. “This three-day event would allow us to show off the excitement of an IndyCar race right here in Louisiana, as well as our state’s culture, entertainment and food. This event will be a great economic driver.”

The NOLA Motorsports Park, a private, $60 million facility about 14 miles southwest of downtown New Orleans, features a 2.75-mile road course that has already hosted AMA motorcycle racing and Indy Lights, as well as the Pro Mazda and USF2000 series.

The track is owned by Dr. Laney Chouest, whose family founded and operates Edison Chouest Offshore, regarded as one of the world’s leading builders and operators of sea vessels specially designed to service the offshore oil and gas industries.

“We wouldn’t be here without the vision of Dr. Laney Chouest,” Jindal said. “He’s built this beautiful facility as a labor of love and today we’re seeing one of the benefits to the state.”

Chouest thanked Jindal for supporting a “public-private partnership that will leverage the significant private investment we made.”

Chouest said he expected race-day spectator capacity to be about 50,000, using mostly temporary grandstands, but said space around the track would allow that figure to grow to meet ticket sales. Chouest said he also expected the race to be held in June and wasn’t concerned about hot weather, which is common at summer auto racing events and can even help drivers with tire grip.

IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, who races for Andretti Autosport, took a few laps around the track in a Mercedes-Benz sedan. Although Indy cars top speeds of 200 mph, Hinchcliffe said he expected top speeds in New Orleans to run around 180 mph because of the down force required to negotiate some of the track’s higher-speed turns.

Some track changes will involve lengthening straightaways and tightening turns at the ends of those straights, which shortens breaking zones and enhances passing opportunities.

“The facility is very impressive,” Hinchcliffe said. “The proposed changes will be really good and have a huge effect on the racing in a positive way.”

Organizers were confident enough in the event’s success that they launched an official website, indynola.com, which referred to the event as, “Inevitable.”

“I’m really pleased to see IndyCar preparing to bring a race to NOLA,” said former racer Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Sports Marketing. “New Orleans is a great market to grow the sport.”

IndyCar, which includes the Indianapolis 500 as its marquee event, is the premier American-based open-wheel racing series.

Currently, the series’ drivers include Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon, who are former Indy 500 winners, as well as Marco Andretti, the grandson of former racing great Mario Andretti, and Graham Rahal, son of 1986 Indy winner Bobby Rahal.

___

AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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