People tend to compare the IFMAR worlds with other events and that is not very fair.
There is no way to compare the ETS to an IFMAR event. The majority of the racers tend to claim how much more fun they have at ETS races and equivalent big scale events but that is perfectly logical. The atmosphere is friendly and a lot less tensed than that of IFMAR events because simply what is at stake is of a lot lower value than at an IFMAR event.
Ask any manufacturer how they rate their titles and not a single one would ever rate an event win anywhere near the value of an IFMAR win.
In this respect when IFMAR alocates their races they must consider that the track is suitable to provide level of racing equivalent to the event's status.
For example, browse through the videos of all ETS carpet races and then watch through the 3 amain finals of the 2006, 2008 and 2012 titles. The carpet tracks are nice but they are just too small for this level of racing and I bet if you added all the overtaking moves made for the lead from all the carpet races run at a whole ETS season they would stil be less than all the lead passes made in the recent triple Amains of the 2012 IFMAR worlds.

I think the US have some fantastic outdoor tracks and they are capable of running IFMAR events.
In 2004 I went to the Kissimmee and the track, location and facilities were great. They just need to overcome the stigma that outdoor tracks are for nitro racing.
With the current performance of electric open mod, any outdoor track is never too big for these little rockets.

John
JD RACING BLOG