The Verizon IndyCar Series released its '15 schedule on Thursday, and the circuit has "valid reasons" for picking Sonoma Raceway to host the final event of the season, according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. If Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles is "going to continue with his plan to end the season before football gets in high gear, there are limited options." Sonoma Raceway "has date equity, having hosted IndyCar in late August annually" since '05. Current and prospective corporate partners "identify with northern California's wine country, and it won't take much arm twisting to get them to experience the sport for a weekend." But there are "other aspects of next year's schedule to chew on." A discussed race in Dubai in late February was not part of the schedule, and the "best guess" for its absence is that a "check didn't arrive from the Middle East." Also, three venues -- Milwaukee, Fontana and Pocono Raceway -- have "different race weekends for the third consecutive year." It is "difficult to build date equity that way" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/31). USA TODAY's Jeff Olson notes the '15 schedule "features six ovals, six road courses and four temporary street circuits and returns to 14 markets it visited" in '14. Among them is Toronto, which was "thought to be in jeopardy earlier because of scheduling conflicts with the Pan-American Games but instead will hold a single street race on June 14" (USA TODAY, 10/31). IndyCar had "inspected Canadian Tire Motorsport Park ... as an alternative site" for the '15 Honda Indy Toronto, but "elected to maintain the street race" (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 10/30).
DOUBLING UP: In Detroit, Henry Payne notes the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is the "only doubleheader on the 17-race IndyCar schedule after Houston dropped out as a host and Toronto opted out of the dual format." That format "has been a hit in Detroit, drawing more than 110,000 spectators last year, the highest attendance" since '07. TV ratings "also were up with the twin format" (DETROIT NEWS, 10/31).
