St. Petersburg, Fla., officials yesterday confirmed rumors that next year's IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will "take place in early March, a couple of weeks sooner than it has in past years," according to Kameel Stanley of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. St. Petersburg Communications Dir Ben Kirby said that the race will "happen the weekend of March 11-13." City Managing Dir of Development Chris Ballestra said that those dates "come from promoter Green Savoree Racing." IndyCar itself "has not confirmed anything directly to the city" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/4). RACER.com's Robin Miller noted the '16 IndyCar schedule "isn't finalized yet, but it's going to last longer, have more events, and probably include at least two or three old favorites." Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles "didn't say what the new tracks were, but it's common knowledge that outgoing IndyCar competition director Derrick Walker recently closed the deal to bring Road America back in '16." Another "possibility" is Phoenix Int'l Raceway, which hosted Indy cars from '64-'05. The season-opening race could be "the real surprise," as it is "rumored it could be Mexico City in February." The Mexico City track has "been updated, and Formula 1 returns later this year after more than 20 years away." Miles confirmed that he is "still looking at Fontana or possibly Sonoma as the season finale in September" and that Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif., is "also in the conversation." Andretti Sports Marketing promoted New Orleans, which "is one-and-done and not returning next year, and Milwaukee remains penciled in, but with ASM reportedly shutting down, Miles admitted IndyCar is looking for a new promoter" (RACER.com, 8/2).
GRAHAM, I AM: USA TODAY's Jeff Olson writes just when it appeared another race -- Sunday's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio -- "would be tarnished by behind-the-scenes drama and politics," the series "stumbled into a proper championship battle." Driver Graham Rahal's victory "pulled him to within nine points of Juan Pablo Montoya in the standings with two races remaining." Rahal "changed everything in an instant, clearing the smoke of the backstage drama and putting the focus clearly on the racing and drivers" (USA TODAY, 8/4).
