IndyCar and NASCAR team Owner Roger Penske would “throw his considerable support behind an IZOD IndyCar Series race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn in September -- should MIS and IndyCar agree to a deal,” according to a source cited by Mike Brudenell of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. MIS President Roger Curtis on Monday said that he was “willing to undertake further talks” with IndyCar about returning to the track, and he confirmed that an IndyCar official “had phoned him Saturday at MIS to discuss a replacement race, which is needed after IndyCar canceled its Aug. 19 event in China.” With MIS hosting the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR weekend Aug. 17-19, the IndyCar event “would have to be moved to September at Michigan, quite possibly making it a season-finale race” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/20).
OH THE POSSIBILITIES: In Indianapolis, Curt Cavin wrote there is “every reason to believe Road America will be IndyCar’s choice for a 16th race, replacing the China event.” Located in “scenic Elkhart Lake, Wis., Road America has almost everything IndyCar wants in a last-minute event: A loyal fan base, a track competitors love, a willing promoter and open-wheel history.” It is also “likely Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a possibility,” but that would be “four races in California this season.” Cavin wrote it “seems more likely to have a second in Wisconsin” (INDYSTAR.com, 6/19). Also in Indianapolis, Anthony Schoettle wrote, “Minus a miraculous change of heart, the IndyCar Series is not going to be racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this season.” There is “simply not enough time for Speedway officials to market such an event the way they’d like.” There is a “fear at IMS headquarters that a second IndyCar race at the Speedway could dilute the fan base for the track’s crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500.” And there is “good reason for that fear,” as the Indy 500 is “the one event that has been a dependable cash cow for better than six decades.” Schoettle: “It stands to reason -- especially in this economy -- that a good number of race fans might attend an IndyCar road race at IMS in lieu of the Indianapolis 500. It’s taken a fair bit of work on the part of the Speedway to get Indy 500 attendance headed back up, and they’re in no mood to rob Peter to pay Paul” (IBJ.com, 6/19).
DON'T BELIEVE THE RUMORS: Andretti Autosport Owner Michael Andretti admitted yesterday that, “It was disappointing” when his name was “widely circulated as one of the leaders of an alleged coup to oust IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard.” The AP’s Jenna Fryer noted with “everything he's got riding on the series, it made little sense for him to be the source of discord.” Andretti said, "Yes, that really hurt. It hurt me personally and it was wrong. But we've turned it around, we've got things moving in the right direction again, and there's no reason to talk about any of that anymore" (AP, 6/19).
