IndyCar tonight will release its '14 schedule, and the series will conclude on Aug. 30 at Auto Club Speedway, which is the "earliest IndyCar has ended a season," according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles has "targeted a Labor Day weekend finale to avoid competing with the football season." IndyCar will open March 30 "with a single race in St. Petersburg, Fla." Green Savoree Racing Promotions had "sought permission to host a doubleheader," but Miles said that "three doubleheaders in a season is sufficient." The doubleheaders are set for Detroit, Houston and Toronto. Two of this year's events missing from the '14 schedule are "street races in Sao Paulo and Baltimore." Miles said that the Brazil race "could be added later if a contract can be finalized." Miles added that for the '15 schedule, the series is "working to add a couple of international events in February." Miles: "We'd run February through August, or the beginning of September" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/17).
|
'14 INDYCAR SCHEDULE
|
|
DATE
|
TRACK |
LOCATION |
|
March 30
|
Streets of St. Petersburg |
St. Petersburg, Fla. |
|
April 13
|
Streets of Long Beach |
Long Beach, Calif. |
|
April 26
|
Barber Motorsports Park |
Birmingham, Ala. |
|
May 10
|
Grand Prix of Indianapolis |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
|
May 25
|
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
|
May 31
|
Raceway at Belle Isle |
Detroit, Mich. |
|
June 1
|
Raceway at Belle Isle |
Detroit, Mich. |
|
June 7
|
Texas Motor Speedway |
Ft. Worth, Texas |
|
June 28
|
Reliant Park |
Houston, Texas |
|
June 29
|
Reliant Park |
Houston, Texas |
|
July 6
|
Pocono Raceway |
Long Pond, Pa. |
|
July 12
|
Iowa Speedway |
Newton, Iowa |
|
July 19
|
Streets of Toronto |
Toronto, Ont. |
|
July 20
|
Streets of Toronto |
Toronto, Ont. |
|
Aug. 3
|
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
Lexington, Ohio |
|
Aug. 17
|
The Milwaukee Mile |
Milwaukee, Wisc. |
|
Aug. 24
|
Sonoma Raceway |
Sonoma, Calif. |
|
Aug. 30
|
Auto Club Speedway |
Fontana, Calif. |
| |
|
|
MILES TO GO BEFORE THEY SLEEP: In Milwaukee, Dave Kallmann notes Andretti Sports Marketing and IndyCar, which had "little presence during the Wisconsin State Fair, will now count on it as a significant marketing tool to build an event and entire series." The two announced yesterday that they would move the Milwaukee race from a June date to Aug. 17, 2014, which is "just days after the close of the fair." A two-year race title sponsorship deal with ABC Supply Co. will "provide stability to an event that had for months been on shaky ground." Miles said, "To have this event as the first of those three culminating races is really important to us. I think in years going forward, you'll see more attention being paid ... and racing here will take a more prominent role for us as we go into the future" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/17).
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES: Miles yesterday said that IndyCar will "do everything possible to prevent a repeat of the accident at Houston" that injured more than a dozen people and sent driver Dario Franchitti to the hospital. He added, "They’re looking carefully at fencing and seat placement and all the things that came into play there. In a way, as much as the whole weekend didn’t unfold exactly the way we’d like it to have, the fence worked, the fans who sustained some injuries were relatively minor" (AP, 10/16). Miles said that IndyCar President of Competition & Operations Derrick Walker is "in charge of the investigation." Miles: "I wouldn't even call it an investigation; it's more of a review of what happened. Derrick and his team are looking at it to look at everything that didn't go as we wanted it to go" (USA TODAY, 10/17).
