The Iowa race was moved to Sunday in recent years in part to avoid going head to head with NASCARGETTY IMAGES
Iowa Speedway has confirmed that it is returning to the '19 IndyCar Series calendar and going back to a Saturday night race. The track and IndyCar have yet to formally announce the move, but the NASCAR-owned track's website made the move official yesterday by adding the date to the '19 calendar on its website. The race used to be on a Saturday night before it switched to being run on Sunday afternoon the last three years. Next year's race is July 20, two weeks later than this year's race July 8 (Adam Stern, Staff Writer). In Indianapolis, Jim Ayello noted the Iowa race was moved to Sunday in recent years "in part so it can avoid going head to head with NASCAR's Cup Series," but that "won't be an issue with this year's date." The new date also "could be the first hint of a small shuffle-up" in the '19 IndyCar schedule. The later July date, as part of the '18 schedule, would have put Iowa "between Toronto and Mid-Ohio rather than preceding them" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/29).
NEW LIFE FOR BELLE ISLE? In Detroit, Caroline Blackmon reported the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is interested in keeping the IndyCar race at Belle Isle "as long as sufficient changes are made in the contract with Detroit Grand Prix officials." This comes as detractors "have raised concerns about noise and the environmental impact of the event." The contract for the race "expired this year" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/28).
