There still are logistical issues to work through, as St. Pete's permits are specific to the March dateGETTY IMAGES
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg “might happen this year, after all,” as the NTT IndyCar Series announced it “intends to reschedule the race” as the season finale, according to Baker & Solomon of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. The race was originally set to be the season opener on March 15, but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. No official date has been assigned to the St. Pete race, but the fact it may be run at all is a “marked shift from where things stood two weeks earlier.” There still are logistical issues to work through, as the city’s licenses and permits are specific to the March date and “would have to be reworked.” If the rescheduling can be finalized, the Grand Prix “would honor previously purchased tickets for this year’s event” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/27).
BIG CHANGES TO SCHEDULE: In Indianapolis, Jim Ayello notes rescheduling the St. Pete race is just one of the “sweeping changes” to the ‘20 IndyCar calendar. The Indianapolis 500 is now slated to run on Aug. 23, marking the “first time the crown jewel of North American motorsport has not been run in May.” Additionally, the GMR Grand Prix at IMS “will now be run on July 4 weekend as part of an IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/27). Also in Indianapolis, Nathan Brown notes moving the Indy 500 to Aug. 23 creates a “hectic 17-week stretch with just four weekends not spent on track between late-May and mid-September, if all goes according to plan.” The season is set to begin “with the Detroit doubleheader May 30-31 and ending with a St. Pete finale.” The Indy 500 will be “surrounded by a new Midwest swing” that multiple drivers and owners seem to be excited about (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/27).
WORKING TO SAVE INDY 500: IndyCar/IMS Owner Roger Penske said top officials have been in a "constant huddle for the last 14 days" about rescheduling the Indy 500. Penske: "I wanted to be sure we could get far enough ahead of all this (coronavirus) that we could have a proper weekend. We had to make some tough decisions, and a lot of people helped us and have worked hard to come up with this schedule. We’re 150 days out, and I needed to know where I can go, and this is a big one off my back” (RACER.com, 3/26).
NOT EVERYTHING A GO JUST YET: In Detroit, Chris Thomas reports organizers of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear are “evaluating all options as the novel coronavirus bears down on events across the globe.” That comes despite IndyCar yesterday signaling that the Belle Isle double-header would serve as the starting point for the revamped ’20 season (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/27). IndyCar CEO Mark Miles noted he talked to race promoters and said, “They’re optimistic and we’re optimistic, and if at the end of the day it can’t happen we were thinking of other dates that might work, and we’ll do everything possible and they will do everything possible to stay on the schedule, hopefully at the end of May” (DETROIT NEWS, 3/27).
