Texas Motor Speedway "will be hosting its annual IndyCar race in the first weekend of May in 2021 and it will be a doubleheader," while Richmond Raceway "will not be on the calendar next year," according to Robin Miller of RACER.com. NASCAR is "believed to have pulled the plug on IndyCar's return to the Virginia short track." After signing a three-year deal, IndyCar was "set to make its return to the three-quarter mile bullring last June after an 11-year absence," but the race was canceled due to the pandemic. The event had no title sponsor, and with COVID-related uncertainty hanging over attendance at sporting events, it was "obviously a financial decision made by NASCAR." It is possible that IndyCar "will only have three ovals in 2021 -- Texas, World Wide Technology at Gateway and Indianapolis." Iowa began hosting IndyCar in '07, but the track "has been bleeding money for several years" and NASCAR reportedly "wants to shut it down unless [Roger] Penske steps in to buy it, which is not believed to be likely." Another track missing from '21 "will likely be COTA, which is going to host a NASCAR race next spring, but may also be up for sale and not financially willing or able to keep IndyCar." With the new street race in Nashville and doubleheaders at Texas and Detroit, there will be 17 races in '21 (RACER.com, 9/30).
