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IndyCar
INDYCAR: IndyCar Set For 15-Race Schedule In 2012
The final schedule is light on ovals and shorter than last season with 15 confirmed races but it’s not because Randy Bernard didn’t try to fatten it up.
After hosting the Twin 275s in 2011, the 1.5-mile Texas oval is back for 2012 with a single race. (LAT)
The 2012 IZOD INDYCAR schedule is light on ovals and shorter than last season with 15 confirmed races but it’s not because Randy Bernard didn’t try to fatten it up.
SPEED can confirm next year’s schedule, which will be announced Thursday.
After scheduling eight ovals in 2011, INDYCAR is down to four next year (Indy, Iowa, Texas and Fontana) because those were the only four tracks willing to make deals that were sensible for both parties, but Bernard is working to get that number back up.
Bernard wanted to promote Milwaukee but not without a title sponsor so the legendary one-mile oval is likely off the books along with Loudon, Kentucky and Las Vegas. Motegi, Japan had already announced that 2011 was its final year.
Following a seven-year absence, Indy cars will return to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
“It’s not that we don’t want to go to ovals, but it’s got to make sense for everybody and right now it’s difficult,” said Bernard a week ago.
INDYCAR has also made contact with Phoenix International Raceway about the possibility of returning in 2013, as well as Richmond's short oval.
Phoenix was an Indy car stronghold from 1964 until the open wheel split in 1996 and it finally had the plug pulled in 2005 because of pathetic attendance.
Richmond drew a solid 30,000 annually during its run from 2001-2009.
Bernard also talked with the ALMS about sharing the card at Elkhart Lake but a date couldn’t be worked out with the historic road course so that’s another project for 2013.
Bernard had Tony Cotman research a street race in Las Vegas near the end of the Strip with a possible partnership with ALMS but it's only exploratory at the moment.
It's believed Bernard is also trying to put together a street race in Fort Lauderdale for late September but it hasn’t been finalized.
The season will open as it has since 2009 at St. Petersburg on March 25, followed by Birmingham, Ala., Long Beach and Sao Paulo, Brazil in April before the month of May and the Indianapolis 500 on the 27th.
IndyCar returns to Belle Isle on June 3, followed by the annual night show at Texas but it will not be a doubleheader like this year. Iowa will again be on Saturday night (June 23).
SPEED can confirm next year’s schedule, which will be announced Thursday.
After scheduling eight ovals in 2011, INDYCAR is down to four next year (Indy, Iowa, Texas and Fontana) because those were the only four tracks willing to make deals that were sensible for both parties, but Bernard is working to get that number back up.
Bernard wanted to promote Milwaukee but not without a title sponsor so the legendary one-mile oval is likely off the books along with Loudon, Kentucky and Las Vegas. Motegi, Japan had already announced that 2011 was its final year.
Following a seven-year absence, Indy cars will return to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
“It’s not that we don’t want to go to ovals, but it’s got to make sense for everybody and right now it’s difficult,” said Bernard a week ago.
INDYCAR has also made contact with Phoenix International Raceway about the possibility of returning in 2013, as well as Richmond's short oval.
Phoenix was an Indy car stronghold from 1964 until the open wheel split in 1996 and it finally had the plug pulled in 2005 because of pathetic attendance.
Richmond drew a solid 30,000 annually during its run from 2001-2009.
Bernard also talked with the ALMS about sharing the card at Elkhart Lake but a date couldn’t be worked out with the historic road course so that’s another project for 2013.
Bernard had Tony Cotman research a street race in Las Vegas near the end of the Strip with a possible partnership with ALMS but it's only exploratory at the moment.
It's believed Bernard is also trying to put together a street race in Fort Lauderdale for late September but it hasn’t been finalized.
The season will open as it has since 2009 at St. Petersburg on March 25, followed by Birmingham, Ala., Long Beach and Sao Paulo, Brazil in April before the month of May and the Indianapolis 500 on the 27th.
IndyCar returns to Belle Isle on June 3, followed by the annual night show at Texas but it will not be a doubleheader like this year. Iowa will again be on Saturday night (June 23).
2013 INDY 500 Practice
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