One month before its scheduled race at Road America, IndyCar has confirmed that the race is being shifted a month later to July and will be run as a double-header. In addition, the race from Richmond Raceway originally scheduled for June 27 has been cancelled, leaving the season opener from Texas Motor Speedway the only event in the month of June.
The twin races from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will now be run July 11-12, the original dates of the recently cancelled street race in Toronto. The extra time allows for better containment of the COVID-19 outbreak and will lead to a better chance of fans being allowed into the facility.
Earlier this month, the Wisconsin supreme court struck down the state’s restrictions on social gatherings, paving the way for the race to take place. The rescheduling of the race gives the promoter extra time to work with the state government and organize an acceptable plan for everything to go ahead.
In previous changes to the 2020 schedule, IndyCar had turned two other races at Iowa Speedway and Laguna Seca into double-headers in an attempt to make up for other rounds that have been forced to cancel. The twin races at Road America will mean there is now three such weekends on this year’s calendar.
The series has a working model for double-header race weekends, with Detroit running two races on consecutive days each year since 2013. This year’s races from Detroit were cancelled, however, due to complications in getting a street course set up while following restrictions.
The delay of Road America and cancellation of the oval race from Richmond means that the second race on the schedule will now be the first visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the GMR Grand Prix on July 4.
This race will see a historic pairing of IndyCar and the NASCAR Cup Series on the same Independence Day weekend. Roger Penske, who is now the owner of IndyCar and IMS, is known to be exploring options to make sure at least some fans are allowed at the track for the big weekend.
IndyCar will start its season at Texas Motor Speedway in just over two weeks’ time . That race will be run on a condensed single-day schedule, will have heavily reduced personnel on site, and will not have any fans in the stands.
Race # | Event | Location | Track Type | Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Genesys 300 | Texas Motor Speedway | Oval | 6 June | |
2 | GMR Grand Prix | IMS Road Course | Road Course | 4 July | |
3 | Grand Prix at Road America Race 1 | Road America | Road Course | 11 July | |
4 | Grand Prix at Road America Race 2 | Road America | Road Course | 12 July | |
5 | Iowa IndyCar 250s Race 1 | Iowa Speedway | Oval | 17 July | |
6 | Iowa IndyCar 250s Race 2 | Iowa Speedway | Oval | 18 July | |
7 | 104th Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Oval | 23 August | |
8 | Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Race 1 | WWT Raceway at Gateway | Oval | 29 August | |
9 | Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Race 2 | WWT Raceway at Gateway | Oval | 30 August | |
10 | Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Race 1 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | Road Course | 12 September | |
11 | Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Race 2 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | Road Course | 13 September | |
12 | IndyCar Harvest GP Race 1 | IMS Road Course | Road Course | 2 October | |
13 | IndyCar Harvest GP Race 2 | IMS Road Course | Road Course | 3 October | |
14 | Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg | St. Petersburg | Street | 25 October |