NASCAR is moving its yearly Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, scheduled for July 4 in 2020, to the IMS road course, the stock-car racing sanctioning body announced Wednesday. The Brickyard 400 for the NASCAR Cup Series, scheduled for Juy 5 this year, will remain on the IMS oval.
“As we’ve seen in recent years, road-course racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series provides some of the most thrilling action of the entire season, and we are excited to bring it to an iconic venue like Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Operations and International Development Ben Kennedy said. “Roger [Penske, IMS owner], Doug [Boles, IMS President] and the entire IMS team have been tremendous partners in growing the Brickyard weekend, and we’re looking forward to what promises to be a must-see event during July 4th weekend.”
According to a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio report, track officials say conversion between the oval and road course will take only about 90 minutes, enabling NASCAR to hold races on both courses during a single race weekend.
A test to help determine the exact road-course layoug to be utilized for the Xfinity Series race will be conducted Jan. 22. Cup Series driver Matt DiBenedetto will drive the car in that test. As a result, DiBenedetto will not be allowed to contend the 2020 Xfinity Series race at Indy.
The upcoming Xfinity Series race on the IMS road course will be the first official NASCAR race on the course. The Xfinity Series has raced at IMS since 2012, moving there from the short track on the other side of town. The Cup Series has run the Brickyard 400 since 1994.
The Xfinity Series’ move to the Indianapolis road course brings the series’ tally of road course races to five on the 33-race schedule. The series also runs road-course events at Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, which also host the Cup Series; Road America; and Mid-Ohio Sprots Car Course.
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