The Kohler Grand Prix race weekend brought news of one track staying, and one track going as the 2019 Verizon IndyCar schedule begins to come together.
Ahead of the Road America race, track president George Bruggenthies announced the deal to fans, saying “Yesterday, we reached an agreement with IndyCar to have another three years of IndyCar at Road America”.
As one of North America’s most iconic racetracks will remain in the schedule through 2021, ISM Raceway will not return in 2019.
While the racetrack enters a period of considerable overhaul, the series said in a statement that “attendance in the past three years has been disappointing despite considerable investment from both sides,” while keeping the possibility of a future return open.
As these two deals have been confirmed, rumours have begun to surface regarding which courses could possibly join the circuit in 2019 as the series continues to grow in popularity.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca immediately springs to mind as a fan favourite, having not run at the pinnacle of the series since Patrick Carpentier’s 2004 win. The Mazda Road to Indy held a series of race weekends at the course in 2015-2016. With the new aero kit calling back to the heyday of CART and Champ Car, Laguna Seca remains an attractive option for longtime fans.
A host of international courses could play host to a new outward growth for the series, as the only race currently held outside of the United States is Canada’s Honda Indy Toronto. The popularity of the Toronto street circuit coupled with Canada’s current racing climate bring to mind the former venues of Vancouver and Edmonton.
“They need another race up there,” Will Power told the TSN Racing Pod regarding IndyCar in Canada. “You guys have drivers like Robert Wickens and James Hinchcliffe, you need races up there.”
The last IndyCar event held outside of North America was the 2013 São Paulo Indy 300 in Brazil. As the series sees a return to form, an international move could come in the future, but not likely 2019.
With the departing Phoenix race, a hole is left in the series calendar for an oval race. As this track variety one of the defining factors that makes the series so unique and challenging, there are ovals that have been gaining traction with fans for an IndyCar return.
Homestead-Miami Speedway last hosted IndyCar racing in 2010, with Scott Dixon winning the season-closing Cafés do Brazil Indy 300. The track has an association with championships, having served as the de facto finale for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. This strong association with NASCAR’s finale might make the move undesirable for IndyCar.
