INDIANAPOLIS -
The 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule announced Sunday night includes nineteen races over 16 weekends, the return of Indy car racing to Pocono, and a new race on the streets of Houston.
IndyCar will institute a Triple Crown award, which will pay a $1-million bonus to a driver that wins on all three ovals - Indianapolis, Pocono and Fontana, California. A driver who wins two of the three big oval races could win a $250,000 bonus.
Also new for 2013 are three Saturday-Sunday doubleheaders, scheduled for the street courses at Detroit, Toronto and Houston. Taking a cue from Formula One, IndyCar will use standing starts at those three venues.
Fourteen of the 15 venues that hosted IZOD IndyCar Series races in 2012 return. Television partners include ABC and the NBC Sports Network.
The season starts on Sunday, March 24, at St. Petersburg. Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., hosts the season finale Saturday, Oct. 19.
The 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, with Pole Day on Saturday, May 18.
The schedule includes a total of six ovals, with Texas, Milwaukee and Iowa joining the three big ovals.
Pocono last hosted an Indycar race in 1989.
"Our new events provide the right mix of strategically-located markets and historic tradition to our schedule," said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard. "Houston gives us exposure in another top-10 U.S. market."
Bernard said the Pocono race "allows us to bring back a version of the Triple Crown, restoring a popular legacy of our sport to reward the champion of our three longest races of the season."
Details of the qualifying procedures for the doubleheaders will be announced later.
2013 IZOD IndyCar Series Schedule
|
Date
|
Track
|
City
|
Venue
|
Network
|
|
March 24
|
Streets of St. Petersburg
|
St. Petersburg, Fla.
|
1.8-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
April 7
|
Barber Motorsports Park
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
2.38-mile road course
|
NBCSN
|
|
April 21
|
Streets of Long Beach
|
Long Beach, Calif.
|
1.968-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
May 5
|
Streets of Sao Paulo
|
Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
2.6-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
May 26
|
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
|
Indianapolis
|
2.5-mile oval
|
ABC
|
|
June 1
|
Raceway at Belle Isle Park
|
Detroit
|
2.07-mile street course
|
ABC
|
|
June 2
|
Raceway at Belle Isle Park
|
Detroit
|
2.07 mile street course
|
ABC
|
|
June 8
|
Texas Motor Speedway*
|
Fort Worth, Texas
|
1.5-mile oval
|
ABC
|
|
June 15
|
The Milwaukee Mile
|
West Allis, Wis.
|
1-mile oval
|
NBCSN
|
|
June 23
|
Iowa Speedway
|
Newton, Iowa
|
.875-mile oval
|
ABC
|
|
July 7
|
Pocono International Raceway
|
Long Pond, Pa.
|
2.5-mile oval
|
ABC
|
|
July 13
|
Streets of Toronto
|
Toronto
|
1.75-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
July 14
|
Streets of Toronto
|
Toronto
|
1.75-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
|
Lexington, Ohio
|
2.258-mile road course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Aug. 25
|
Raceway at Sonoma
|
Sonoma, Calif.
|
2.303-mile road course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Sept. 1
|
Streets of Baltimore
|
Baltimore
|
2.04-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Oct. 5
|
Reliant Park
|
Houston
|
1.7-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Oct. 6
|
Reliant Park
|
Houston
|
1.7-mile street course
|
NBCSN
|
|
Oct. 19
|
Auto Club Speedway*
|
Fontana, Calif.
|
2-mile oval
|
NBCSN
|
Schedule subject to change
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTHR. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
