Photo by: Chris Owens
By Dave Lewandowski, IndyCar.com:
Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles doesn’t need to be reminded that the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is in 214 days. His internal countdown clock is in sync with the myriad of details in planning for the motorsports milestone.
The Indianapolis 500 is the signature event of the 16-race Verizon IndyCar Series 2016 schedule released Oct. 27.
Indy 500 qualifications are scheduled for May 21 and 22, and the May 14 Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course kicks off the busy month of activities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Both races and qualifying will be televised live on ABC. NBCSN will telecast Carb Day activities May 27. Get tickets for all events at indianapolismotorspeedway.com.
Boles also is heavily involved in Project 100 – a major redevelopment at the venerable venue that will enhance the entertainment experience for spectators of all the track’s events. Much of the technology and amenities will be in place for the Month of May activities.
Click it: Downloadable schedule PDF || Schedule for iCalendar
The season starts on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. ABC will televise the race live March 13. Ticket renewals are available now and general sales begin Nov. 4 at gpstpete.com or by dialing 877-725-8849.
The 1.8-mile, 14-turn circuit has hosted the Verizon IndyCar Series since 2005 and has been the venue for the North American season opener since 2009.
“Drivers and race fans enjoy coming to the city every March, and the picturesque waterfront serves as the perfect backdrop for the season-opening race,” said Kim Green of event organizer Green Savoree Racing Promotions. “We are honored to have the opportunity to be the first race on the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series calendar.”
For the second consecutive year, Sonoma Raceway on Sept. 18 will host the finale live on NBCSN. This past season, Scott Dixon earned his fourth Verizon IndyCar Series championship with a victory in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. It marked the 10th consecutive year in which the driver title was decided in the final race of the season.
“This year’s event demonstrated pretty clearly that Sonoma Raceway is an ideal venue for the Verizon IndyCar Series season finale, with a challenging circuit to contest the championship along with the unparalleled backdrop of Wine Country and the San Francisco Bay Area for fans, visitors, sponsors and everyone who follows and supports the series,” track president and general manager Steve Page said. “We look forward to crowning Verizon IndyCar Series champions in Sonoma for many years to come.”
Six races on street courses and five each on road courses and ovals highlight the diversity of the schedule and challenges to drivers, teams and manufacturers Chevrolet and Honda to be the best in the highly-competitive series.
The Sept. 4 race on the streets of Boston is a new INDYCAR event, while Indy car racing returns to Road America and Phoenix International Raceway after long absences. The April 2 race on the 1-mile Phoenix tri-oval and the June 11 race on the 1.45-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval will be contested under the lights.
The Firestone 600 will mark the 28th Verizon IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, which will celebrate its 20th year of operation in 2016. The first Indy car race on the high-banked oval was held on June 7, 1997.
“I think it is awesome we are coming back to Texas,” said team co-owner/driver Ed Carpenter, who won at Texas Motor Speedway in 2014. “This track, INDYCAR has raced here more than any other racetrack in its history and that is something that everyone wants to keep the same. It’s part of INDYCAR’s heritage and tradition.”