2011 IndyCar schedule

By Jim Tomlin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Streets of St. Petersburg

1.8-mile street course

Comment: Last year featured 10 lead changes, the most in the event's six years (there were nine in the 2005 inaugural) and the most of any street or road course all season.

Grand Prix of Alabama

April 10, 3 p.m., Versus

Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham

2.38-mile road course

Comment: Helio Castroneves won the inaugural event last year and was quickest in this month's preseason testing at the track, edging Penske Racing teammate Will Power.

Long Beach Grand Prix

April 17, 3:30 p.m., Versus

Streets of Long Beach, Calif.

1.968-mile street course

Comment: Boca Raton native Ryan Hunter-Reay gave Andretti Autosport one of its two 2011 victories here; team owner Michael Andretti won twice at Long Beach as a driver.

Sao Paulo Indy 300

May 1, noon, Versus

Streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil

2.536-mile street course

Comment: Will Power won the inaugural event last year in IndyCar's first race in South America, spoiling the hopes of home fans who had seven Brazilian drivers to cheer for.

Indianapolis 500

May 29, noon, Ch. 28

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval

Comment: Dario Franchitti dominated last year, leading 155 of 200 laps for his second victory at the Brickyard to surpass his racing idol, Jim Clark, a fellow Scotsman who won Indy in 1965.

Firestone Twin 275s

June 11, 8 p.m., Versus

Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth

1.5-mile oval

Comment: It's a new format this year, with two 275-kilometer races replacing the traditional single 550k event. Both races will run on the same day and award half points.

Milwaukee 225

June 19, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.

1-mile oval

Comment: The grand old circuit (the first auto race at the grounds was six years before the first one at Indy) returns after a one-year absence, but no longer directly follows the 500 as it did for years.

Iowa Corn Indy 250

June 25, 8 p.m., Versus

Iowa Speedway, Newton

0.875-mile oval

Comment: This race will run under the lights for the first time this year. Tony Kanaan gave Andretti Autosport its other 2011 win here — the only two events not won by Ganassi or Penske.

Indy Toronto

July 10, 2 p.m., Versus

Streets of Toronto

1.721-mile street course

Comment: Will Power's win here last year made him 3-for-4 on IndyCar street courses and gave Roger Penske his first Toronto victory since Paul Tracy in the CART series in 1993.

Edmonton Indy

July 24, 2 p.m., Versus

Edmonton City Centre Airport

1.973-mile airport course

Comment: Scott Dixon won last year but the race is mostly remembered for Helio Castroneves' reaction to being penalized for blocking. He grabbed a series official but later apologized.

Indy 200

Aug. 7, 2 p.m., Versus

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington

2.258-mile road course

Comment: Dario Franchitti outdueled Will Power to win last year, a crucial victory in the Ganassi driver's comeback which saw him overtake Power and win the championship.

New Hampshire race

Aug. 14, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon

1.058-mile oval

Comment: IndyCar returns to New England for the first time since 1998. How long ago was that? The last running was won by Tony Stewart.

Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Aug. 28, 4 p.m., Versus

Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

2.303-mile road course

Comment: Last year's event saw a season-low two lead changes, as Will Power led all but two laps on his way to clinching the inaugural Mario Andretti Road Championship trophy.

Baltimore Grand Prix

Sept. 4, 2 p.m., Versus

Streets of Baltimore

2.4-mile street course

Comment: The inaugural event brings the series to Maryland for the first time. According to IndyCar's website, the course incorporates the Inner Harbor and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Indy Japan 300

Sept. 17, 11 p.m., Versus

Twin Ring Motegi

1.5-mile oval

Comment: At press time, the series planned to run this event in Japan, which has been devastated by a recent earthquake and tsunami. The series announced last month that this will be the final running of the Motegi race, site of Danica Patrick's lone series victory in 2008.

Kentucky Indy 300

Oct. 2, 2 p.m., Versus

Kentucky Speedway, Sparta

1.5-mile oval

Comment: This race is moving the opposite direction of Iowa; it's becoming a day race after years as a night event.

IndyCar World Championships

Oct. 16, 3:30 p.m., Ch. 28

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

1.5-mile oval

Comment: The inaugural IndyCar race at Las Vegas will also be the series finale. Previous finale sites in recent seasons (Homestead, Chicagoland) are off the schedule. This is also the site of the much-discussed $5 million bonus offer to any non-regular.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/autoracing/2011-indycar-schedule/1159312

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