2007 calendar announced

There are currently 15 rounds on the CCWS calendar next year, but there is a notable two-month gap between the August 19 round at Denver, and the October date at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

This gap will be filled by two European rounds, at Assen, Holland and probably Oschersleben, Germany, should the promoters of these rounds make their final payments to Champ Car.

Autosport.com believes that Champ Car's caution over these rounds is because the company has had its fingers burnt before by race promoters just laying down the deposit to get their events on the calendar, then not coming up with the remaining money.

Champ Car would only consider going to Europe for a double-header on back-to-back weekends, not a single race, due to the vast shipping expenses for the series.

However, should either Assen or Oschersleben come up with the money while the other does not, there is still the possibility of a European double-header, with possibly a visit to Lausitz's road course becoming one half of the trip.

Should the Euro venture come to nought in 2007, however, there will still be a strong chance of it happening the following season. A street race in Athens for 2008 is already being considered.

If a European trip doesn't happen in 2007, that yawning gap in the schedule is likely to be filled by a race at Miller Motorsports Park at Utah.

Notable absentees from next year's schedule are Montreal, which has been replaced by a July date at St Jovite (Mont-Tremblant), Monterrey in Mexico, and the Milwaukee Mile.

The latter's disappearance from the schedule means that this is the first season in Champ Car history in which there will be no oval races.

April 8      Las Vegas, Nevada (Street)
April 15     Long Beach, California (Street)
April 22     Houston, Texas (Street)
May 20       Zhuhai, China (Road)
June 10      Portland, Oregon (Road)
June 24      Cleveland, Ohio (Road)
July 1       St. Jovite, Canada (Road)
July 8       Toronto, Canada (Street)
July 22      Edmonton, Canada (Road)
July 29      San Jose, California (Street)
Aug. 12      Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (Road)
Aug. 19      Denver, Colorado (Street)
Oct. 21      Surfers Paradise, Australia (Street)
Nov. 11      Mexico City, Mexico (Road)
Dec. 2       Phoenix, Arizona (Street)