2005 calendar unveiled

IRL officials unveiled the 16-race 2005 schedule during a press conference on Tuesday at the two new added venues - Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Those races, both scheduled for the autumn of next season, will be the first road-course events in the 10-year history of the IRL.

The Infineon race is scheduled for August 28; the IRL will then visit Watkins Glen on September 25. Both courses once had a tradition of single-seater open-wheel racing, but have not held events for Indy-style cars for most of the 1980s and '90s.

"We view road racing as something that we always wanted to have as part of our schedule; it will be now," said George, president and CEO of the IRL and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We always said that if road racing did present itself as an opportunity, we would pursue it."

Watkins Glen, once the site of Formula 1 in America, hasn't hosted a top-level open-wheel series since F1 departed following the 1980 season. Infineon - formerly known as Sears Point Raceway - hasn't hosted an Indy-style race since 1970.

"It's an exciting and historic day for the Indy Racing League," George said. "The excitement has been outstanding. Ken and I have received many e-mails and calls from very passionate people seeking the return of open-wheel racing to these tracks."

Several significant developments were confirmed by Tuesday's announcement. Among them:

The IRL has lost its second date at Texas Motor Speedway, which has served as the season finale since 1999. The addition of an autumn NASCAR race at TMS was the culprit; instead, the IRL will end the 2005 season on October 16 at California Speedway.

Discussions continue with promoters of a street-course race in St. Petersburg, Fla., which could be added to the 2005 schedule on April 3. "It is something that is a rumor, and usually where there is a rumor, there is smoke," George said. "Whether there is any fire remains to be seen. ... Anything is possible. In announcing our schedule today, it's not something that we felt was firm enough to hold up the schedule. If it comes about, it will be a bonus."

Portland International Raceway is more than likely out for 2005, but other road courses are likely to be added for 2006. IRL officials acknowledged discussions with Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and Mid-Ohio in Lexington, Ohio, and also confirmed their interest in the Long Beach Grand Prix and the continuing possibility of Portland being added to the schedule in 2006.

A shorter schedule leading up to the Indianapolis 500 remains likely, but George said a final decision wouldn't be made until later this year. George has indicated he would prefer a reduction in the time spent on practice and qualifying for the race. "Everybody has had a chance to weigh in with some creative thinking," George said. "I would think we'll probably address that sometime in the early fall. Hopefully it will make as much sense to everyone else as it does to us."

The annual March race at Phoenix International Raceway, which has struggled to draw significant crowds, will be held at night for the first - and possibly only - time. The decision was made because of the IRL's television deal with ABC and ESPN. "It was driven primarily by television opportunities," said Ken Ungar, the IRL's senior vice president for business affairs. "The NBA was one of the factors. It's one of the most packed portions of the television schedule. Our desire would be, for consistency's sake, to keep our schedule on Sundays."

IRL and Kansas Speedway officials discussed moving its annual July Fourth weekend date to either the spring or autumn because of intense heat that has plagued the race in recent years, but couldn't find a suitable date. The two parties continue to discuss the possibility of holding the race at night, Ungar said.

Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix
Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis
Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas
Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.
Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn.
The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis.
Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.
Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky.
Pikes Peak International Raceway, Fountain, Colo.
Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.
Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y.
California Speedway, Fontana, Calif.