IndyCar delegation in Argentina to assess race viability

Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment, and vice president Michael Montri toured the track and the facilities of the Termas racetrack which has hosted MotoGP since 2014 and is a regular on the domestic TC2000 touring car series calendar.

The pair were accompanied by Juncos Hollinger Racing team co-owner Ricardo Juncos and Ricardo Sosa, executive secretary of the National Institute of Tourism Promotion of Argentina, as well as provincial authorities.

Sosa had already met with IndyCar at the first round of the 2023 championship in St. Petersburg.

This visit by IndyCar officials is another step towards making Argentina the venue for a championship race, possibly in 2024, for the first time since 1971 in Rafaela, Santa Fe.

It follows JHR's exhibition in Termas last November, with Argentine touring car ace Canapino on hand to drive an IndyCar. Since then, Canapino has become a full-time driver for JHR as team-mate to Callum Ilott in the squad's expanded two-car lineup.

It’s understood that the enthusiasm of the fans present at the Termas racetrack that day, as well as at the exhibition also held that same week at the Buenos Aires racetrack, caught the attention of IndyCar authorities.

Miles is in Argentina to visit the potential venue

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

IndyCar president Jay Frye, speaking exclusively to Autosport shortly after the November event, described the reception from the Argentine fans as "incredible" before adding: "I would say the best thing is that they got our attention.

"We appreciate the interest of everyone who went to see that, the two exhibitions. Everything that we saw was an incredible event."

Asked then about the chances of IndyCar returning to race in Argentina, Frye commented: "Never say never. Again, I think it was a really good thing for Ricardo to come back, it was great that he could do that in his home country.

"And as I mentioned, we didn't know what to expect, but everything we expected, it was exceeded. It was amazing."