In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series schedule has been revised, officials announced Monday (April 6). The Detroit Grand Prix has been canceled, two previously scheduled events have become doubleheaders, and a third race has been set at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The IndyCar Series will now have 15 races, an increase from the originally planned 14 races.
“Like our fans, we’re disappointed we won’t be racing in Detroit this year,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “However, we’re excited to return to Belle Isle in 2021 and know we’ll put on a great show for everyone when we do. We also appreciate the flexibility and support of our event promoters at Iowa Speedway and Laguna Seca, who have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to host doubleheaders.”
Iowa Speedway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will host doubleheaders. In addition to the previously scheduled race on Saturday, July 18, the IndyCar Series will compete at Iowa Speedway on Friday, July 17. The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey race weekend at Laguna Seca will feature races on both Sept. 19 and 20.
The revamped IndyCar slate also means the series will be at the same track as NASCAR multiple times this year, assuming no further adjustment of either organization’s schedule is necessary.
As it stands, #IndyCar is sharing three weekends with a stock car racing series:
—Texas in June w/ #NASCAR Cup
—Indy in July w/ Cup and NXS
—Iowa doubleheader in mid-July (on 7/17, #ARCA and first IndyCar race will run on same day)— John Haverlin (@JohnHaverlin) April 6, 2020
The two scheduled races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have already been rescheduled due to the coronavirus. Now the IndyCar Series will compete on the road course for a second time this season on Saturday, Oct. 3.
The race on the Streets of St. Petersburg, which was slated to be the season opener only to be postponed due to the pandemic, has also not been rescheduled yet, but IndyCar still lists it on the schedule with the date TBA.
Start times and a revised NBC Sports broadcast schedule will be announced in the future, per the press release.
Updated IndyCar schedule. Detroit canceled. Iowa and Laguna Seca doubleheaders. Additional IMS road course race added: pic.twitter.com/NzSc8DnB9E
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 6, 2020
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.