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Indy Racing League to return to Detroit in 2007
IndyCar racing will return to Belle Isle over Labor Day weekend next year, along with the debut of an American Le Mans Series support event.
On Friday, the Detroit City Council all but approved a proposal from Birmingham businessman and racing legend Roger Penske and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to bring the Indy Racing League and ALMS to the Isle for races Sept 1-2.
The Detroit Grand Prix, an IRL-sanctioned event, would take place Sunday, Sept. 2, and would be televised by ABC (Channel 7 in Detroit), Penske said. The ALMS event, featuring exotic sports cars, would be held the day before.
The Downtown Detroit Partnership, a non-profit organization of which Penske is chairman, will submit a final race contact to the city council next week, which Penske expects to be approved. The contract with IRL would be for five years, he said.
The last Detroit Grand Prix, a Championship Auto Racing Teams event, was held on Belle Isle in 2001 and was won by Marlboro Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves.
IndyCar racing will return to Belle Isle over Labor Day weekend next year, along with the debut of an American Le Mans Series support event.
On Friday, the Detroit City Council all but approved a proposal from Birmingham businessman and racing legend Roger Penske and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to bring the Indy Racing League and ALMS to the Isle for races Sept 1-2.
The Detroit Grand Prix, an IRL-sanctioned event, would take place Sunday, Sept. 2, and would be televised by ABC (Channel 7 in Detroit), Penske said. The ALMS event, featuring exotic sports cars, would be held the day before.
The Downtown Detroit Partnership, a non-profit organization of which Penske is chairman, will submit a final race contact to the city council next week, which Penske expects to be approved. The contract with IRL would be for five years, he said.
The last Detroit Grand Prix, a Championship Auto Racing Teams event, was held on Belle Isle in 2001 and was won by Marlboro Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves.
