The second round of the IndyCar season – a road course race at Indianapolis running alongside NASCAR for the first time – will take place without fans, the series has confirmed.
IndyCar’s season opens in Texas this weekend after the coronavirus pandemic forced the championship to reschedule its calendar.
However, it was expected that the July 4 GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis – which will join with the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series to run on the same day, before the NASCAR Cup Series race on the Sunday – would allow fans at the venue.
Circuit chiefs have confirmed today that wouldn’t be the case.
“While we certainly worked diligently to run our events with spectators, we reached a point where we needed to make a final decision because the race weekend is less than a month away,” Penske Entertainment Corporation President and CEO Mark Miles said.
“Today it’s not possible to be confident that Indianapolis will be at Stage 5 of the state’s reopening plan by the Fourth of July weekend.
“We are extremely appreciative of the time and expertise Governor Holcomb, Mayor Hogsett and state and local public health officials have given us over the last few months.
“This was a collaborative process and a decision we’re all aligned with after thorough review of the situation.
“We remain committed to welcoming the world’s greatest fans to the Speedway for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in late August.”
Indianapolis was bought along with the IndyCar series by Roger Penske, the deal being completed at the start of the year. The venue has already undergone significant upgrades since that change of ownership.
The venue and championship’s blue-riband event, the Indy 500, has already been moved on the calendar and is now set to take place on August 23.
