Organizers rush to find replacement for Boston IndyCar race

Per the AR1.com rumor page, IndyCar won't be racing in Providence RI this year.

Organizers of the aborted Grand Prix of Boston have been working feverishly to keep the race alive elsewhere, as officials in Providence embraced the idea and said there’s no hard feelings after the race originally abandoned Rhode Island for the Hub.

An email sent last night by a Grand Prix official — obtained by the Herald — sought to reassure investors and sponsors that the race is not dead after its scheduled Labor Day run in the Seaport District was abruptly called off Friday.

“Our CEO, John Casey, has been working tirelessly all weekend and all day today to provide the answers we are all looking for," read the email, written by Jim Freudenberg, the Grand Prix’s chief commercial officer. “We are not quite there yet, so we ask that you please give us a bit more time to send you our plan moving forward."

Grand Prix officials couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday.

The Herald reported Saturday that Casey is trying to move the race to Providence. Race officials have a pre-existing relationship with officials there, as they were exploring hosting the 2016 IndyCar event in that city when they were lured to Boston.

“It got to the point where different departments were brought in to try to understand what the needs of the event organizers would be, what the level of city services it would take to pull it off," Providence City Council President Luis Aponte said. “There were some concerns and some doubts, but in the midst of that, we think that our city, with the right set of circumstances, could host an event of that magnitude."

Aponte says there’s no hard feelings over the race shifting to Boston.

“If there was, it has long since faded," Aponte said. “I can’t imagine that anyone still holds any ill will about them leaving for Boston. We understand the nature of these things."

The Providence mayor’s office yesterday stuck to a statement it released Saturday, saying IndyCar “has not applied for any permits or made arrangements to relocate the race yet, but we’re open to having a conversation to see if Providence is the right fit."

Casey told the Herald last month that prior discussions in Providence stopped short of the signing of a licensing agreement, which they signed in Boston. Jack Encarnacao/Boston Herald