Roger Penske, Michigan International Speedway willing to bring IndyCar back
On Monday, MIS president Roger Curtis said he was willing to undertake further talks with the Indianapolis-based open-wheel organization about returning to the Irish Hills.
Curtis confirmed with the Detroit Free Press on Monday that an IndyCar official had phoned him Saturday at MIS to discuss a replacement race, which is needed after IndyCar canceled its Aug. 19 event in China.
With MIS hosting the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR weekend Aug. 17-19, the IndyCar event would have to be moved to September at Michigan, quite possibly making it a season-finale race.
Bud Denker, senior vice president of Penske Corp. and event chairman of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, said Tuesday: "Michigan and the Midwest are great supporters of open-wheel racing and the IZOD IndyCar Series. This is evident by the sellout crowd that we had (at Belle Isle).
"From a Team Penske and Detroit Grand Prix perspective, we would love to see an IndyCar race at MIS this fall and would certainly support such an effort. I am confident Roger Curtis and his team would provide a terrific experience for the fans."
Penske, a former owner of MIS, fields drivers Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Ryan Briscoe in the IndyCar Series.
In its day, MIS arguably was the most exciting and competitive race on the CART and IndyCar schedules before the race was abandoned after 2006 because of declining attendance.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard was traveling, according to a series spokesman, and wasn't available for comment. Detroit Free Press