Water Main breaks under Detroit GP track
When the Raceway on Belle Isle sprung a leak Tuesday, it was all hands on deck at the orders of Roger Penske, the man behind the revival of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
The heavy rains Tuesday and into Wednesday caused a water main to burst under the race track, which is scheduled to go green on Friday morning as cars practice, qualify and race in this year’s “Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit" Verizon IndyCar Series event and the associated support races.
Workers under the direction of Penske and Grand Prix chairman Bud Denker toiled through the night Tuesday and into Wednesday to fix the problem.
“It was on the racing line, but we poured in asphalt and sealed it," Penske said. “We finished up yesterday and today. We have enough time for it to cure."
In 2012, the Belle Isle track broke up during the GP and the event was stopped for almost two hours while Denker and his team put it back together so the race could finish.
The track was repaired and extended for last year’s IndyCar doubleheader, and all went smoothly. There are plans now to replace all the old concrete on the 2.3-mile race course for 2015 at a cost of over $4 million.
On Wednesday, as fans took rides around Campus Martius in an IndyCar, Team Penske drivers Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Juan Pablo Montoya made an appearance with Penske at the Street Fest and spoke to reporters at the Hard Rock Café.
“This is a big week for us and Chevrolet," said two-time Belle Isle winner Castroneves. “I really feel confident going into the two races at Belle Isle." Detroit Free Press