China’s IndyCar race “will not happen in 2016,” says Miles

The so-called Beijing Indy 600 was originally to be held in October, although even when the news broke in early May, Miles, CEO of IndyCar's parent company Hulman & Company, said the event was contingent on a number of factors.

Today, he told Motorsport.com the necessary criteria had not been met and therefore the concept had been put on ice.

Miles said: “It’s June 1^st, and we have come to the conclusion there are too many things not in place to go ahead. We don’t wish to go to an international or any race without the highest levels of confidence that it can happen.

“To try and do a race for the first time in China is especially complicated and we just didn’t feel confident that it would be the right decision.”

The race was to be held on a 2.56-mile streetcourse in an as-yet undeveloped part of the Fengtai district of China’s capital city, but Miles said the fact that the track had not yet been built wasn’t the only hold-up.

“There were a number of other problems that I won’t list, but it added up to us deciding it was not the right call to accept their proposal this year,” he said.

Mixed reactions from teams

There has long been a conflict among team owners regarding international races, with some stating that if their sponsors don’t market outside of North America, it’s hard to persuade them of the validity of racing there. Other team owners argue that so long as promoter fees are paid up front as a catchnet, races outside this continent can help attract international sponsors, particularly if they come with a strong domestic TV presence.

Miles confirmed these differing views remain, saying: “There was a widespread and positive reaction to the Chinese proposal, but that’s not to say it was unanimous. One or two team owners made it clear that they weren’t supportive, but the majority were enthusiastic about the possibility. It offers the opportunity to pass along a fair amount of the rights fees to the teams, so it would have been helpful.

“But remember this was a one-off deal offered to us,” Miles continued. “We weren’t seeking it. Our strategy is unchanged, and does not involve trying to do one-offs. We’re still trying to have two international events between The Superbowl and our St. Petersburg race, and make them part of the championship. And not to have races outside of North America after St. Pete.

“That continues to make sense to us, if we can find the appropriate opportunities.”

Filling the hole in August

The 2016 schedule currently contains just one race in August (Pocono), meaning there is a three-week gap between rounds 13 and 14, as IndyCar’s broadcast partner NBCSN will be focused on the Olympics in Rio. Asked if IndyCar is prioritizing bridging that gap in 2017, Miles said: “Yes, we’re going through a process of asking for applications from anyone new.

“We want to nail down our current races but also wish to add something and we’ll look at the applicants and spend the next couple months or more to understand what everyone brings to the table.”

Confirming that one of those applicants was the 1.25-mile oval at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill., – which is understood to have come close to being part of the 2016 schedule, were it not for NBCSN’s timing conflict with the Olympics, Miles said: “Yes, there’s been definite interest from both sides, and they would certainly be considered for that time of year.”

The geographical aspect will also be part of IndyCar’s applicant consideration, according to Miles. Asked if Portland International Raceway was a possibility, in order to return topline open-wheel racing the northwest, he said: “We’re definitely interested in that part of the country if there’s a good opportunity and if the track is up to the current safety standards or can be brought up to current standards if needs be.”