IndyCar

Detroit Belle Isle GP unification comments

DETROIT BELLE ISLE GRAND PRIX EXCITED TO HOST UNIFIED INDYCAR SERIES IN 2008 DETROIT, MI (February 26, 2008) -- With last Friday's long-anticipated announcement of the unification of North American open-wheel racing under the IndyCar Series ...

Published: Feb 28, 2008, 6:49 AM

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DETROIT BELLE ISLE GRAND PRIX EXCITED TO HOST UNIFIED INDYCAR SERIES IN 2008

DETROIT, MI (February 26, 2008) -- With last Friday's long-anticipated announcement of the unification of North American open-wheel racing under the IndyCar Series banner, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is excited to welcome the new-look series back to the Motor City this summer.

Following the triumphant return of world-class auto racing to Motown last summer at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, event organizers are looking forward to an even bigger and better weekend of racing and family fun August 29-31, 2008 as the cars of both the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series return to the 2.07-mile Raceway at Belle Isle Park street circuit on Labor Day weekend.

"We're very excited that there will be one unified open-wheel racing series moving forward, as a result of the agreement between the Indy Racing League and Champ Car," said Bud Denker, Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix Event Chairman. "We're proud to continue our relationship with the IndyCar Series and we're thrilled that some of the best open-wheel drivers in the world will get a chance to experience racing on Belle Isle. With the new-look IndyCar Series as well as the sports cars of the American Le Mans Series raising the competitive bar even higher in 2008, we're looking forward to a very special weekend in Detroit on Labor Day weekend."

Tickets for the 2008 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will go on sale on Tuesday, March 18.

In 2007, at the first Grand Prix event held in Detroit in six years, the IndyCar Series raced for the first time at Belle Isle with Brazilian driver Tony Kanaan capturing the checkered flag for Andretti Green Racing. From 1992-2001, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) competed at the picturesque island street circuit located on the Detroit River. Prior to that, the CART series raced through the streets of downtown Detroit from 1989-1991, while the Formula 1 series competed on the downtown course from 1982-1988.

With 18 cars featured in the 2007 IndyCar Series race at Belle Isle, race officials are making preparations to accommodate an even larger field in the competitors' paddock and on the race track as a result of the unification of North America's two top open-wheel racing series announced last Friday.

About the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix

The Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is organized and promoted by a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, whose chairman is Roger Penske. A special charitable organization has been established that enables all net proceeds raised by the Grand Prix to fund measures for the improvement and preservation of Belle Isle.

Once again featuring the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will be held Labor Day weekend, August 29-31, 2008. Friday, August 29 will include practice for the IndyCar Series and qualifying for the American Le Mans Series at Belle Isle. Activities for Saturday, August 30 will include IndyCar Series qualifying as well as the Detroit Sports Car Challenge presented by Bosch American Le Mans Series race. The Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone featuring the cars and stars of the IndyCar Series will take the green flag on Sunday, August 31.

-credit: www.detroitgp.com.

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