Indy Racing League officials announced today that Homestead-Miami Speedway will again kick off the IndyCar season, with the March 29, 2008 opener marking the seventh consecutive year the circuit will debut at Homestead-Miami. And for the second consecutive year, the Indy 300 is set to run under the lights and in prime time on the 1.5 mile oval track.
“South Florida is a great place for IndyCar to start the season, as drivers Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Scott Sharpe all reside right here in South Florida. ” said Speedway President Curtis Gray, who joined Homestead-Miami just prior to the initial IndyCar season-premier in 1999. “After six years of hosting the IRL’s season-opening race, we feel we know how to open the IndyCar season in grand style. ”
The Indy 300 will headline Homestead-Miami’s daylong “SpeedJam” festivities, which also include live music, a barbecue festival, an auto show and additional sports-car series racing before the Indy race caps off a full day of events.
“The IRL’s decision to return to our track to open the 2008 circuit is a flattering reflection of Homestead-Miami Speedway’s prominent standing in the world of motorsports, ” Gray said. “For us to host both IndyCar’s season opener and NASCAR’s season-ending Ford Championship Weekend is a very unique opportunity. We’re fortunate in this regard and welcome race fans to take advantage of two special race weekends. ”
The 2008 IndyCar Series will feature 16 races across a variety of race courses, including Homestead-Miami Speedway-style oval tracks, superspeedways, scenic road courses and temporary street circuits. The ’08 circuit concludes its season Sept. 7 at Chicagoland Speedway.
With a diverse lineup of drivers including Scott Dixon, Danica Patrick and South Florida residents Castroneves, Kanaan and Sharpe, all 2008 IndyCar races will be broadcast via a comprehensive, long-term agreement with ABC Sports/ ESPN. A leader in motorsports technology, the IndyCar Series is the first racing series to power its Honda engines on 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, a renewable and environmentally-friendly fuel. For more information on the IndyCar Series.
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