Baltimore welcomes the 2011 IndyCar Race
The Baltimore residents are excited once again. They are jubilant and preparing for the carnival of racing and celebrations. However, this time round it is not the Baltimore Festival that excites the people of the city; rather it is the Indy Car. Yes! It is The IZOD Indy Car Series that has been announced on the 2nd June. According to the announcement, Baltimore is being added to the 2011 schedule of Indy Car races.
As per the plans so far, the race is scheduled to be held here in 2011, starting from 5th of August and will go up to the 7th of August. The circuit being developed has a total diameter of 2.4-mile that passes through the city's Inner Harbour and travelling into the Camden Yards. A deal of five years has been made with the Baltimore Racing Development group. It was announced a week ago by the Indy Car officials that a temporary street circuit will be added to the next Indy Car race and with Baltimore’s admission, the news has been confirmed.
As per the calendar of 2011, there are a total of 18- aces to be held in this season. Most of these upcoming races will be held on road and street courses, if no further changes are made to the calendar that has been disclosed so far.
For this year’s schedules, Barber Motorsports Park and Brazil are the two new additions. The Indy Car season for next year will see Baltimore hosting the races with full passion and excitement. With these changes, the Indy Car is marked to have a total of ten street/road courses and is left with only eight races on oval tracks. Of course, all the drivers are not very happy with this type of arrangement. One of the most vocal racers against this change is driver Danica Patrick. She has been quite vocal with her dislike at the penetration of so many street/road courses. Currently, other street circuits on the Indy Car calendar include Saint Paulo in Brazil, Long Beach at the Calif and Saint Petersburg present in Fla.
It had been more than two years now that the news regarding the Baltimore Circuit and Indy Car negotiations were in the air. Now we hear Terry Angstadt, the Indy Racing League Commercial Division President who believes that he had seen enormous hope in Baltimore, as it a very vibrant business centre located in the core of the Mid-Atlantic region. The Inner Harbour of Baltimore will make a fantastic setting for the race and that its downtown area presents all the essentials for a successful weekend event, he said. The style in which the track has been made will provide a great spectacle and excitement for everyone present on the occasion – be it the drivers or the fans.
He also expressed his gratitude for the management of the Baltimore Racing Development along with Governor O'Malley and Mayor Rawlings-Blake, without whom it would not have been possible to schedule such an event.
Also the BRD leader Jay Davidson acknowledged the announcement by saying that the event is not only a historic day for the city and the Maryland state but is also remarkable for the entire East Coast region.
He added that it had taken over two years to settle the arrangements before they were ready to make the announcement for the event. He explained that it was a tough task and that a lot of preannouncement settings had to be made for which he was thankful to the State, the city and the community for approving the efforts.
Adding to the excitement of the Indy Car race, numerous other plans for fan activities are also being planned in order to create a fun zone for family, go-carting, professional beach volleyball players and beer gardens.
This 2011 Baltimore race will mark the coming back of the Indy Car racing to the Mid-Atlantic after ten years. The last series' of its kind was run at the Dover International Speedway at the end of 1990’s.
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