EDMONTON, Alberta — Toronto could be back on the IndyCar Series schedule when the 2009 slate is announced sometime in the next few weeks.
A report in Sunday’s Edmonton Sun said the Toronto Indy will be run again next year after a one-year lapse due to the unification of the defunct Champ Car World Series and IndyCar in February.
John Griffin, spokesman for IndyCar, would not confirm the report Sunday but told the The Associated Press, “We’re very, very close to having the 2009 schedule done. We planned to announce it sometime in late July or early August and we’re right on schedule.”
The Edmonton paper said the Toronto race will replace the IndyCar oval race in Nashville in early July, leaving the 2009 schedule at 18 races, the same as 2008. Toronto would join Edmonton, Long Beach and Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Australia, as the only former Champ Car venues on the IndyCar schedule.
Andretti Green Promotions, co-owned by seven-time Toronto winner Michael Andretti, purchased the assets of the Toronto Grand Prix earlier this year. AGP already runs the very successful IndyCar race at St. Petersburg, Fla.
“As a driver, Toronto was always my favorite race of the year and it will be no different as a promoter,” Andretti said in a statement after the deal was completed. “The fans are some of the most enthusiastic you’ll ever be around and we’re looking forward to building on the great history of this event.”
A spokesman for AGP said before Saturday’s Rexall Edmonton Indy that plans are moving forward for a 2009 Toronto race, but gave no details.
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