IndyCar to close season at rescheduled St. Petersburg race

IndyCar plans to crown its champion on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with the original opener being rescheduled for Oct. 25 as the finale.

IndyCar was supposed to start its season March 15 on the temporary street course and teams were already in place to compete before sports shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. IndyCar initially planned to go forward with the opener without spectators but ultimately suspended the season 48 hours before the race.

“The streets of St. Petersburg will make for a fitting and action-packed finale in a venue and city that our entire IndyCar community holds dear,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said.

It will be the 16th consecutive season that St. Petersburg hosts a race but the first time it will be the season finale.

IndyCar is now scheduled to open its season at Texas Motor Speedway on June 6 and said Wednesday “the rest of the updated IndyCar calendar for 2020 remains on schedule for competition.”

IndyCar is scheduled to race at Road America in Wisconsin after Texas on June 21 in what could be its first event with fans.