IROC won't return to Indianapolis this year

[Elwood]

IROC won't return to Indianapolis this year

 

By STEVE HERMAN, AP Sports Writer

January 9, 2004

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The International Race of Champions will not return this year to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

The four-race all-star competition with a dozen top drivers from different racing series has competed at Indianapolis in conjunction with NASCAR's Brickyard 400 each year since 1998. But the series, which lost longtime sponsor True Value, is not included among the events on the Speedway's 2004 schedule.

 

``At the end of 2003, the series was at a crossroads, and IMS needed to go forward with its schedule,'' speedway spokesman Ron Green said Friday. ``There are no immediate plans to replace IROC on the Brickyard 400 weekend schedule.''

 

IROC spokesman George Signore said the series has landed another sponsor and will continue at four other tracks, which he would not identify.

 

``We didn't know for quite some time,'' he said. ``As a matter of fact, we're slamming this thing together as we speak, and we're planning an announcement on Thursday.''

 

The Brickyard 400 on Aug. 8 will be the third major race in Indianapolis in a span of 10 weeks, following the IRL's Indianapolis 500 on May 30 and Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix on June 20.

 

Green said the speedway is working with NASCAR to finalize the Brickyard weekend schedule, which will begin with practice Aug. 6.