The Indianapolis Star reports that IndyCar has been discussing renewal of its race at the Milwaukee Mile with the Wisconsin State Fair Park board. In addition, IndyCar is moving forward with plans to end the 2012 season on the streets of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
A longtime open-wheel venue, the Milwaukee Mile staged a race last June but attendance was disappointing and the event was pulled from the 2012 calendar. However, IndyCar indicated that at least one, and possibly two events would be added to the 15-race calendar announced Dec. 22, and Milwaukee is a front runner for one of those – provided a title sponsor can be found.
The second possible addition is shaping up to be a street race in Fort Lauderdale, which would run on the weekend of Sept. 28-30 and serve as the IZOD IndyCar Series season finale. The season is currently scheduled to end Sept. 15 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard told the Star he was "pretty sure" the Fort Lauderdale event will go ahead – which would mean the series would open and close with a street race in a Florida city, following on from St. Petersburg's season opener on March 25. A final decision on the event is expected next month. A beach-side race in Fort Lauderdale had first been rumored as a possibility last June, but at that time it was not expected to happen before 2013.
Meanwhile, Bernard added that plans to replace Las Vegas Motor Speedway's race with a street circuit in Las Vegas are on hold for at least another year.
"It's so expensive," Bernard said of a Las Vegas street event. "But I think it can be viable for '13."