Thanks to Pirelli World Challenge releasing part of their schedule, we know the following dates:
St. Petersburg March 28-30.
Long Beach April 11-13.
Belle Isle May 30-June 1.
Toronto July 18-20.
Mid-Ohio August 1-3.
So Belle Isle won't be Labor Day and probably will be prototypes only for United SportsCar Racing, Toronto will not be the weekend of the World Cup Final (thank God) and Houston will not be the weekend I suggested in July. Could Houston fit into June when Robin Miller suggested, though the conflict with Texas Motor Speedway?
With the release today, here is a mock IndyCar schedule (confirmed are bold):
St. Petersburg: March 28-30th.
Barber: April 6th.
Long Beach: April 13th.
IMS road course: May 10th.
Indianapolis 500: May 25.
Belle Isle: May 30-June 1st.
Texas: June 7th.
Milwaukee: June 14th.
Iowa: June 22nd.
Houston: June 27-28th or 28-29th (holding out the possibility of night events due to summer heat).
Pocono: July 6th
Toronto: July 19-20th.
Mid-Ohio: August 1-3rd.
Baltimore: August 17th.
Sonoma August 24th.
Fontana: August 30-31 or September 1st (depends if it is a Saturday night, Sunday, Sunday night, Monday or Monday night).
I just can't see Houston in June. Late July between Toronto and Mid-Ohio? Maybe but back-to-back doubleheaders would be difficult for the teams but moving that race to August would be just as difficult. Running five consecutive weekends to end the year with a doubleheader in the middle, not easy but seeing as how the series could be off September 2014 to February 2015, it may work itself out. The Baltimore Orioles are on the road May 1-4th, so could Baltimore move to the spring and fill the month gap between Long Beach and the possible IMS road course and Houston slot into August? Even if the IMS road course doesn't happen, a race will be needed to fill an even larger gap of Long Beach to the Indianapolis 500. I can't see Houston move to the first weekend in May due to it being only a month before Texas and because the Offshore Technology Conference takes place at Reliant Park May 5-8th.
As for São Paulo, Mark Miles believes it is still on, Brazilian media is reporting it is off and Tony Kanaan is going to meet the mayor of São Paulo about the races future. Could it move to the middle of March? Carnival takes place February 28-March 4th in 2014 and the sambadrome will be needed for parades.
There is still no reports on new races for 2014.
So here's another look at the schedule if Baltimore moves to May and Houston to August:
St. Petersburg: March 28-30th.
Barber: April 6th.
Long Beach: April 13th.
Baltimore: May 3rd.
IMS road course: May 10th.
Indianapolis 500: May 25.
Belle Isle: May 30-June 1st.
Texas: June 7th.
Milwaukee: June 14th.
Iowa: June 22nd.
Pocono: July 6th
Toronto: July 19-20th.
Mid-Ohio: August 1-3rd.
Houston: August 15-16th or 16-17th (holding out the possibility of night events due to summer heat).
Sonoma August 24th.
Fontana: August 30-31 or September 1st (depends if it is a Saturday night, Sunday, Sunday night, Monday or Monday night).
The good news is we are getting closer and closer to a finalized schedule for 2014 and today was a step in the right direction.
