IndyCar is coming to Las Vegas for its 2011 season finale, CEO Randy Bernard announced at a press event in Las Vegas today.
Bernard also announced that fans purchasing a ticket to any IZOD IndyCar Series race during the 2011 season would be eligible to receive a complimentary ticket to the championship race.
“I said at the IndyCar State of the Sport in mid-January that we must give our fans a great experience with three primary elements—great entertainment, competition and value,” Bernard said in a release on IndyCar.com.
“There is not a city in the world that can provide entertainment like Las Vegas. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will provide some of the fastest and most exciting racing fans will see anywhere, and the ticket promotion is true value. This is a time when IndyCar can tell our fans that we thank them for their support.”
Full details for the ticket promotion will be announced March 1 on IndyCar.com. and 866-INDYCAR. Tickets to the IZOD IndyCar World Championships go on sale Feb. 25 through Ticketmaster.com.
Flanked by IndyCar drivers Marco Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power, former Las Vegas race winner and IndyCar icon Al Unser Jr., Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association president Rossi Ralenkotter and Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. vice president of marketing Mike Kelly, Bernard announced that the final race of the 2011 season would happen on Oct. 16, on the 1.5 mile, high-banked Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted IndyCar races from 1996–2000. Champ Car raced there in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 the track was reconfigured with variable banking up to 20 degrees. Las Vegas should be a fast track featuring the two-and three-wide racing seen at the similar Chicagoland oval.
Las Vegas could have an epic re-inauguration. For the past five seasons, the IndyCar season championship was decided at the final race.
“Las Vegas Motor Speedway has produced thrilling open-wheel races in the past, and the return of the IZOD IndyCar Series for its season-ending event is sure to provide more thrills in October,” said Chris Powell, president of LVMS.
“We know there’s a huge fan base of IndyCar fans in the western United States. Hosting the season finale, and the media attention it generates, gives our speedway and our city another opportunity to showcase so much that Las Vegas has to offer.”
Randy Bernard made one more announcement, at a press conference at the high-end shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, Crystals at CityCenter.
“We showcase our drivers as being the very best, fastest and most versatile in the world, and we are putting our money where our mouth is,” Bernard said.
“If any race car driver in the world outside of the IZOD IndyCar Series can win the Vegas race, we will give you $5 million. We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by a selection committee by mid-summer.
“There are a lot of drivers that talk about wanting to race in IndyCar. We believe that the skill set it takes and just the toughness and willpower to get behind the wheel of these cars is pretty amazing.”
IndyCar advertises as having the fastest, most versatile drivers in the world. Frequently fans of drivers form other disciplines debate over which series takes the most skill; Randy Bernard is giving five drivers form other series a chance to put the claim to the test.
The 200-lap 2011 IndyCar finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will air on ABC at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. The first race of the season, the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, will also air on ABC at 12:30 p.m. Eastern on March 27.
Bernard also announced that fans purchasing a ticket to any IZOD IndyCar Series race during the 2011 season would be eligible to receive a complimentary ticket to the championship race.
“I said at the IndyCar State of the Sport in mid-January that we must give our fans a great experience with three primary elements—great entertainment, competition and value,” Bernard said in a release on IndyCar.com.
“There is not a city in the world that can provide entertainment like Las Vegas. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will provide some of the fastest and most exciting racing fans will see anywhere, and the ticket promotion is true value. This is a time when IndyCar can tell our fans that we thank them for their support.”
Full details for the ticket promotion will be announced March 1 on IndyCar.com. and 866-INDYCAR. Tickets to the IZOD IndyCar World Championships go on sale Feb. 25 through Ticketmaster.com.
Flanked by IndyCar drivers Marco Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power, former Las Vegas race winner and IndyCar icon Al Unser Jr., Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association president Rossi Ralenkotter and Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. vice president of marketing Mike Kelly, Bernard announced that the final race of the 2011 season would happen on Oct. 16, on the 1.5 mile, high-banked Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted IndyCar races from 1996–2000. Champ Car raced there in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 the track was reconfigured with variable banking up to 20 degrees. Las Vegas should be a fast track featuring the two-and three-wide racing seen at the similar Chicagoland oval.
Las Vegas could have an epic re-inauguration. For the past five seasons, the IndyCar season championship was decided at the final race.
“Las Vegas Motor Speedway has produced thrilling open-wheel races in the past, and the return of the IZOD IndyCar Series for its season-ending event is sure to provide more thrills in October,” said Chris Powell, president of LVMS.
“We know there’s a huge fan base of IndyCar fans in the western United States. Hosting the season finale, and the media attention it generates, gives our speedway and our city another opportunity to showcase so much that Las Vegas has to offer.”
$5 Million Challenge
Randy Bernard made one more announcement, at a press conference at the high-end shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, Crystals at CityCenter.
“We showcase our drivers as being the very best, fastest and most versatile in the world, and we are putting our money where our mouth is,” Bernard said.
“If any race car driver in the world outside of the IZOD IndyCar Series can win the Vegas race, we will give you $5 million. We will accept five entries for this challenge, with entrants being determined by a selection committee by mid-summer.
“There are a lot of drivers that talk about wanting to race in IndyCar. We believe that the skill set it takes and just the toughness and willpower to get behind the wheel of these cars is pretty amazing.”
IndyCar advertises as having the fastest, most versatile drivers in the world. Frequently fans of drivers form other disciplines debate over which series takes the most skill; Randy Bernard is giving five drivers form other series a chance to put the claim to the test.
The 200-lap 2011 IndyCar finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will air on ABC at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. The first race of the season, the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, will also air on ABC at 12:30 p.m. Eastern on March 27.
