INDYCAR: Series exploring post-season trip abroad

The Verizon IndyCar Series is in talks to hold an international, non-points race the weekend of Oct. 9. that would follow the championship finale on Sept. 18 at Sonoma Raceway.

Although the potential venue is unknown, RACER has learned the interest in adding a post-season race stems from the series' ongoing efforts to race abroad which would generate more income for IndyCar, and increase the total payouts to teams through the Leader Circle program.

"We've been approached and wouldn't consider anything that affects the championship," IndyCar CEO Mark Miles told RACER. "We're ending the championship in Sonoma, as planned. It would be non-points, end-of-year, and it's too soon to say whether that makes sense for us or not."

With some teams facing sponsorship deficits, the chance to increase the Leader Circle subsidy, provided travel costs and other race-related expenses are minimized to the point of the race becoming a profit-making endeavor for teams, definitely exists. Trips to race in Mexico and the Middle East have been mentioned as possibilities since Miles took charge of the series.

It's believed IndyCar entrants will learn more about the proposed international race, and whether it will go forward, during an owners' meeting next month at St. Petersburg.