INDYCAR: Miles on 2017 schedule prospects

Australia, Gateway and Portland would appear to be the best candidates to join the Verizon IndyCar series in the future but this year's tracks look to remain in place regardless of any new venues.

"We hope to be able to announce the 2017 and 2018 schedules next month," said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Hulman & Company. "Jay (Frye, president of IndyCar competition) and Steve Starks (promoter relations) have been working hard looking at proposals and we're trying to figure out what's real and what's not.

"But we're good with everyone on this year's calendar except one, so there's not a whole lot of room."

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"You know we've been trying to get a race or two in the southern hemisphere to start the season so why wouldn't we be interested in Surfers Paradise? A race there in February would be ideal with Will (Power) and Scott (Dixon) if it could become a reality."

Gateway, the racy oval outside St. Louis that ran CART from 1997-'99 and IRL from 2001-'03, has made major upgrades and been pursing IndyCar for a couple years and was listed as an Indy test track for 2016.

"We're in the process and fully committed to do everything we can to bring IndyCar event to St. Louis," said president Curtis Francois. "It's not imminent and there's no date set but we're working hard."

Frye is impressed Francois' work ethic and passion.

"We've been working with Curtis the last 12-16 months and it's remarkable and impressive in what he's done with the facility in such a short period of time," said Frye. "And what's more impressive are his actual plans for the future."

Tony Cotman, the longtime team manager/steward whose main business nowadays is building and surveying tracks, visited Portland International Raceway last week to inspect it for a potential IndyCar race down the road.

Cotman was traveling and couldn't be reached for comment but there was an open house a couple weeks back at the road course that hosted CART and Champ Car from 1984-2007.

"I'd love to see us go back to Portland," said Michael Andretti, a three-time winner at PIR back in the early '90s.

The implosion of the Boston race hasn't made Miles gun shy of adding street races – just a little more cautious. "We know they are riskier and more expensive up front but that doesn't mean we won't do any more," said Miles, who's instituted an RFP (Request for Proposal) for potential races.