IndyCar Schedule: What Needs To Go?

One of my first articles on Bleacher Report was a small piece on what tracks should be on the 2010 IndyCar Series schedule. Back then, I simply focused on the idea of a good balance between ovals and road courses.

Today, I'm going to take a look at every single track on the 2009 schedule, discuss why it should stay or why it should go, and if it should go, what should replace it.

So here we go. And we'll do it in order that they're on the 2009 IndyCar schedule.

1 - St. Petersburg.

As far as street circuits go, St. Petersburg is unique. It shows everything that's good and bad about street circuits. Much of it is too narrow for any real side-by-side racing, and yet overtaking is remarkably common because the areas that aren't too narrow are extremely conducive to overtaking.

It's one of the best street circuits on the schedule, and in a region that makes an excellent backdrop for a street circuit.

Verdict: Keep it

2 - Long Beach

Like St. Pete, Long Beach shows the best and the worst of the street circuit idea. A perfect location to hold a street race, the Long Beach course is sadly not as conducive to overtaking as St. Pete. But that hasn't stopped it from producing some brilliant racing.

Verdict: Keept it

3 - Kansas

One of only two true cookie-cutter ovals on the schedule. That alone should qualify it for removal, but Kansas has been able to provide some good races. Combined with it being in an under-appreciated area, and you've got a venue that you should think carefully about dropping.

The Kansas race is always either one of the best races of the season, or one of the worst. That gives it some intrigue that makes it worth keeping.

Verdict: Keep it

4 - Indianapolis

....Do I even need to say anything? Personally I think the Indy 500 shouldn't be a points-paying race, but to remove it would be blasphemy.

Verdict: Keep it

5 - Milwaukee

Short ovals are some of the best ovals in the world, and Milwaukee exemplifies this. Only a fool would leave off Milwaukee as long as its open.

Verdict: Keep it

6 - Texas

This is a tough one. I'm rather a big fan of these trapezoidal/twin-dogleg ovals, but Texas's banking has caused a lot of concern. This oval should be kept as long as the current power level is kept on the ovals, but dropped if they ever choose to up the cars power on ovals.

Verdict: Keep it...For now

7 - Iowa

The first year was a boring race. The second year was an excellent race. Based on that, its a tough call on whether or not this race should remain. It's proven its ability to provide good action, but we can't be certain it wasn't a fluke

Verdict: Remove it

Replacement: Given the time of year the race occurs in, a run in Portland, OR would not be a bad replacement for this race. But personally, I think the best choice would be to bring Road America back in here.

8 - Richmond

2008 was a rather dull crashfest that underlined the IRL's problems with caution periods. But Richmond, like most short ovals, has proven its ability to put on an extremely exciting race. It's also in a region vastly underappreciated by the IRL.

Verdict: Keep it

9 - Watkins Glen

Road courses provide the best action, so long as they're wide enough to allow for passing. Watkins Glen is one of the tracks that shows how good road course racing can be.

Verdict: Keep it

10 - Toronto

Sadly, its harder to make a street circuit work than a road course. Toronto used to be a great event, but declining support in the region over previous years combined with a poor track layout works against this venue.

The layout was poor even for Champ Car, which was optimized for road courses, so imagine how bad IRL will be at this track. 2009 will show why this venue should not stick around.

Verdict: Remove it

Replacement: If you want to keep in Canada, there are two extremely good venues available: Mont-Tremblant, and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Both would put on excellent racing for the Canadian fans.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve may only be available until F1 gets rid of Bernie Ecclestone, but those will be some great years for the IRL.

11 - Edmonton

One of the greatest layouts of any temporary circuit, last year's race at Edmonton showed just what the Dallaras are capable of, even if it didn't quite match up to Champ Car's runs at the track. As long as the race it supported, it should stick around.

Verdict: KEEP IT!!!!

12 - Kentucky

The other cookie-cutter oval, Kentucky is almost always a great big bore. Although I'm sure there's been an exciting race there at least once, I can't recall it.

Verdict: Remove it

Replacement: Tennessee's not that far away. IRL at Bristol, maybe?

13 - Mid-Ohio

As an Ohioan, I should be fighting hard for this venue. But the fact is that its called "Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course" for reason: The track is brilliant for sports cars, but it's far too narrow for open-wheelers.

Verdict: Remove it

Replacement: Say it with me, everyone: "CLEVELAND!!!"

14 - Infineon

A good layout, but like Mid-Ohio a little too narrow. It's capable of providing good action, but has issues doing so. Perhaps a boost to the engine power would help, but not likely.

Verdict: Unknown

Replacement: This is the problem with choosing whether or not to drop Infineon—the only worthy replacement for this race is Laguna Seca, but Laguna Seca has all the same problems as Infineon.

It's a great layout, a little too narrow, capable of providing good open-wheel action, but sometimes struggles to manage it. Its really a matter of which track you prefer.

15 - Chicagoland

I refuse to call this track a cookie-cutter, as most do. That curved backstretch may not be much, but for whatever reason this track consistently provides nothing but some of the best oval races on Earth.

Verdict: KEEP IT!!!

16 - Motegi

The track's not too bad, but I just don't think the idea of a single trans-continental race makes sense. If you're going to keep this, then add some races in Europe or something as well.

Verdict: Unknown

17 - Homestead

Like Chicagoland, it's similar to a cookie-cutter but with a difference—in this case, the progressive banking. The racing isn't quite as brilliant as at Chicagoland, but its still excellent. However, I think it works better as a season opener than a season closer.

Verdict: Keep it

Obviously, I have not addressed Detroit due to its removal from the schedule. But I will say that race should never come back—the track was the absolute worst street circuit layout on earth

My suggestions as printed above give us a 17-race season that is eight road courses and nine ovals—an almost perfect balance. All we need is a single road course in there to bump it up to 18 with nine ovals and nine road/street circuits, and we have a perfect balance.

So I want to hear your suggestions! Aside from the suggested road courses, where should the IRL go and why?

If you want to expand the schedule past 18 races, feel free to suggest an oval or two. But we're going for a balance, here, so please balance your oval suggestions.