IndyCar cancels Portland, Laguna Seca

IndyCar has cancelled its events at Portland and Laguna Seca but converted others to double-headers to ensure the season remains at 14 races.

Portland was due to play host on Sunday, September 13 (local time) before a double-header at Laguna Seca on the following weekend but both have now been removed from the 2020 calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To make up for the loss of those three races, the next event at Mid-Ohio has been expanded to two races, as has that of Gateway at the end of August and the second event on the Indianapolis road course.

“Our race fans have loved the exciting doubleheader action of the NTT IndyCar Series this year at Road America and Iowa Speedway,” said Penske Entertainment Corp. President/CEO Mark Miles.

“We look forward to giving them even more world-class entertainment this season at three of the most exciting racetracks on the NTT IndyCar Series calendar.”

The changes mean that IndyCar will have four races this season at Indianapolis, with one having already been held on the road course earlier this month and the 500 postponed from its traditional May date to August.

The second road course event, which also includes the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, will now see IndyCar racing on the Friday and Saturday, while the other new double-headers will be Saturday and Sunday affairs.

According to IndyCar’s statement, “The cancellation of (the Portland and Laguna Seca events) was a mutual decision between the series and promoters following close consultation and monitoring of the local situation.

“The series looks forward to returning to both venues in 2021.”

Scott Dixon leads the series after winning the first three races of the season.

The next two, the seventh and eighth of the campaign, take place at Mid-Ohio on August 8-9 (local time).

IndyCar Series 2020 calendar Revised