Champ Car has FINALLY announced their 2008 schedule, which will feature the same amount of races run this season. The 14 race venues will feature a few revisions, with another temporary street circuit being excluded from the mix. Champ Car will now consist of eight road courses and six street circuits, while four races dropped from this year’s calendar will not return. Also Laguna Seca will replace San Jose in 2008.
While much banter is being made about the addition of the newest European race to be contested at Jerez, little is being said about the demise of Las Vegas after a single event, which was also promoted by the same organizers of the stillborn Phoenix Champ Car race. Thus the 2008 schedule will revert to its tradition of opening in Long Beach (April 20) and conclude in Mexico City. (Nov 9)
Jerez previously was a Formula 1 circuit until 1997, which has now apparently given up hopes of landing a future Grand Prix after the introduction of Spain’s newest venue on the streets of Valencia.
Currently Jerez is used as a Formula 1 winter testing haven and will now host its inaugural Champ Car race on June 8th in conjunction with the Zolder event which has been moved to June 1st.
Although thought to be on shaky ground, the Portland Champ Car race will once again return in 2008 for its 25th anniversary, albeit on a new date, now being moved to the hottest part of the summer in Oregon. (July 27) Hopefully the weather will not repeat the last American Le Mans event held during the same weekend, when the temperature hit 100 degrees…
2008 Champ Car World Series*April 20 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach , Long Beach, Calif.April 27 Champ Car Grand Prix of Houston at JAGFlo Speedway, Houston, TexasMay 18 Champ Car Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CaliforniaJune 1 Champ Car Belgium, Zolder, Belgium June 8 Champ Car Spain, Jerez, SpainJune 22 Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio June 29 Champ Car Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec , Canada July 6 Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada July 20 Rexall Grand Prix of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada July 27 Champ Car Portland, Portland, OregonAugust 10 Road America Grand Prix, Elkhart Lake, Wis.September 14 Champ Car Holland at the TT Circuit, Assen, Holland October 26 Gold Coast Indy 300, Surfers Paradise, AustraliaNovember 9 Gran Premio Tecate Presentado por Banamex, Mexico City, Mexico
* Pending ACCUS/FIA Approval
