Sonoma Raceway will likely host the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series finale next year, marking the end of the calendar for the series for the second season in succession. Additionally, Phoenix may return but Milwaukee and Pocono are uncertain.
Sonoma likely to host finale in 2016
Sonoma Raceway track president Steve Page told Indy Star that he likes the stature of being the season finale and recognizes the picturesque wine country region north of San Francisco as a destination site for IndyCar supporters.
Additionally, C.J. O'Donnell, chief marketing officer for INDYCAR, praised Sonoma's handling of the finale event.
The Verizon IndyCar Series is trying to spread its season after the compressed five-month schedule of 2015. The usual season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been brought forward by two weeks from its usual date - but it is not even yet confirmed as the season-opener.
At the other end of the season, the brand-new Grand Prix of Boston will take place on the Labor Day weekend, one week later than the 2015 season finale. When the new Boston event was announced, it seemed as the finale round for next year. In recent weeks, sentences on the event's site have been changed to not indicate the Boston race is the finale.
And with Sonoma Raceway president Page saying the discussions on the 2016 date center on mid-September, it seems like the 2016 season will last at least six months.
Sonoma Raceway was the first road course to host the season finale since 2007 when the Champ Car season had its final race in Mexico City. Ending the season at Sonoma again next year would help the series to gain a bit of continuity - although the majority of the series' fans would rather see the season end at an oval.
Oval or road course, either way: an afternoon race on the west coast is ideal for television. The 2015 season finale held last Sunday at Sonoma earned the highest viewership ratings on cable for a race since 2008; this was likely aided by the green flag waving at 5:00 pm ET.
Milwaukee, Pocono future uncertain; Phoenix likely to return
The Verizon IndyCar Series visited six ovals in 2015, but it is already known that Auto Club Speedway won't return next year, taking one off the table already.
The future of races at the Milwaukee Mile and Pocono Raceway is uncertain. The series has expressed interest in retaining Milwaukee, though the race needs to get a promoter. Nearby Road America will host a race next year and track president George Bruggenthies consideres it possible to co-promote both races, like in the Champ Car days.
Pocono Raceway president Brandon Igdalsky was uncertain to Racer of the Verizon IndyCar Series' future at the Pennsylvanian track. The track's goal was five major events a year and they want to continue with IndyCar and a date in August. The attendance this year was slightly under what they drew in 2014, so they want to look at the numbers and make the decision pretty quick, not to hold INDYCAR up on announcing its schedule.
The only certain ovals for 2016 besides Indianapolis seem to be Texas Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway - but the return of Phoenix International Raceway is starting to look likely. While there is no official announcement yet, CEO of Hulman & Co. which oversees INDYCAR, Mark Miles, mentioned Phoenix among the new and returning venues for 2016 in his speech at the championship celebration. The one-mile oval has previously hosted Indy car racing from 1964 to 2005.
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Kalle Tyynelä is a writer for the VAVEL USA Racing section. Follow him on Twitter at @FINdyCar.