Citing a lack of a feasible date, Grand Prix of Baltimore official race organizers said they have canceled the race for 2014 and 2015, according to a report in the Baltimore Business Journal.
“Race On will not be able to participate in hosting the race going forward,” said J.P. Grant, a partner in Race On LLC. “Everyone involved in this matter has worked diligently and of good faith to make it happen. We explored every possible option.”
A report from the Baltimore FOX TV affiliate explained the date conflicts. In 2014, Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium will play host to the Ohio State-Navy game on Labor Day weekend, while in 2015, an American Legion Convention will arrive. Grand Prix manager Tim Mayer told FOX 45 shortly after this year’s race that they were “working the issues out right now.”
Baltimore has endured a rocky, but always memorable, three-year period on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule. It premiered to a packed capacity in 2011 but had to undergo a change in promoters following financial issues at the tail end of the calendar year. Andretti Sports Marketing helped resuscitate the race for two years under the Race On LLC group, led by Grant.
ASM also promotes the IndyCar race in Milwaukee, held the last two years on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend.
For IndyCar, it’s the first announced race lost for next season. Baltimore was also rumored to have a place on the merged United SportsCar schedule, but that obviously will not happen now. The American Le Mans Series – which will be fused into USCC next year with longtime rival GRAND-AM Rolex Series – has raced at Baltimore the last three years, as well.
UPDATE, 3:40 p.m. ET: A statement has emerged from Mark Miles, IndyCar’s unofficial head and CEO of the series’ parent company, Hulman & Co:
“After a successful visit to Baltimore, which included record attendance, we are disappointed that our schedules will not align to host an event in 2014. This was simply a matter of trying to find the best date that worked for all parties, since Labor Day weekend was not an option in 2014. We are thankful to the city of Baltimore, Race On and Andretti Sports Marketing for their support and enthusiasm for the event over the years. We continue to finalize our 2014 schedule and anticipate announcing it prior to the end of our 2013 season.”
The difference there is Miles has just ruled out 2014, not 2015 as the other report had indicated.
UPDATE, 5:15 p.m. ET: A tweet from Andretti Sports Marketing reads: “Unfortunate news, but thanks to the City of Baltimore, Race On and all of our sponsors – hopefully we will return to the Charm City one day!”
