IndyCar Enjoys Big Weekend In Portland, Adds COTA To ’19

40,000 for IndyCar's return to Portland

There were an estimated 40,000 fans at the Verizon IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday, a "renaissance in the Pacific Northwest that was both super encouraging and successful," according to Robin Miller of RACER.com. There were "great crowds for three days" at Portland Int'l Raceway. Green Savoree Racing Promotions co-Owner, President & CEO Kevin Savoree, whose firm organizes the event, said that they could have "sold out the campers’ lot two or three times and the walk-up seemed to match the ticket sales in terms of volume." RACER.com.

In Portland, Geoffrey Arnold wrote based on the enthusiasm of the fans in attendance, race officials will be "eager to return" the next two years. Savoree: "For a first-year event, I know there are a lot of boxes that we can check. The response from the get-go was actually something that exceeded our expectations." Arnold noted it seemed "clear that fans have been starving to watch IndyCar racing after a decade-long hiatus." Savoree, whose company has a three-year agreement for IndyCar to return in '19 and '20, said that the success of the race will be "something to build off in the next two years and hopefully land a title sponsor." Portland OREGONIAN

A source familiar with ticket sales for the event indicated that Green Savoree sold more tickets the day it went on sale than the entire attendance for the '07 race. IndyCar CEO Mark Miles in a text message yesterday said: "We were delighted. IndyCar's return to Portland was a great success. Fans really turned out and appreciated dramatic racing." Adam SternSBD.

DOUBLING UP IN TEXAS: IndyCar confirmed the final addition to its ’19 schedule as Circuit of the Americas, giving the series two races in the state of Texas. IndyCar has been eyeing a race at COTA for several months, and talks appear to have accelerated after IndyCar completed its extension with Texas Motor Speedway, which now no longer has year-round geographic exclusivity in the state in exchange for paying IndyCar less money for its race sanction fee.

The race will be held on March 24 and mark the second race of the season, following the March 10 season-opener in St. Pete.

In Indianapolis, Jim Ayello notes the addition of COTA at the end of March "fills the large gap between the first and second races that has existed that past couple of years."

There now will "only be one off week" between the races in St. Pete and Austin. Often it "seemed as if some of the momentum built by the series at the season-opener … was lost by the time Indy cars got back on track a month later."

With the addition of COTA, IndyCar's calendar now "includes seven permanent road course races, five on street circuits and five ovals during the seven-month season." INDYSTAR.com

Driver Graham Rahal tweeted, "Really an amazing schedule. Once again proud of my pal @JayRFrye, Stephen Starks and his staff for assembling a tremendous 2019 @indycar calendar! @COTA, here we come!." TWITTER.com