Grand Prix of Houston announces 2014 official race schedule and lineup
A high-octane Verizon IndyCar doubleheader features two individual races, held Saturday and Sunday, that are scheduled to air on NBC Sports at 2 p.m. CST.
Supporting races including the Mazda MX 5 Cup featuring grids of 30-plus Mazda MX-5s on spec tires, and the Pro Mazda Championship race presented by Cooper Tires, featuring the future stars of IndyCar.
New additions on the Houston circuit this year include the Gulf Coast Vintage Racing Series including sedan and open wheel racing and the UK-produced Radical sportscar, giving fans and enthusiasts an opportunity to get on the track as a passenger of the Radical SR3 SL or the Radical RXC Coupe.
The Three Day Festival of Speed offers a wide variety of family-friendly entertainment complementing world-class racing around a 1.7-mile, 10-turn track built in and around Reliant Park.
“The Grand Prix of Houston is proud to host some of the best IndyCar drivers in the world at the MD Anderson Cancer Center Speedway," says managing director Austin Crossley. “The countdown begins with the construction of our track beginning this month, and we have a number of drivers coming to Houston to preview Reliant Park as they get ready to compete in our Three Day Festival of Speed."
Qualifications for each race will take place Saturday and Sunday of race weekend, and the two races include a standing and rolling start. Verizon IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing accelerating to a max speed of 230 mph.
The weekend’s schedule of events is as follows:
Friday, June 27
9 a.m. Gates Open
8-8:20 a.m. Radical Demo Laps
8:35-9 a.m. Spec Racer Ford Practice 1
9:15–9:45 a.m. PRO MAZDA Practice 1
10-10:45 a.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 1
11-11:30 a.m. MX-5 Cup Practice 1
11:45 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Vintage Charity Laps
12:25-1 p.m. Radical Demo Laps
1:15-1:45 p.m. PRO MAZDA Practice 2
2-2:45 p.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 2
3-3:30 p.m. Mx-5 Cup Practice 2
3:45-4:15 p.m. Vintage Sedan Practice
4-5 p.m. Driver Autograph Session
4:30-5 p.m. Spec Racer Ford Qualifying
5:15-5:45 p.m. Vintage Open Wheel Practice
6–7 p.m. Two-Seater and Event Car Rides
Saturday, June 28
9 a.m. Gates Open
8-8:15 a.m. Radical Demo Laps
8:30-9 a.m. Mx-5 Cup Qualifying
9:15-9:45 a.m. PRO MAZDA Qualifying
10-11:10 a.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying #1/ Firestone Fast 6
11:25-11:55 a.m. Spec Racer Ford Race #1
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Celebrity Go-Kart Race, Benefitting MD Anderson
12:10-12:50 p.m. Mx-5 Cup Race #1
1:05-1:45 p.m. PRO MAZDA Race #1
2-50 p.m. Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston – IndyCar Race #1
5:15-5:30 Radical Demo Laps
5:45-6:15 p.m. Vintage Open Wheel Qualifying
6:30-7 p.m. Vintage Sedan Qualifying
Sunday, June 29
9 a.m. Gates Open
7:45-8:45 a.m. Two-Seater and Event Car Rides
8:50-9:05 a.m. Radical Demo Laps
9:15-9:45 a.m. Vintage Warm-up
10-10:30 a.m. Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying #2
10:45-11 a.m. PRO MAZDA Warm-up
11:10-11:45 a.m. Spec Racer Ford Race #2
12-12:45 p.m. Mx-5 Cup Race #2
1-1:45 p.m. PRO MAZDA Race #2
2-5 p.m. Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston – IndyCar Race #2
5:15-5:30 p.m. Radical Demo Laps
5:45-6:15 p.m. Vintage Open Wheel Race
6:30-7 p.m. Vintage Sedan Race
The 2014 Grand Prix of Houston offers additional amenities that make it a family-friendly sporting event. Kids 12 and under are free all weekend and adult ticket prices start at just $10.
In addition to world-class racing, the Grand Prix of Houston offers a wide variety of activities including live music, an exotic car show, race team paddocks open to all fans, exhibits and interactive games and a family fun zone. Grand Prix sponsor Ace Hardware will provide cooling zones throughout the venue, offering refreshing misters and shade. Fans are permitted to bring one 20 oz. bottle of water per person into the event.
Ticket prices with grounds admission start at $10, reserved grandstand seat pricing starts at $45, and 3-Day Premium Reserved tickets are $135. Individual pit passes start at $10 and are restricted to fans 18 years old and older.