No street work needed for Baltimore GP this year

Indy Car officials have told the city that there will be no major road improvements needed for the 2012 Baltimore Grand Prix.

Downforce Racing, the group picked by the city to organize the Grand Prix, had said they did not expect any major road work would be needed in 2012. IndyCar, however, had the final say on whether there would be street improvements leading up to this year’s race.

In a letter to Indianapolis-race promoter Dale Dillon, one of the partners of Downforce Racing, IndyCar Chief Operating Officer Marc Koretzky said “barring any significant deterioration of the road surfaces…IndyCar will not require any major improvements or changes to the streets for the 2012 event."

The road work completed for the 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix was a hot-button issue both leading up to and after the race. City residents and downtown workers had to battle traffic jams when driving into town days before the race. Politicians also said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake could have used the funds allocated for road work on other issues facing the city.

Downforce Racing, which is led by Dillon and Wilkes Lane Capital partners Dan Reck and Felix Dawson, were selected to take over the Grand Prix February 15. The group missed a March 15 deadline by the city to provide several financial updates, but city officials say they are pleased with the progress that has been made.