On Thursday, May 21, INDYCAR announced a brand new venue for the 2016 series schedule. The Verizon IndyCar Series will race on the streets of Boston on September 4, 2016 – Labor Day weekend. The agreement between Boston and INDYCAR extends to 2020.
“This is an exciting time in Boston and as we explore new ways to grow and attract visitors here, we’re engaging in strong dialogue with organizations like the Grand Prix of Boston,” Mayor Walsh said. “This event has great potential to bring an influx of tourism and support our local businesses during what is traditionally a challenging holiday weekend for hospitality. I’m excited to begin this process and hear from our residents and business owners as we move forward.”
The Grand Prix of Boston will feature an 11-turn, 2.-25 mile temporary street course that is centered around the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the Seaport District. The layout for the circuit features at least six passing zones, that the series believes will feature a lot of great racing for the fans.
“The level of enthusiasm we have received from the Boston community has been phenomenal and we look forward to showcasing the Verizon IndyCar Series on Labor Day weekend in 2016,” Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, the parent of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said. “There has been a tremendous amount of work from community leaders and Grand Prix of Boston officials and those efforts led to this key addition to our 2016 calendar. We’re thankful to Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, Grand Prix of Boston CEO Mark Perrone and many other supporters who were instrumental.
“Establishing Indy car racing in the Northeast is an integral part of our strategy for growing our national fan base.”
Discussions surrounding the event began last June, with Mayor Walsh playing a big part in the entire process, according to Grand Prix of Boston CEO Mark Perrone.
“Boston is a destination, we have 23 million visitors a year here to see the history, the sights, visit and we’ll be building events around the even,” Perrone added. “We also have quite a few universities and colleges in the area. We’ll have 160,000 students moving in the weekend before and looking for something to do here in the city. We’re building an event around the event to attract families, to attract students.”
