Infield Section Of IMS Road Course To Be Repaved In June
April 21, 2011 | By Paul Kelly
The infield section of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course will be repaved this summer in anticipation of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race Aug. 26-28.
The project, which will repave 1.5 miles of the circuit from Turn 5 through Turn 16, will start Thursday, June 9. Turn 5 is where the course leaves the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 of the oval. Turn 16 is where the circuit leaves the infield near the start of the front straightaway at the exit of Turn 4 of the oval.
It’s the first time this section of the course has been resurfaced since it was built in 2000. Turns 1 through 4 of the 2.621-mile circuit – located inside Turn 1 of the oval – were created in 2008 for the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP and will not be repaved during this project.
The new asphalt will be consistent with the other sections of the course.
“This project is an example of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway providing competitors the finest racing facilities in the world,” said Mel Harder, IMS senior vice president, operations. “We had a very long, hard winter this year, which exacerbated the bumps and cracks in this aging section of the track.
“We also decided to undertake this project this year due to feedback from riders during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP last year. The new surface will produce even closer, more exciting racing for the world’s best riders and our loyal fans this August.”
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.
“I’m happy to hear the infield section is being repaved at Indy,” said 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, who rides for the Ducati Team. “It’s already a great track, and I’m sure this will make a smoother, more consistent racetrack for everybody.
“It also shows how the people at IMS pay attention to every detail – that’s probably why they’ve been around over a hundred years. I’ve always loved it there, as it’s my home track. I can’t wait to get back to Indy and race in August.”
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2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets: 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP tickets are on sale now.
To buy tickets, visit www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Ticket office and phone hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
The 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP is scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at IMS.
Race Day general admission tickets cost $40, with Friday general admission $10 and Saturday general admission $20. A three-day general admission ticket is $60. A Friday-Saturday general admission ticket is $25.
Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free any of the three days of the event when accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket.
Race Day reserved seat prices will start at $70.