IndyCar announces 2018 race schedule

IndyCar has released the race schedule for the 2018 IndyCar series with a swap for Watkins Glen the most notable change.

Watkins Glen makes way for Portland in 2018

Watkins Glen makes way for a return to Portland International Raceway in Oregon. The legendary circuit in upstate New York joined the IndyCar schedule in 2016 as it replaced the disastrous Boston Grand Prix.

Since then it has struggled to attract crowds, owning much to its Labor Day weekend slot.

IndyCar and the circuit could not settle on a mutually agreeable alternate date paving the way for a return to Portland. The circuit last hosted American open wheel racing in 2007 when ChampCar visited.

No IndyCar race in Mexico City, yet

There is no slot on the schedule for a proposed race in Mexico City. It is expected to feature at the earliest on the 2019 schedule.

The 2018 season will start in St Petersburg on March 11 and finish at Sonoma Raceway in September.

2018 IndyCar Series schedule

Date	Venue	Track type
March 11	St Petersburg, FL	Street circuit
April 7	Phoenix Grand Prix, Phoenix International Raceway, AZ	Oval
April 15	Grand Prix of Long Beach, Long Beach CA	Street circuit
April 22	Grand Prix of Alabama, Barber Motorsports Park, AL	Road course
May 12	IndyCar Grand Prix, Indy Motor Speedway, IN	Road course
May 27	102nd Indianapolis 500, IN	Oval
June 2-3	Detroit Grant Prix 1 & 2, Detroit, MI	Street circuit
June 9	Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX	Oval
June 24	Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI	Road course
July 8	Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA	Oval
July 15	Indy Toronto, Toronto, Ontario	Street circuit
July 29	Mid-Ohio, Lexington, OH	Road course
August 19	Pocono 500, Long Pond, PA	Oval
August 25	Gateway Motorsports Park, Madison, IL	Oval
September 2	Portland Grand Prix, Portland Raceway, OR	Road course
September 16	Grand Prix of Sonoma, Sonoma Raceway, CA	Road course