Pre-Season Test Schedule Announced
By Andrew Cutler
January 16 2009
The Indy Racing League has now formally announced the 2009 pre-season testing schedule for the teams of the IndyCar and the Firestone Indy Lights series. Once again this year, test will be held at the 1.5 mile oval Homestead-Miami Speedway. Testing will run for three days, begining on February 23.
"Seeing as how we'll be providing the South Florida finish for both the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights championships this fall, it's fitting that we'll also host Spring Training 2009" commented track president Curtis Gray. "Book-ending the Indy Racing League season in Miami is as good as it gets for race fans." For some newcommers, especially in the FIL ranks, this test will be more than just a chance to hone their oval driving skills. As some of these sessions will be in the evening hours, it will also help get them acclimated to driving at speed under the glare of stadium lights; a situation that they will face during a handful of races throught the season.
The second testing session will come in March, the 21st - 23rd to be exact, at the 2.38 mile, 16 turn road course at Barber Motorsports Park, just outside of Birmingham AL. The IndyCar Series held a limited test session at Barber in late 2007, which was well recieved by the teams and the fans alike. Since then the facility's management has made no secrect of the fact that they hope to one day bring the IRL there for a full race weekend. Reacting to the news that Barber will be a pre-season test site, track president Gene Hallman noted; "We're very happy they've selected the finest motorsports facility in the U.S. for their sole pre-season road course test, and we feel that open wheel fans across the Southeast will extend some of our famous Southern hospitality to the drivers and teams during their stay here in Birmingham."