How IndyCar Should Add International Races

Despite hiccups in the past, IndyCar is not giving up on adding international races to their schedule.

The Verizon IndyCar Series could be moving toward holding a race outside the United States after the 2016 season finale. As reported by Racer.com, IndyCar is looking into holding a non-points race that would not affect the championship. According to Racer.com, an international race would bring in more revenue for the series and help boost the Leaders Circle payouts for teams.

It’s a good idea for the series, but IndyCar should wait until 2017. Tacking a race on to the end of the season now may not work out. IndyCar has gone outside the U.S. to pick up a paycheck before, but it has also run into trouble doing it.

For instance, IndyCar was supposed to start the 2015 season with the Brasilia Indy 300, but the government-backed company that owned the proposed track cancelled the event one day after a title sponsor was announced.

Beer maker Itaipava was signed for the Brasilia Indy 300 before it fell apart.

Beer maker Itaipava was signed in 2015 for the Brasilia Indy 300 before it fell apart. /

The series also got burned in 2012 with the Indy Qingdao 600. It was supposed to be IndyCar’s first-ever visit to China. There were plans to build a street circuit and then a permanent road course for the future. Instead, the race was cancelled by the promoter in the middle of the season.

The international trips haven’t all been bad. In fact, they’ve been quite successful in the past. IndyCar traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil for a number of years and was met with huge crowds and a nice paycheck.

The evidence suggests an international race can work, but it has to be done properly. That’s why IndyCar should wait until 2017 to go international again. The series should take the time to develop the project and build a successful event before jumping into international waters.

One solid course of action would be to start the season off with three inter

national non-points events. The series of events would be similar to NASCAR’s shorter races leading up to the Daytona 500. IndyCar could bill it as an exhibition series and sell a title sponsor on it. Each race would also need a decent cash prize to make it worthwhile to the teams.

The timing of the non-points races would also be a boost to IndyCar. The series could hold the international races in the days and weeks after the NFL’s Super Bowl and before NASCAR and Major League Baseball get started. An international series of shorter events could grab the attention of action-starved motorsports fans waiting for green flags to drop.

According to Racer.com, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles has considered events in Mexico and the Middle East. If IndyCar decides to go with a series of races, it would be smart to hold them in nearby locations. It would cut down on travel costs and allow for an easier marketing build in each locale.

Mexico may be the best choice because of the relatively low travel costs for teams. Races could be held in Mexico City on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course (which has hosted NASCAR and Formula E among others), in Amozoc on the Autódromo Internacional Miguel E. Abed oval (which has hosted NASCAR and the WTCC), and any configuration of the Autódromo de León. All three facilities are in central Mexico, which would increase the impact of any local promotion or marketing efforts.

Call it the Verizon IndyCar Series Mexico Challenge presented by Bimbo Bakeries. There you have it.

More racing: IndyCar: Five Drivers With Something To Prove In 2016

What do you think? Should IndyCar go international now or wait until 2017? What’s the best way for the series to do it? Or should IndyCar stay stateside? Let us know in the comments.