IndyCar: Notable omission from 2021 Indy Lights schedule

The 2021 Indy Lights schedule was released and the series is not scheduled to run the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year.

Entering 2020, the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway had been held for 17 consecutive Indy Lights seasons ahead of the annual Indianapolis 500, the crown jewel on the IndyCar schedule. It has been a staple of the Carb Day schedule at the Brickyard.

But because of the coronavirus pandemic, that race did not happen this year. In fact, the entire 2020 Indy Lights season was canceled.

IndyCar is currently 13 races into their revised 14-race calendar, and the Indy 500 was held on Sunday, August 23, marking the first time in its 104-year history that it has been held outside of the month of May.

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The 2021 IndyCar schedule was released in early October, and the 2021 Indy Lights schedule was released earlier this week.

The Indy 500 is back in its traditional spot: Memorial Day Sunday, May 30. However, there is no Freedom 100 on the Indy Lights schedule.

This 40-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) oval in Speedway, Indiana is the crown jewel of the Indy Lights schedule. It is the biggest and often the most exciting race on the calendar, especially in recent years with the aero package that has been used at the highest level of the Road to Indy ladder.

However, the move was made to reserve the month of May for IndyCar only, again due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

The idea of the elimination of this race is reportedly to make give IndyCar more flexibility in case schedule changes are needed leading up to the 105th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, given how paramount that flexibility was in 2020 to allow the 104th running to take place.

The 2021 Indy Lights schedule includes 18 races over nine weekends (all doubleheaders) and two others that have not yet been confirmed.

While running the race outside of the month of May hasn’t officially been ruled out, these two TBD dates are believed to be dates set to go to the new Nashville Street Circuit, not contingency dates for the Freedom 100.

Here is what the series had to say about the matter, according to IndyStar.

"“Reserving the month of May schedule for the (IndyCar Series) provides maximum flexibility to prioritize Indy 500 on-track activities. In 2020, we’ve learned this flexibility is the key to ensure we’re able to successfully race the Indianapolis 500. We will stay in constant communication with the Indy Lights series and will continue to evaluate future opportunities.”"

It remains unknown if the race will return in 2022, although that is the goal.

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The 2021 Indy Lights season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 6 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, one day before the 2021 IndyCar season is scheduled to do so at the same venue.