IndyCar officials have announced that the IZOD IndyCar Series will not race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012.
The circuit, which was the scene of the multi-car crash that took the life of Dan Wheldon in October, has been deemed unsuitable, considering that the new-generation car has not been tested at the high-speed track.
In a draft 2012 schedule, the series was set to close its 2012 season at the speedway on October 14, but IndyCar and speedway officials said considerable testing with the new car is needed prior to returning to the facility.
“We feel we need to give our technical team ample time to conduct thorough testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, once we complete our ongoing investigation into the 15-car accident during the Oct. 16 race at the track,” said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard.
The complete schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season opens on March 25 with the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.