Raceway at Belle Isle

**Raceway at Belle Isle**
	Detroit , Michigan , USA
Route type:	temporary racetrack
Opening:	June 7, 1992
Time zone:	UTC-5 CST
Track layout
	Route data
Important ; events:	IndyCar Series , United SportsCar Championship
Route length:	3.782 km (2.35 mi )
Curves:	14th
	Records
Track record: ; (automobile)	1: 17,4371 min. ; ( Mike Conway , Dale Coyne Racing , 2013)
	www.detroitgp.com

42201 -82.5944Coordinates: 42 ° 12 ′ 3.6 " N , 82 ° 35 ′ 39.8" W.

The Raceway at Belle Isle is a temporary motorsport racetrack on Belle Isle in the US city of Detroit in the state of Michigan . They will host the Detroit Grand Prix , which from 1992 bis 2001 by the Champ Car championship since 2007 , except for 2009 - 2011 , the IndyCar Series is extended.

history

After the Formula 1 race on the Detroit Street Circuit , the CART championship at the time was held on the inner city circuit from 1989-1992 . The race then switched to Belle-Isle, where a 3.4 km long track was set up, which was later extended to 3.776 km. The Champ-Car (successor to the CART) left Detroit after the 2001 season, as the route was viewed from many sides as unsustainable due to the poor access for spectators, the limited space in the paddock and the narrow route.

It was not until the Indy-Car series returned to Detroit in 2007, mainly through the engagement of Roger Penske . A park-and-ride system was set up for the fans and various modifications were made to the track and the paddock. By setting up a partially changed course, the route length was shortened to 3.37 km.

From 2009 to 2011 the Detroit Grand Prix was not hosted because there was too little support for the race from the big car companies in Detroit, mainly due to the financial crisis . The Indy-Car only returned in 2012. The layout of the CART time has been used again since 2013. In the same year, two races of the Indy-Car series were held as part of the introduction of Indy Duals .

More racing series

Helio Castroneves in Detroit 2012

From its initial establishment through the 2000 season, the course also hosted runs for the Detroit Indy Lights Championship. The series has been back in the racing program since 2012. From 1992 until the course was abandoned in 2001, the Trans-Am series was also active on the course.

In 2007 and 2008 races for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) were held on the track , the Grand-Am Sports Car Series was active from 2012 to 2013 , and the United SportsCar Championship will host the sports car race on the track from 2014 .

Route characteristics

Current layout

From the start on the Sunset Drive it goes through a fast left-right combination to the Central Ave , which to the intersection with the island of tranquility Ave is driven. The intersection is a 90 ° right-hand bend, followed by a short straight to the next intersection with Lotter Way . This is followed by two full-throttle curves that lead the drivers to the intersection with Picnic Way . After this left bend you come to a short straight, after another right bend you come to the long back straight ( The Strand ). This is interrupted after about 2/3 by a chicanery-like combination of a right, three fast left and another sharp right turn. After two more quick right-hand bends, you get back to the start and finish straight, which has a full throttle right bend on the right-hand side before the pit entrance.

Layout from 2007–2012

Routing from 2007-2012

The start / finish area was laid out in the same place as it is today. After the first two curves, the drivers of this variant turned off Central Ave earlier and came onto Picinic Way . This was followed by a right-left-right combination in the middle of which this variant met the current course. From there on it went the same way as today towards the back straight.

Web links

Side of the Detroit Grand Prix