2012 IndyCar schedule announced

The race is on.

This morning, the IZOD IndyCar series announced its 2012 race schedule, a 15-race slate that will take drivers to China, Brazil, Canada, and — of course — all across the United States.

In all, 11 races are scheduled in the U.S., meaning 11 chances to see Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 19 Boy Scouts of America IndyCar in person.

Take your pack, troop, team, or crew to a track near you. They’ll experience the thrill of live racing while also learning about science, technology, math, and engineering — four areas that combine to form the important STEM initiative supported by the BSA.

Careers in STEM are the future, and getting Scouts interested in those fields will pay dividends when they’re looking for a job later in life.

IndyCar racing is the perfect way to introduce Scouts to STEM, because IndyCars are packed with cutting-edge technology that touches all four STEM areas.

When I attended an IndyCar race last year, it was amazing — though not surprising — to see how fast-moving, tech-filled cars can really get Scouts’ adrenaline going. (For more proof, be sure to watch the video below.)

As for me, I’m pumped that the series will be returning to nearby Texas Motor Speedway in 2012. You may remember that I covered the race for Bryan on Scouting in June and saw firsthand the appeal of live IndyCar racing.

More details about tickets and a television schedule will come out later. There’s also talk of adding a 16th and 17th race to the season, so stay tuned for that.

But for now, here’s the tentative schedule, released today:

• March 25: Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. (1.8-mile street course)
• April 1: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (2.3-mile road course)
• April 15: Streets of Long Beach, Calif. (1.968-mile street course)
• April 29: Streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil (2.536-mile street course)
• May 27: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
• June 3: Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Mich. (2.1-mile street course)
• June 9: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Tex. (1.5-mile oval)
• June 23: Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa (.875-mile oval)
• July 8: Streets of Toronto (1.755-mile street course)
• July 22: Edmonton City Centre Airport, Canada (1.973-mile airport course)
• Aug. 5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio (2.258-mile road course)
• Aug. 19: Streets of Qingdao, China (3.87-mile street course)
• Aug. 26: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. (2.303-mile road course)
• Sept. 2: Streets of Baltimore (2-mile street course)
• Sept. 15: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif. (2-mile oval)

Finally, check out this great video in which Dale Coyne gives four Scouts an inside look at the No. 19 IndyCar. It’s worth your time.

—

Photo by Roger Morgan/BSA