NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone drivers will enjoy more grip and a smoother racing surface at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2024 after a repave of the entire surface at the permanent road course near Columbus, Ohio, was completed recently.

Ohio-based Kokosing Construction Company, Inc. began initial repair work the week of Oct. 16, followed by milling the existing track surface Monday, Oct. 23 and completing the paving of the final asphalt surface layer Friday, Oct. 27. Mid-Ohio was last repaved starting in fall 2005 and completed in spring 2006.

The project used approximately 100 people, 5,000 manpower hours, 15 trucks to remove approximately 6,000 tons (300 truckloads) of old track material and 30 trucks to haul in 6,000 tons of the new asphalt mixture onto the property. The project encompassed 11,550 feet of surface paving, 3,500 feet of various turn reinforcement, 500 feet of full depth repair in the Keyhole and Turn 12 areas and 300 feet of transverse joint repair.

Both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone will make their annual trek to Mid-Ohio for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio weekend on July 5-7, 2024. Both series race on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile layout.

Detroit GP Drives Local Economy: The 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear produced an all-time high in total spending and economic impact for the metropolitan Detroit area.

In its return to the streets of downtown Detroit for the first time in 32 years, the June 2-4 race produced a record $104.4 million in total spending activity by both local and visiting fans, as well as businesses, for the Greater Detroit region of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, according to an independent study conducted by St. Louis-based Sportsimpacts. The three-day event attracted an estimated crowd of 150,000.

In addition to the record total spending produced by the 2023 Grand Prix, the study also revealed an all-time high in “economic impact” for the event. The Sportsimpacts study determined that the amount of new economic activity stemming from non-local spending, which was retained within Greater Detroit following the Grand Prix, measured $35.7 million in economic impact for the event.

The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix returns to the streets of the Motor City on May 31-June 2, 2024.

Hinchcliffe Earns Canadian Hall Honors: Former NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver James Hinchcliffe was one of 15 new members announced for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

Hinchcliffe, now an analyst for NBC’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES coverage, won six races and the pole for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 during his 10 seasons in the series.

Toronto-area native Hinchcliffe will be honored during the Hall’s annual Gala Induction Ceremony in February in Toronto.