2001 IRL schedule released.

The new, 13-race, Indy Racing League calendar provides not just an enlarged challenge for drivers and teams, but also takes in all corners of the USA.

Starting in Phoenix on 18 March, the series takes in its biggest schedule yet, cramming a further twelve events into a six-month period, before reaching a climax at Texas Motor Speedway on 16 September.

Six new venues feature on the calendar, with former CART circuits at Homestead and Gateway joining brand new facilities at Kansas, Nashville and Chicagoland, as well as an established one at Richmond, on the tightly-packed schedule. Texas receives two visits, as its previous double-header events have provided both good crowds and fantastic action.

The bigger campaign has already received favourable comments from drivers and teams alike, with more races looked upon as a chance to make up ground lost because of retirements. The 2000 campaign consisted of just nine races in comparison, with earlier years featuring even fewer.

Buddy Lazier returns to defend his hard-earned Northern Light crown with Hemelgarn Racing next year, while runners-up Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever may yet join forces as his main opposition.

Indy Racing League 2001 schedule.

March 18 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona
April 8 Homestead-Miami Speedway Miami, Florida
April 28 Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta, Georgia
May 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis, Indiana
June 9 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas
June 17 Pikes Peak International Raceway Pikes Peak, Colorado
June 30 Richmond International Raceway Richmond, Virginia
July 8 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas
July 21 Nashville Superspeedway Nashville, Tennessee
August 12 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky
August 26 Gateway International Raceway St. Louis, Missouri
September 2 Chicagoland Speedway Joliet, Illinois
September 16 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas