SEPTEMBER 29, 2006

Detroit Grand Prix to return?

Motor sport is set to return to the streets of Detroit, the capital of the American motor industry, for the first time since 2001. Motor City has hosted races since the early 1980s when Formula 1 raced on the streets around the Renaissance Center. F1 stayed until 1988 when CART took over the fixture but in 1992 the race was moved out of downtown to nearby Belle Isle where a 2.1-mile road course was laid out. This was faster the original street circuit and was rather more successful. After 2001, however, the race dropped from the CART schedule.

A deal is now being discussed for the Indy Racing League to bring the racing cars back to Motown.

The man behind the plan is none other than Roger Penske, who wants a race to take place on Belle Island on September 2 - the Labor Day holiday weekend - and a week before the season finale at Joliet, in nearby Chicago.

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is behind the project, which will be announced later today.

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