Gold Coast's Indy car race axed

The Gold Coast's Indy car race has been axed after the Queensland Government and organisers of the IndyCar Series failed to reach an agreement on the event's future.

However, a motor racing carnival will still be held on the streets of Surfers Paradise next October, featuring V8 Supercars and a potential new event.

Queensland Sports Minister Judy Spence said the government had opposed moves by the Indy Racing League to move the event from October to March, stating "they have an expanded series of events and our Indy clashes with the early part of the American football season.

"Moving our race to March as they had requested was not an option due to the clash with the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Clipsal V8 race in Adelaide.

"In addition a March race would have involved track construction right in the middle of January school holidays and we would not tolerate Gold Coast residents being inconvenienced in that way."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has indicated that Indy cars are likely to be replaced by the A1GP series.

24th April 2008 - F1 GRANDS PRIX - THE WORLD’S MOST VALUABLE ANNUAL SPORTING EVENTS