Rounds 7 and 8. The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit, 3rd-5th June, 2016.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Rounds 7 and 8. The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit, 3rd-5th June, 2016.

No sooner has the Chequered flag dropped and the dust is still settling on the 100th running of the Indy 500, the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit is suddenly upon us.

In 2014, Detroit was the first of three double headers. However, Like last season, The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit will be the only double header this year.

Both races last year, were marred by bad weather. There was a pile up on lap 2 of Race 1 and after heavy rain and lightning strikes in the area, the race was called after 47 laps out of 70. Carlos Munoz won his first IndyCar race heading a Andretti Autosport 1, 2.

During qualifying for Race 2, the Red flag came out 4 laps into group 2's session. The grid order was therefore set according to the overall season's points standings. During the race there was a succession of Full Course Yellows, from lap 35 onwards plus a pile up on lap 55. The Red flag eventually came out on lap 64 after an incident, with Penske team mates Power and Castroneves. After the restart, only 4 minutes and 30 seconds remained before it became a timed race, which was called eventually on lap 68.

Detroit was originally the venue for the F1 Detroit Grand Prix, held from 1982-1988. It was dropped from the F1 calendar after 1988, when F1's governing body FISA declared the temporary pit area sub standard and because of the drivers dislike of the event due to track disintegration, which was particularly bad that year. It was planned to move the F1 event to Belle Isle in 1989 but no agreement was finalised and F1 went to Phoenix and Detroit became a CART event, with the race held on a slightly modified version of the F1 track. In 1992, the event moved to Belle Isle, where it was held up to and including 2001. In 1998 the track was extended from 2.1 mi (3.4 km), to 2.36 mi (3.80 km).

The race was revived from 2007-2008, as part of the IRL's IndyCar Series, using the original CART layout but was cancelled from 2009-2011 due the downturn in the Detroit automotive industry and the city's economic problems. The race was revived again in 2012 and since 2014 the track has reverted to the 1998-2001 CART layout, with a slightly modified Strand Turn 7.

Some Trivia:
Hélio Castroneves got his first CART win at Detroit in 2000, driving a Reynard 2Ki-Honda HR-0 V8t, for Marlboro Team Penske and has won the Detroit Grand Prix the most times: 2000, 2001 and 2014.

The team with the most wins, 7. Team Penske: 1991, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2014, Race 1 and 2.

1982-1988 F1 track layout:


1992-1997 Original CART track layout:


1998-2001 CART track layout:


Current track layout:


Length: 2.36 Mile (3.80 km)
Turns: 14

Lap record:
Scott Dixon, 2 Jun 2012. 1:10.3162, 105.978 mph (170,555 kmh). Target Chip Ganassi, Dallara DW12-Honda, Verizon IndyCar Series.

Race 1
Last year's winner:
Carlos Munoz.
Andretti Autosport,
Dallara DW12-Honda HI14RTT.

Laps: 47*
Distance: 110.45 mi (177.752 km)
Race Time: 1:27:46
Average Speed: 75.51 mph (121.52 km)
* Race called due to lightning strikes in the area.

Race 2
Last year's winner:
Sebastien Bourdais,
KV Racing Technology,
Dallara DW12-Chevrolet IndyCar V6.

Laps: 68*
Distance: 159.8 (257.173 km)
Race Time: 2:00:38
Average Speed: 79.47 mph (127.89 km)
* Declared a timed race on lap 68.

Race broadcast:
ABC.
Race 1 June 4, 3:30pm ET
Race 2 June 5, 3:30pm ET