By Andrew Cutler
October 30 2009

As the IRL looks to expand it's global reach by kicking off the 2010 IndyCar season in Brazil, word has come that another potential international venue is being seriously considered; in China. While I knew that China was on the League's "wish list" of places to go if the situation were right, I had no idea that discussions were even taking place, let alone that they were in an advanced stage.

According the the China Car Times, the location under consideration is the city of Qingdao. The time frame being discussed is for an inaugural race to be held on a street course in 2011 - possibly around the post district &/or using elevated highways - with a move to what is alternately described in the article as a 500,000+ seat oval and a 400,000+ seat purpose-built facility (which would seem to leave the door open for it to be a road course) which would be ready in time for the 2012 race.

By way of comparison, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2 & 1/2 mile oval, has an estimated 257,300 permanent seats!

The IRL would be looking to schedule the race to coincide with their annual trip to Motegi, Japan, which used to be an April event, but for 2010 will, for the second consecutive year, be run in September. 

I will post updates on this story as further developments warrant.