Get ready for the green flag: The Detroit Grand Prix is set to return to the city’s downtown streets Friday.
We have all the details on what you need to know.
What is the schedule?
The event, which features IndyCar, IMSA sports cars, and Indy NXT racing, is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Friday with practice and qualifying on a 1.7-mile circuit along the Detroit Riverfront.
The day finishes with one of the weekend’s signature attractions, Cruise Night presented by the Detroit Auto Show, at 6:30 p.m. More than 100 classic cars, customized rides, hot rods, muscle cars, and exotic vehicles will take a parade lap on the track before lining up on Jefferson Avenue for public viewing. The two-hour event is free.
Gates open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and practice races will run until about 11 a.m. After a warm-up, INDY NXT qualifying is scheduled for noon, followed by qualifying for the NTT IndyCar Series at 1:05 p.m.
The Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m. The race will air on NBC, WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in Detroit.
Saturday concludes with Car Corral Track Laps featuring Corvette and Cadillac at 6:45 p.m.
Gates once again open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, the event’s final day.
Once the Indy cars warm up, the day’s first race — featuring cars in the INDY NXT by Firestone series — is at 10:30 a.m. The race will also air on FS1.
Chevrolet’s INDYCAR Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. with post-race ceremonies to follow. The event will air nationally on FOX, with local coverage on WJBK-TV (Channel 2).
How much are tickets?
Tickets for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix range from $65 to over $200, depending on the day and seating type. There are also free viewing areas and free grandstand opportunities.
Admission on Friday is free, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank. Grandstands 1 and 9 have free general admission seats. Seating is available on a first-come basis and does not include Paddock access.
Tickets for the event’s three days are available online at https://www.detroitgp.com/buy-tickets/tickets or by calling (888) 811-PRIX (7749).
Where is parking?
Race officials said the only parking structure in the venue available for public parking is the Franklin Garage, located between Franklin Street and Woodbridge. Parking spaces are limited and sold in advance only.
Surface lots and alternate parking structures downtown are available for event parking. Organizers recommend spectators use public transportation options, such as the Detroit People Mover and the Qline, to park outside of the downtown area and take a free ride close to the venue.
What will the weather be like?
This weekend’s weather in Detroit is expected to be dry and near seasonal temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
Detroit’s high temperature is predicted by the agency to reach 84 degrees under sunny skies on Friday. It will cool down to 72 degrees on Saturday, but still be sunny. A slight warmup should follow Sunday, with the high expected to hit 77 degrees and sunny once more. The city’s average monthly high temperature for May is 70.3 degrees.
What’s the history of the Detroit Grand Prix?
The first Detroit Grand Prix was held in 1982 as a Formula One race through the streets of Downtown Detroit. It became a CART-sanctioned race in 1989.
Three years later, the event was moved to Belle Isle and continued under the CART/Champ Car banner until 2001.
The Grand Prix returned in 2012 with Chevrolet as the title sponsor of the event. It marked its 30th anniversary in Detroit in 2019, but was canceled the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the race was back on. Two years later, the event returned to downtown Detroit’s streets.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
X: @CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: When is the Detroit Grand Prix? Details on race times, tickets, parking
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
