Lights releases 2013 schedule

Firestone Indy Lights’ 12-race run for 2013 will feature new stops at Pocono Raceway and the Shell/Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston, as well as a return to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The season will once again begin at St. Petersburg, Florida on March 23 and 24, and end at Auto Club Speedway outside Los Angeles on Oct. 18-19. All event weekends for FIL in 2013 will be run in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series and will also feature events from the other levels of the Mazda Road to Indy.

“We feel it’s important to create opportunities to expose the talents of our Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy drivers alongside the IZOD IndyCar Series,” said Lights director Tony George, Jr. in a statement. “We want to showcase the strength of our ladder system and there is no better way to do that than to run at the tracks where the IZOD IndyCar Series competes.”

2013 television dates and times have yet to be announced for FIL, which will once again have its races broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

2013 FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS SCHEDULE
March 23-24 — Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
Apr. 6-7 — Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (road course)
Apr. 20-21 — Streets of Long Beach, Calif.
May 24 — Freedom 100, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval)
June 14-15 — The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis. (oval)
June 22-23 — Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa (oval)
July 6-7 — Pocono Raceway, Pocono, Pa. (oval)
July 12-13 — Streets of Toronto, Ontario
Aug. 3-4 — Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Oh. (road course)
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 — Streets of Baltimore, Md.
Oct. 5-6 — Streets of Houston, Tex.
Oct. 18-19 — Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif. (oval)