Good News out of Portland

By ROCKET SPORTS and ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK on August 20, 2020

Will Power at the St Pete Grand Prix (Rodney Meyering photo)

PORTLAND, Oregon- After reaching a three-year extension to their current agreement, City of Portland and Green Savoree Portland LLC officials announced today that the Grand Prix of Portland will return to the Pacific Northwest and Portland International Raceway (PIR) through at least 2023.

The 2021 date for the Grand Prix of Portland at PIR will be announced by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES later this year. The event was cancelled this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Oregon’s statewide restrictions on public gatherings.

“I was fortunate as a teenager to attend the Indy 500,” says Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. “I remember the excitement then and we saw the same energy at the 2018 and 2019 Grand Prix of Portland races. As the only event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the race not only provides tremendous thrills but also contributes $12-$15 million in economic benefits for the city. I’m excited to see this premier race in Portland for at least the next three years.”

“We are very pleased to have ‘Portland’s Fastest Park’, the Portland International Raceway, hosting the Grand Prix of Portland NTT INDYCAR SERIES race for three additional years,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long. “The Grand Prix has established itself as a summer tradition as Portlanders enjoy the festival atmosphere, the cars, and camaraderie. We look to 2021 through 2023 with great anticipation.”

“We’re disappointed to not be able to bring IndyCar racing back to the great fans in the Pacific Northwest later this summer, but our team is excited to be back in 2021 and beyond through this continued partnership with the City of Portland and the Portland Parks & Recreation division,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Grand Prix of Portland. “We appreciate Mayor Wheeler, the commissioners, Director Long, E.C. (Mueller) and the entire PIR team for their ongoing support of the Grand Prix of Portland, and working with us to make the Grand Prix of Portland even better when it returns next year.”

Ticket purchasers on file for the 2020 event will receive a direct communication from Green Savoree Portland LLC soon on their available options. Ongoing Grand Prix of Portland updates will be posted to portlandgp.com. Race fans can also stay up to speed on the event via social media by following #PortlandGP.

Dario Franchitti accepts the 2011 St. Pete Grand Prix trophy as Will Power looks on. (Rodney Meyering photo)

ABOUT GRAND PRIX OF PORTLANDPortland International Raceway (PIR) is the home of the Grand Prix of Portland. PIR is a 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course owned by the City of Portland and operated under the Portland Parks and Recreation. Opened in 1960 to host sports car and drag racing, the 268-acre property hosts over 550 events annually including automotive and motorcycle road racing, motocross, cruise-ins and other special events including the Rose Cup Races. PIR has been the site of many memorable Indy car races. Al Unser Jr. won the inaugural one in 1984, and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned in 2018 after an 11-year absence with Takuma Sato the winner and another Indianapolis 500 champion Will Power winning in 2019. The Father’s Day race of 1986 featured Mario Andretti victorious over his son Michael on the last lap by less than a second. The closest three-way road racing finish in Indy car history took place at PIR in 1997 when the top three were covered by just 0.055 of a second. The Grand Prix of Portland is owned and operated by Green Savoree Portland, LLC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (2020 date postponed), Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Oct. 23-25, 2020), and Honda Indy Toronto.
For more information, visit portlandgp.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @PortlandGP or follow updates on Twitter @Portland_GP and Instagram at @Portland_GP using #PortlandGP.