INDIANAPOLIS -- Firestone Indy Lights announced today a 12-race schedule for its 2013 season, featuring a diverse line up of ovals, road and street circuits, designed to prepare drivers for the for the next step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder - the IZOD IndyCar Series.

New additions to the schedule for 2013 are the historic 2.5-mile oval at Pocono Raceway, the 1.7-mile, 10-turn temporary street course at Reliant Park in Houston and the series' return to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, its first race at the 2.258-mile natural terrain road course since 2010.

"Our goal is to create a schedule that will challenge our up-and-coming drivers while preparing them for the diversity of the IZOD IndyCar Series," said Tony George Jr., director, Firestone Indy Lights. "For the 2013 season, we are adding one new oval, road course and temporary street circuit, which only enhances the strength of our schedule. To be crowned champion and earn the $1 million Mazda Road to Indy scholarship to the IZOD IndyCar Series, a driver must master each discipline on the circuit in order to maximize points opportunities."

The season will open March 23-24 on the streets of St. Petersburg and the season finale will once again be hosted at Auto Club Speedway, Oct. 18-19. Nine venues that hosted Firestone Indy Lights races in 2012 return and all event weekends will be run in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series and complemented by other series in the Mazda Road to Indy.

George added: "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. 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."

The first oval of the season will be the Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, two days before the Indianapolis 500. In total, five ovals appear on the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights schedule.

All Firestone Indy Lights races will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network, with dates and times to be announced soon.

2013 Firestone Indy Lights Schedule



Date

Track

City

Venue

March 23-24

Streets of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Fla.

1.8-mile street course

April 6-7

Barber Motorsports Park

Birmingham, Ala.

2.38-mile road course

April 20-21

Streets of Long Beach

Long Beach, Calif.

1.968-mile street course

May 24

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis

2.5-mile oval

June 14-15

The Milwaukee Mile

West Allis, Wis.

1-mile oval

June 22-23

Iowa Speedway

Newton, Iowa

.875-mile oval

July 6-7

Pocono International Raceway

Long Pond, Pa.

2.5-mile oval

July 12-13

Streets of Toronto

Toronto

1.75-mile street course

Aug. 3-4

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Lexington, Ohio

2.258-mile road course

Aug. 31-Sept. 1

Streets of Baltimore

Baltimore

2.04-mile street course

Oct. 5-6

Reliant Park

Houston

1.7-mile street course

Oct. 18-19

Auto Club Speedway

Fontana, Calif.

2-mile oval

Schedule subject to change


Amy Konrath