2012 Izod IndyCar Series Schedule Released; Could Expand At Later Date

The Izod IndyCar Series released its long-awaited schedule on Thursday morning – kind of.

Though the 15-race schedule has now been publicized, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said the series is "in the process of confirming a 16th event" and also "considering" adding a 17th race.

So while the schedule is subject to change, the basic concept is out there and it includes fewer oval races – just four instead of the eight originally scheduled for last season.

As IndyCar said previously, it will not return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012 following the death of Dan Wheldon. Instead, the series finale (for now) is scheduled for Auto Club Speedway in Southern California.

Texas Motor Speedway is on the calendar, but the race is back to a "traditional" format instead of the twin races the track held last year.

IndyCar will also race in China for the first time ever (Aug. 19) and is making a return to two tracks – Fontana and Belle Isle, the Detroit street course.

Tracks on last year's calendar that aren't on the 2012 edition include Las Vegas, Motegi (Japan), New Hampshire, Milwaukee and Kentucky.

The Indianapolis 500 race date for 2012 is May 27 (the traditional Memorial Day Weekend spot).

Here's the IndyCar schedule for 2012 (as of now):

March 25 – St. Petersburg, Fla. (1.8-mile street course)

April 1 – Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (2.3-mile road course)

April 15 – Long Beach, Calif. (1.968-mile street course)

April 29 – Sao Paulo, Brazil (2.536-mile street course)

May 27 – Indianapolis 500 (2.5-mile oval)

June 3 – Belle Isle, Detroit, Mich. (2.1-mile street course)

June 9 – Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas (1.5-mile oval)

June 23 – Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa (.875-mile oval)

July 8 – Toronto, Canada (1.755-mile street course)

July 22 – Edmonton, Canada (1.973-mile airport course)

Aug. 5 – Mid-Ohio, Lexington, Ohio (2.258-mile road course)

Aug. 19 – Qingdao, China (3.87-mile street course)

Aug. 26 – Sonoma, Calif. (2.303-mile road course)

Sept. 2 – Baltimore (2-mile street course)

Sept. 15 – Fontana (2-mile oval)