Detroit — The race to get downtown Detroit has commenced.
Families, businesses and fans descended on the Motor City on Thursday in anticipation of the three-day Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday and runs through 4 p.m. Sunday with the IndyCar series leading the way.
“Although I love racing on Belle Isle, bringing this event closer to the community that lives in Detroit is really neat, with the free viewing available (outside the track), I think the Detroit Grand Prix has been enhanced,” said British driver Jack Harvey, a two-time Indy NXT by Firestone championship runner-up.
The 1.7-mile street circuit on Jefferson Avenue and Atwater Street along Detroit’s riverfront, returns to downtown streets for the first time in three decades. There’ll be activities on Hart Plaza, the Spirit Plaza and the Riverwalk.
More: Guide to the Detroit Grand Prix: Everything you need to know
“The first race was held on the streets of Detroit in 1982, and somebody had to win that race, and, well — it was me,” said John Watson, the winner of Detroit’s first Grand Prix and Grand Marshal for Sunday’s race.
In his third trip to Detroit, Northern Ireland-born Watson, 77, recalled the moment he crossed the finish line 41 years ago driving a McLaren MP4/1D.
“To say I was flying is an understatement; the car was great, I mean, the car was everything I wanted a race car to be,” Watson said. “And on Sunday, maybe one driver will have that same out-of-car experience.”
Watson said the return to Detroit’s streets from Belle Isle will place drivers on an even playing field because none of the drivers have driven the downtown track.
Many drivers spent Thursday afternoon walking the track and getting a feel for its nine twists and turns before revving up their engines Friday morning.
“You’ve got to take as much information in as you can and do so faster than others, and learn because its a leveled playing field for everyone,” said Scott Mclaughlin, three-time Australian Supercars champion and 2019 winner of Bathurst 1000, now a driver for Team Penske.
“I think you’ll see maybe a new winner — well, hopefully not, because I want to win again, but you’ll see someone at the front who’s new to it, and I think that’s exciting,” said Mclaughlin, winner of the NTT IndyCar Series in the 2022 season.
Although this year’s track is shorter than what it was on Belle Isle, it will be more inclusive because the event is free for spectators on Friday. Fans will have access to more than half the circuit throughout the weekend, including a pop-up shopping area, featuring 29 businesses in Cadillac Square.
Detroit-based and Black-owned Delectabowl Food Truck and Catering, which has been in business for more than 10 years, said it’s prepared to take all the foot traffic the race will generate, and has food prepared for hundreds of patrons.
“We’ve over-prepared our dishes with the expectation not to run out of food,” said Jamil Mapps, known as Chef Millz, 32, the food truck’s executive chef. “Our team devised a number to reach in sales, which informed how much food we should prepare daily, and we’re expecting a huge turnout.”
The event is expected to pump about $75 million into the downtown economy, said Eric Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership.
“Fifty percent of the course now is going to be made available for free and open to the public,” Larson said. “That was not really possible on Belle Isle. The ability to spread the overall economic impact, but also just the interaction with the downtown is better.”
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