IndyCar dumps Fontana oval from 2016 lineup

IndyCar will not return to the two-mile oval speedway in Fontana, California, next season, officials of the US-based open-wheel series announced Friday.

There were six oval races in the series this year, including the namesake Indianapolis 500 in May, but only 16 overall races at 14 venues, Detroit and Indy each hosting two events.

IndyCar and the Auto Club Speedway explored options to keep the California race going, including the track`s wish to have the event be the season finale, but were unable to agree on times and dates.

"There was a tremendous amount of effort put forth to keep Auto Club Speedway on the calendar. In the end, we could not identify a compromise for 2016 that was amicable for both parties," said Mark Miles, chief executive of IndyCar parent firm Hulman and Company. 

"We mutually agreed that our inability to identify a date for next year doesn`t preclude us revisiting these conversations in the future."

IndyCar has announced plans to add races at Road America, a road course in rural Wisconsin, and a street race in Boston to next year`s schedule.

Colombia`s Juan Pablo Monotoya, who won the Indy 500 back in May, leads the season points standings with 465 points to 456 for American Graham Rahal and 431 for third-place Scott Dixon of New Zealand with two races remaining in the season, the August 23 oval Pocono 500 and the season-ending IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma road-course race a week later.