Belle Isle – It’s happening! The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix is revving up, and setting up, on Belle Isle. Already you can see the work underway on the island park where they are getting the track and the grandstands ready. The race weekend is June 11-13.
Last year the race was canceled due to the pandemic, but it is full steam ahead this year, although there will be some changes.
“We’re excited to welcome a few thousand fans back every day. Between all the competitors we have on Belle Isle, along with the fans, the media, our sponsors, the workers here, we will have between 6 to 9 thousand fans per day all three days of the Grand Prix,” explains Merrill Cain, the Communications Director for the event. “We’re going to do it in a very safe way, socially distant in the grandstands. You know, it’s a big island, a 2.3- mile track so that gives us the luxury of being able to space people out and we’re certainly going to do that, to make sure everyone is safe and has a good weekend.”
Michelle Oliver also got a chance to catch up with Pato O’Ward, a newer racer who was named “Rookie of the Year” last year at the Indy 500. He shared what he was looking forward to most about the race and gave some Michigan favorites - Better Made Potato Chips and Faygo Rock & Rye - a try. Watch the video above to see what he thought.
Comerica Bank Free Prix Day is the 11th, but this year to manage the crowds, you will need to reserve your passes online. You can also watch all the weekend race action on Local 4.