at Watkins Glen and two weeks before the Edmonton event, which will return to a Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule. St. Petersburg replaces Homestead-Miami as the season opening race. The Florida event was the first non-oval race ever staged by the IRL back in 2005 as part of its plan to branch out from simply being an all-oval series. Since then, the race has become one of the premiere events on the series calendar. "We made the first right turn. Why cant we stay the first race?" Grand Prix general manager Tim Ramsberger tells the St. Petersburg Times about the long term vision for the event. "Weve got to do something special. (Promoter International Speedway Corp.) makes Daytona a huge blowout (to begin the NASCAR season), right? We should do that." Homestead-Miami, which has been the traditional season opener, becomes the season ending event on October 11. Terry Angstadt, the president of the IRLs commercial division, said they wanted a warm-weather for its finale, noting that NASCAR also stages its three season ending events at Homestead. "That gives Homestead an opportunity to market themselves as a venue of champions," Angstadt tells USA Today. Following St. Petersburg will be Long Beach, which was the traditional Champ Car season opener. Then its on to Kansas as the season begins with three races on three consecutive weekends before beginning the month long preparation for the 93rd Indianapolis 500 in May. From there, the next five events are all returnees from the 2008 schedule - Milwaukee, Texas, Iowa, Richmond and Watkins Glen. As already confirmed, Nashville will give way to Toronto followed by Edmonton and then its on to Kentucky before making a stop at Mid-Ohio, which falls down the schedule from mid-July to early August. Infineon, Chicagoland Speedway and Belle Isle Park in Detroit make up another three race in three weekend stretch to close out August before the series moves overseas for its lone international stop at Twin Ring Motegi. The Japanese race gives up its April slot on the calendar to make way for Long Beach. A conflict between both those events this year led to two races on the same reace weekend after no suitable compromise could be found. The series then heads back to North America for its season ending race in Miami. Noticeably absent is the Surfers Paradise race in Australia, which will be a non-points exhibition event at the end of this year. Angstadt said theres a possibility Australia could still be added to the schedule as there is time between the Japan race and the Miami season ender. "Were optimistic," he said. "Weve given them a couple of time slots." Angstadt added that Cleveland, Houston, New Hampshire and Las Vegas were also discussed and hes holding out hope that at least one or two of those venues will be added to future schedules. New Hampshire is hampered somewhat by a crowded NASCAR schedule, which leaves the IRL very few options when it comes to dates while the timing doesnt appear right for a return to the 142,000 seat Las Vegas oval. "For us to put 50-60,000 fans in a place like that, its almost not good for either side," Angstadt said. New Hampshire Motor Speedway general manager Jerry Gappens said he was disappointed not be included on the 2009 schedule. "I dont understand the decision not to include our facility on next years schedule," he said in a statement released Tuesday night. "I think its a slap in the face to our chairman Bruton Smith and to our company (Speedway Motorsports Inc.) who have been very supportive of the Indy Racing League since its inception."