INDIANAPOLIS – Watkins Glen International will not be part of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, the circuit announced Thursday. The road course race at the legendary track will be replaced by an event at Portland International Raceway.

The Glen has struggled to draw big crowds on Labor Day weekend the past two years.

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Watkins Glen International president Michael Printup told Racer magazine recently, “We've had two good races but it's been an uphill climb trying to make it work. I don't think the dates help us any because July 4 and Labor Day don't seem to be good. I asked IndyCar about changing dates, but there weren't any available."

Watkins Glen, which returned to the series in 2016 after a six-year hiatus, took the place of a planned Boston street course race that never materialized. Scott Dixon won at The Glen in its 2016 return, while Alexander Rossi won the race there this past season.

Indy cars last raced at Portland in 2007 as part of the Champ Car Series. Before that, CART hosted races in Portland from 1984 to 2003 before CART before Champ Car took over from 2005-2007. Dale Coyne Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais is the only current IndyCar driver who has won an Indy car race at Portland.

“IndyCar couldn’t be more excited to again race in front of one of our strongest fan bases,” CEO Mark Miles said in a news release about the schedule. “Portland International Raceway has produced thrilling road racing throughout Indy car history – the 1997 finish still stands as the record for the closest finish on a road or street course."

FULL SCHEDULE

March 11: Streets of St. Petersburg

April 7: Phoenix Raceway

April 15: Streets of Long Beach

April 22: Barber Motorsports Park

May 12: Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course

May 27: Indianapolis 500

June 2-3: Raceway at Belle Isle Park

June 9: Texas Motor Speedway

June 24: Road America

July 8: Iowa Speedway

July 15: Streets of Toronto

July 29: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Aug. 19: Pocono Raceway

Aug. 25: Gateway Motorsports Park

Sept. 2: Portland International Raceway

Sept. 16: Sonoma Raceway

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Instagram: @jimayello.