In June, many race fans were literally showered with debris as the Belle Isle race course was torn apart by the cars. The Belle Isle Grand Prix had to be stopped for about two hours while the course underwent emergency repairs, but the race was able to be restarted as Scott Dixon eventually captured the checkered flag. Race organizers are hoping there will be no such issues in 2013, as they've started making permanent repairs to the course.

On Monday, construction workers began repairs that will take the next eight to 12 weeks to complete, and they are focusing on replacing nearly 82,000 square feet of pavement that caused the problems this past June. The rest of the track will undergo repairs over the course of the next three years, and there is a planned addition, which will extend the course from 2.1 miles to 2.4 miles.

Penske was quick to point out that these repairs are not taxpayer-funded, but that the costs are being absorbed by Penske and other private donors. The total cost of the repairs is expected to exceed $1 million.