| Race weekend: Friday, March 27-Sunday, March 29 Track: Barber Motorsports Park, a 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course (clockwise) in Birmingham, Alabama Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF) | Weekend Event Schedule (PDF) Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 90 laps / 207 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: Race 1 – 35 laps / 80.5 miles / 55 minutes; Race 2 – 30 laps / 69 miles / 50 minutes. Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum single duration of 20 seconds. Push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 65 seconds of total time. Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation, with a maximum deployment of 385 kilojoules (kj) per lap Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary (hard) and five sets alternate (soft) to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires in the first practice session. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend, with one new set used for qualifying and another new set used during one of the two races. Qualifying tires must be used during one of the two races. Two carryover sets from the Arlington race may be used during the first practice. Twitter: @BarberMotorPark @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #INDYBHM, #IndyCar Instagram: @BarberMotorPark, @INDYCAR, #INDYBHM, #INDYCAR Facebook: @BarberMotorsportsPark, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #INDYBHM, #INDYCAR TikTok: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAREvent website: www.indyalabama.com NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com | INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com 2025 race winners:NTT INDYCAR SERIESAlex Palou (No. 10 HRC Honda)INDY NXT by Firestone Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global) 2025 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Alex Palou (No. 10 HRC Honda), 1 minute, 7.2918 seconds, 123.046 mph 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global) 1:12.7705, 113.782 mph Qualifying records:NTT INDYCAR SERIESPato O’Ward, 1:05.5019, 126.409 mph, April 17, 2021 (set in Round 2 of qualifying)INDY NXT by FirestoneChristian Rasmussen, 1:10:7371, 117.053 mph, April 2 9, 2023 FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 11 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Warmup show/final practice, 10 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1; Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst, 1 p.m. ET, Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race 1, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race 2, 11 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (All Times Local/Central Time) :Friday, March 27 1:30-2:15 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice 1, FS2 (Live) 2:35-3:55 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (split group format), FS2 (Live) Saturday, March 28 9-9:30 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Two groups, 10-minutes each), FS2 (Live) 10:05-11:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (split group format), FS1 (Live) 12:01 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama Race 1 “Drivers, start your engines”12:06 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama Race 1 (35 laps/80.5 miles/55 minutes), FS1 (Live). 1:35-3 p.m. – Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (Live) Sunday, March 29 9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1 (Live) 10 a.m. – FS1 on air 10:03 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama Race 2 “Drivers, start your engines” 10:09 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Alabama Race 2 (30 laps/69 miles/50 minutes), FS1 (Live). Noon – FOX on air 12:10 p.m. – Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines” 12:17 p.m. – Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix (90 laps / 207 miles), FOX (Live)‘ WHAT TO LOOK FOR’ AT BARBER: March Madness rolls on: This weekend’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park represents the fourth series race in the past 29 days this month, which is noteworthy. It’s been 50-plus years since the series was this active in March, and in the past decade, only the month of July has hosted as many events in different locations. This weekend also offers another opportunity to add to the competitive balance of the 25-car field. So far, three drivers representing three different teams have won races, and there is every reason to believe the run of new winners to open the season can continue. Dixon Needs a Barber: It can be argued that Scott Dixon is the most successful NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver in Barber Motorsports Park history, yet he doesn’t have a win to show for it. Dixon’s stat line at the 17-turn, 2.38-mile permanent road course is impressive: Nine podium finishes in 15 starts, including six runner-up finishes. That’s impressive by any measure. But he still would like to win at the track and score his first victory of the season. The Captain’s Table: As for reaching the top step of the podium in Birmingham, Alabama, Scott McLaughlin and Alex Palou have been the track’s recent masters, each winning two of the last five races. In fact, Barber has been a Team Penske kind of place. Josef Newgarden has won three of the past 10 races, while Andretti Global’s Will Power has won two races while driving for Penske. Power is a four-time NTT P1 Award winner at Barber with Penske, part of the record 71 poles he has scored in his career. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who won the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on March 15, is the series points leader for the first time in his career. His margin over four-time series champion Alex Palou is 26 points. Further proof of the young season’s competitive balance is the overall point separation. The top eight drivers are separated by less than 50 points. Last year, only three drivers were within that spread after three races as Palou won twice and finished second in the other. The Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix will be the 16th NTT INDYCAR SERIES event conducted at Barber Motorsports Park. Active race winners who are expected to compete are: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward and Scott McLaughlin. Scott Dixon has finished on the podium in nine of his 15 previous starts at Barber Motorsports Park – including six runner-up finishes – but he has yet to finish on the top step of the podium at the picturesque road circuit .Three drivers have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Barber Motorsports Park – Scott Dixon, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend. Team Penske has eight wins at Barber Motorsports Park (2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024). Andretti Global, Chip Ganassi Racing, ECR, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Arrow McLaren have also won at the track. Andretti Autosport won in 2013 and 2014 with Ryan Hunter-Reay. ECR won with Josef Newgarden in 2015, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing won in 2019 with Takuma Sato, Chip Ganassi Racing won in 2021 and 2025 with Alex Palou and Arrow McLaren won in 2022 with Pato O’Ward.Twenty-two of the 25 drivers entered in the event have competed in NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Barber Motorsports Park. Twelve entered drivers have led laps: Will Power 216, Alex Palou 153, Josef Newgarden 141, Scott McLaughlin 85, Rinus VeeKay 58, Pato O’Ward 52, Scott Dixon 46, Graham Rahal 25, Santino Ferrucci 14, Marcus Armstong 6, Alexander Rossi 3 and Felix Rosenqvist 1 .Three NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher – are entered and will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time. Hauger won the INDY NXT by Firestone race at the track in 2025. Milestones: Marcus Armstrong will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 360th consecutive start, the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history .INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:INDY NXT by Firestone resumes its 2026 season this weekend with a doubleheader at Barber Motorsports Park. Teenagers Nikita Johnson and Max Taylor have won the first two races of the year but will face an equally tough test with Barber’s twinbill. Taylor and his Andretti Global teammates should enter with confidence as they were among the fastest cars in an offseason series test at the track. A record 24-car field for the INDY NXT Grand Prix of Alabama doubleheader is expected at Barber Motorsports Park. There were a record 21 cars in 2021. While none of the current field of drivers has won an INDY NXT by Firestone race at Barber, Myles Rowe has visited victory lane at the picturesque road course, winning a USF 2000 Championship race in 2022.Group qualifying will decide the starting grid on road and street circuits but with a twist for the doubleheader. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying sessions. With 10 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded Race 1 pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). The second-best laps set by each driver in their group will apply to Race 2. One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group. |
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The Pit Window by Mike Silver 