New FOX Sports Era To Showcase Another History-Making INDYCAR Season

February 18, 2025 thepitwindow

Competition Updates Begin on Streets of St. Petersburg
for NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025) – A late-winter thaw is well underway for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as anticipation heats up for next week’s start to the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone seasons.
Championship campaigns begin in the Florida sunshine with a two-day group test Feb. 17-18 at Sebring International Raceway ahead of the Sunday, March 2 season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is expected to set the stage for what will be another thrilling season on track and on television.
FOX Sports launches its inaugural season of INDYCAR coverage with the season’s first practice in St. Pete on Friday, Feb. 28 on FS1. All 17 races for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will air on FOX, with two additional days during PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying May 17-18 ahead of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge creating a series-record 19 network windows.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport series in North America with all races broadcasting on network television.
All INDYCAR programming also streams live on the FOX Sports app.
“This will be a season of unrivaled exposure for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles. “With phenomenal support of our sport across multiple massive platforms – including Super Bowl LIX – FOX Sports has proven to be a superb partner and promoter. With the season approaching, we know their unique style of engaging and innovative broadcasts will continue to raise the bar and drive an unparallelled growth opportunity for INDYCAR.”
With an eye on the fierce and intense competition of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, several updates will be featured in 2025:
More Time, More Action
To maximize the thrilling, wheel-to-wheel racing action for fans during the record number of FOX race broadcast windows, lap counts at several NTT INDYCAR SERIES races have been extended in 2025, creating added dynamics for race teams.

Race distances have been updated for:
Streets of Long Beach – 90 laps (+5 laps)
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – 90 laps (+10)
Iowa Speedway doubleheader – 275 laps (+25)
Streets of Toronto – 90 laps (+5
)Nashville Superspeedway – 225 laps (+19

)Hybrid Highlighted
2025 will feature the first full-season integration of the hybrid power unit, including the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for the first time. Hybrid assist – developed specifically for INDYCAR through a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort by Chevrolet and Honda – provides an added boost of 120 horsepower when used with traditional Push to Pass on road and street circuits. Used in tandem, a total of 800 horsepower is available to drivers for the first time in two decades.
New this season, use of the hybrid power unit will be allowed to start or restart the 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engines on pit lane. As in 2024, hybrid assist will be allowed to restart a stalled race car on the racetrack on non-ovals.
After meticulous development, the INDYCAR hybrid power unit made its successful race debut July 7, 2024, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. From its full-field integration at the Milwaukee Mile Open Test on June 11 through the end of the 2024 season, 94,244 miles were completed with the system. Overall use and influence of hybrid assist increased race-over-race on road and street circuits and ovals. Twelve of the 14 on-track passing records broken during the 2024 season came after the introduction of the hybrid power unit.

Practice Makes Perfect
Some NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions will have an updated look in 2025.
At select road and street circuits (Streets of St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Detroit and Toronto; Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway), weekend tire allotments this season will include:
One additional set of Firestone Firehawk alternates (five total)
One less set of Firestone Firehawk primaries (five total)
Race teams will be allowed the freedom to use their weekend allotments as they see fit, reserving one set of new alternates, per the rulebook, for use during the race. Tire allotments for event weekends at The Thermal Club and Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course remain unchanged from last year.
Also on road and street circuits, split group practice sessions in Practice 1 will expand to all tracks except for Road America and its lengthy 4.014-mile layout. All cars will receive an initial 45-minute practice session before the start of two 10-minute segments, with groups split by odd and even numbered pit boxes.
As in qualifying, the clock in Segments One and Two will stop for the first red flag condition of each practice segment.
Popular high-line practice sessions will continue on all short ovals in 2025. The additional track time allows for drivers and teams to work in the upper groove of the racetrack, providing more grip ahead of the race.
Race Ready
An annual INDYCAR review also has led to adjustments to procedures and rules for the upcoming NTT INDYCAR SERIES season:
Ahead of a race start on ovals, there will be a mandatory “pair up” location with “one to go” to reduce the chance of incident and the need for waved-off starts.
Where feasible for oval restarts, INDYCAR will extend the beginning of the restart zone to give the leader wider discretion on the choice to accelerate. The ending location of oval restart zones will remain the same as in previous seasons.
A multistage pit lane speed limiter, as utilized at pit in at Road America and at pit out at World Wide Technology Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway, will be expanded to pit lane entry at WWT Raceway, Iowa Speedway and Nashville. The update prevents cars from overextending from the apron onto the racetrack after the pit-in commitment point.
The 2024 road and street circuit restart line, where drivers must remain in single file and are prohibited from passing until reaching the designated line in the last corner, remains intact for 2025
.Additional EM Motorsport light panels, first used in 2022, will be used at all circuits. The additional lights will enhance the forewarning of conditions, particularly around blind corners.
Also for safety, drivers will be alerted of local yellow conditions by a notification on driver cockpit dashes in addition to the light panels and traditional cloth flag notifications at marshal posts around each circuit.
Also noteworthy, alternate tires at Nashville Superspeedway again will be available for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Last season, the breathtaking championship race featured 653 on-track passes – the most on record for the series at the track
.“From the mid-year integration of the hybrid power unit to the on-track passing records and another championship decided at the final race, 2024 was truly a phenomenal year for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” INDYCAR Senior Vice President, Competition and Operations Mark Sibla said.
“This is a testament to the hard work by the teams, drivers and naturally our partners Chevrolet, Honda, Firestone and Shell. As our attention turns toward 2025, we will continue the series’ energy, momentum and incredibly close competition on the track. We are excited to get the new season started.”
Talented, Packed Field, Live Television Highlight INDY NXT by Firestone
For the first time, an entire INDY NXT by Firestone season will be featured on live television. Announced in December, 12 INDY NXT races will appear live on FOX Sports’ FS1, with two airing on FS2. Additionally, all practice and qualifying sessions for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ development series will air on a combination of FS1 and FS2.
Which driver will receive the most attention from FOX’s cameras is anyone’s guess. After last season averaged the most starters (19.5) since 2009, the 2025 season is expected to match or exceed that number – in a field featuring drivers from 10 countries.
Chip Ganassi Racing will add even more intrigue to the championship as it fields cars in INDY NXT for the first time since 2007.Building on the series’ continued momentum, 2024 featured on-track passing records at four circuits, with qualifying records broken at six.
Sixteen of the 33 starters in last year’s Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge were graduates of INDY NXT.
After the launch of a reimagined look in 2023, this is the fourth season that INDYCAR’s development series will feature continued integration with INDYCAR as the sanctioning body. In 2025,
INDY NXT chassis will showcase updated and stylized rear wing end plates featuring LED rain lights, matching the safety component available in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The pathway to North America’s premier open-wheel series once again features a total purse of $1.4 million. The series champion will receive $850,000 to be applied to a rookie oval test, the Indy 500 Open Test and Rookie Orientation Program, an entry for the 2026 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and an entry for an additional 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES event.
The 2025 championship team will receive a prize of $35,000.
“This will be a season of incredible and unprecedented exposure for INDY NXT by Firestone,” series director Richard Buck said.
“The continued integration of this series with INDYCAR has clearly raised the quantity and quality of INDY NXT. The championship has never been more fierce and difficult to win, but it will prove to be all the more gratifying for the driver advancing to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”
Coverage of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season debut Sunday, March 2 begins at noon ET on FOX. A Spanish-language version will be available on FOX Deportes.INDY NXT by Firestone’s season opener begins earlier that day at 10 a.m. on FS1.The award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network will provide coverage of both races with audio available on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Sebring Test Day 1- O’Ward Tops Charts

February 17, 2025 thepitwindow

Photo- Penske Entertainment

First, it was a fun to see IndyCar on track again. Second, it was a very busy day at Sebring as all teams went through the first day of the final test sessions before the St. Pete season opener. Third, and most important- Fans, get a spotter’s guide and study it carefully. Drivers are on different teams, and even drivers who are with their 2024 teams have different liveries. It took me quite a while to pair drivers with car numbers and liveries.

The ECR (or is it ecr?) cars stood out with their yellow and black and yellow and gray schemes.

Pato O’Ward had the fastest time overall on the day with Marcus Armstrong second. Conor Daly took the 78 Juncos Hollinger racing machine to 4th place.

O’Ward told the media after the session

“Oh, man, it’s the best feeling in the world; it’s the best job in the world. I was so excited to come back to Sebring and get into an INDYCAR SERIES car, getting to work with the engineers again. It definitely feels like home, and it’s a second family to me. So always excited to get rolling.”

My camera was balky today and I am still figuring out how to extract my photos. I assure you; they are the best I’ve ever taken.

Testing continues tomorrow. with today’s afternoon group going out in the morning, and the morning group finishing the day.

Today’s combined times:

Grid Complete; VeeKay Signs with Coyne

February 14, 2025 thepitwindow

A long anticipated announcement came this morning as Rinus VeeKay signed with Dale Coyne Racing for the entire 2025 season. VeeKay will drive car 18 and will team with rookie Jacob Abel in caqr 51,

The announcement from Dale Coyne Racing:

< Back

Dale Coyne Racing Signs Rinus VeeKay For the Full 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season

Plainfield, Illinois – February 14, 2025 – Dale Coyne Racing signs NTT INDYCAR SERIES veteran Rinus VeeKay for the full 2025 season. VeeKay will drive car 18 as a teammate to Jacob Abel in the 51.

The announcement from Dale Cotne Racing:

< Back

Dale Coyne Racing Signs Rinus VeeKay For the Full 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season

Plainfield, Illinois – February 14, 2025 – Dale Coyne Racing signs NTT INDYCAR SERIES veteran Rinus VeeKay for the full 2025 season.

After a year in which multiple drivers piloted the two Dale Coyne Racing entries, the team is happy to announce its second full-time driver for the No. 18 entry.

“We are excited about getting back to full-time drivers for 2025. The stability allows us to grow as a team, and that’s important to me. For that to be accomplished, having a proven veteran in one of our entries helps tremendously, and that’s one of the many reasons we have decided to go with VeeKay to complete the 2025 grid. We are excited for him to join the team and get started with us at the Sebring test coming up next week in preparation for the full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season,” said team owner Dale Coyne.

Rinus VeeKay, hailing from the Netherlands, is another graduate of the junior open-wheel series programs, a champion of the 2018 USF Pro 2000 Championship, and vice champion in the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship on his quest to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Upon reaching the top rung of the ladder, VeeKay continued to shine, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and securing his maiden victory at the 2021 INDYCAR Grand Prix at IMS. Along with this win, VeeKay has achieved nine top-five finishes and two pole positions. He has shown blistering speed in Indianapolis 500 qualifying, with an impressive average starting position of 3.8, including three front-row starts in his five attempts at the historic race.
VeeKay gained the attention of team owner Dale Coyne after finishing first in class at the October IMS oval test and third overall in the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing entry.

“Very exciting news. I am happy to announce my partnership with Dale Coyne Racing for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season,” said VeeKay. “It makes me proud to see my name among the drivers competing in this fantastic series for a sixth consecutive year. After a difficult start to my offseason, I am delighted to end the winter with this news.”

VeeKay will join the team at the Sebring test next week in preparation for his first race with Dale Coyne Racing at the Streets of St. Petersburg on March 2.

Doug Boles Named President of INDYCAR & Indianapolis Motor Speedway

February 11, 2025 thepitwindow

Additional Key Staffing Updates Made as INDYCAR Enters New Era of Growth

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025) – Penske Entertainment announced several updates to its senior leadership structure today in order to best position the organization to capitalize on significant growth opportunities ahead.
Key changes shared this morning include:
Doug Boles will serve as President of both INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, succeeding Jay Frye.
Mark Sibla will be promoted to Senior Vice President, INDYCAR Competition & Operations.
Kyle Novak will become INDYCAR’s Vice President of Officiating and Race Control.
Alex Damron has been named Chief Marketing Officer, INDYCAR, while also continuing as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Penske Entertainment.
Louis Kissinger will be promoted to General Manager, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Operations.
Doug Boles brings decades of motorsport experience to his new responsibilities, including being the President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2013. At IMS, he oversaw the sellout of the 100th Indianapolis 500, the first full-capacity crowd in the event’s storied history. In addition, he’s managed more than $150 million in strategic investment at the Racing Capital of the World, including “Project 100” and significant infrastructure improvements following the acquisition of IMS by Penske Corp.Across his tenure at IMS, he has been particularly lauded for his promotional prowess and strategic marketing capabilities, growing the Speedway’s global reach and better connecting Indy 500 fans to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
As a founding partner and Chief Operating Officer at Panther Racing and as Hulman & Company’s Vice President of Communications, he has worked extensively within the INDYCAR paddock, as well. At Panther Racing, Boles helped lead the team to 15 INDYCAR SERIES race wins and two INDYCAR SERIES championships, in addition to seven INDY NXT by Firestone race wins and a championship. In total, he has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in motorsports, within team operations, sponsorship, marketing, public relations and more.
“Doug is the ideal choice to lead both INDYCAR and IMS as we enter a new era of opportunity and visibility,” said Penske Entertainment President & CEO Mark Miles. “He’s an exceptional leader and motivator who is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders.”
Said Boles: “Racing is in my DNA, and no form of racing resonates more personally and strongly with me than the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. I’m honored to lead the amazing team at INDYCAR, and I truly believe the future is bigger and brighter than ever for our sport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I’m extremely grateful to Mark Miles for this opportunity, and fans can rest assured the hard work is already under way and 2025 will be a fantastic season.”
Boles becomes President of INDYCAR as Frye departs the organization following 10 years in the role. During Frye’s tenure, he led a period of tremendous successes at INDYCAR, including securing the entitlement series sponsorships with Verizon and NTT, the development of the AK18 universal aero kit, development and implementation of the total driver cockpit safety solution aeroscreen and state-of-the-art hybrid technology introduction. In addition, Jay Frye also oversaw an expanded grid with incredible competition.
“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to be the President of INDYCAR and work alongside the dedicated and talented men and women at INDYCAR and in the INDYCAR paddock,” Frye said. “The growth and success the series has had over the last 10 years would not be possible without the commitment and collaboration of the owners, drivers and teams.”
In both his role at INDYCAR and as IMS President, Boles will report to Penske Entertainment President & CEO Miles. As Boles manages strategic vision and priorities across both INDYCAR and IMS, several additional staffing updates will help oversee day-to-day operations within each organization.At INDYCAR,
Mark Sibla has been named Senior Vice President of INDYCAR Competition and Operations. He has been a senior member of INDYCAR’s management team for more than a decade and will lead workstreams focused on general operations and special initiatives such as development of the new car.
Also at INDYCAR, Kyle Novak begins an enhanced role as Vice President of Officiating and Race Control. In this position he will lead both the Race Control and Race Tech teams at INDYCAR, responsible for ensuring rigorous and equitable enforcement of NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT presented by Firestone competition regulations. Novak has served as INDYCAR’s Race Director since the 2018 season and was elected to the FIA General Assembly in 2022.
In addition, as INDYCAR prepares for new levels of audience exposure through its relationship with FOX Sports, Alex Damron has been named Chief Marketing Officer, charged with fully implementing a maximized and unified promotional plan for the sport. In this role, he will lead the marketing and communications teams at INDYCAR. He will also continue as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Penske Entertainment, responsible for overseeing IMS PR efforts and Penske Entertainment’s photo and editorial operations.
“We’re confident Alex is ready for this opportunity,” Miles said. “He’s played an integral role in our transition to FOX Sports, driving significant work to implement the phenomenal promotional initiatives we’ve already seen, ensuring we can quickly and efficiently leverage new opportunities.”
At IMS, Kissinger steps into the role of General Manager, IMS Operations, leading teams responsible for suite/hospitality sales, track operations and event operations. Kissinger began his career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway serving as a distinguished Orr Fellow, with his most recent role being Director of Event Operations & Experience at IMS.
The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season launches on Sunday, March 2 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on FOX. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport in the United States with every race broadcast on network television. For more info, visit www.INDYCAR.com.

Drivers, Boles Celebrate 100 Days Countdownto Indy 500 with Parties Feb. 14

February 10, 2025 thepitwindow

NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles will celebrate the 100 Days Countdown to the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Friday, Feb. 14 with a Valentine’s Day Party at Riley Hospital for Children and the 100 Days Out Fan Party at IMS.
Activities will start from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET with a Valentine’s Day Party for patients of Riley Hospital for Children in the Child Life Zone in downtown Indianapolis.
Attendance for the fan-friendly 100 Days Out Party at IMS is at capacity. IMS will launch its new 2025 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge brand campaign, “This Is May,” at the party. Fans also will be shown a premiere of the commercial spot created by IMS Productions.
WHAT: Valentine’s Day Party at Riley Hospital for Children
WHO: J. Douglas Boles, IMS President
Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Driver
Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports Driver
Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing Driver
Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren Driver
WHEN: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
WHERE: Riley Hospital for Children, Child Life Zone, 705 Riley Drive, Indianapolis
***
WHAT: 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge 100 Days Out Fan Party
WHO: J. Douglas Boles, IMS President
Tony Kanaan, 2013 Indianapolis 500 Winner
Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing Driver
Robert Schwartzman, PREMA Racing Driver
WHEN: 7-9:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
WHERE: Gallagher Pavillion and North Chalet, Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg- The Little Race that Grew Up

February 7, 2025 thepitwindow

I first attended the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in 2013. It was my first IndyCar street race. I thought the event was okay, the race was good, and I fell in love with the city of St. Pete. I remember very few signs advertising the race around the downtown, and while I saw potential for growth, I wondered how solid the community support was. Still, I came back every year except 2020. There has been phenomenal growth of the event.

Starting in early February it is evident that a race is taking place. There are street post banners, and the number of businesses sporting checkered flags and bunting seems to increase annually. Green Savoree Promotions and the city have worked together to make the Grand Prix the city’s premier event. Two years ago I noticed how much more difficult it had become to walk through the midway area. This race is now comparable to Long Beach as far as excitement.

Putting on a successful street race takes community buy in, cooperation from the city council, and a promoter willing to work with the city. St. Pete checks all those boxes.

For example, the city allows the Grand Prix 75 days to build the track, run the race, and tear down the track. This year Green Savoree will use just 27 days starting this coming Monday. The Road to Indy will have a test session on the track February 27.

Kim Green discusses the expanded marina area and announces sdeveral VIO areas are sold out.

The event plans to improve the general admission experience with gathering points where fans can watch the race on big screen televisions.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch talks about the new champions wall.

Per the press kit, a new champions wall has been added to accommodate recent and future winners. the following quote from Green Savoree:

“A third wall will be constructed and added to the monument ahead of the 2025 event to make space for recent and future race winner plaques to be added, including victories by Scott McLaughlin in 2022, Marcus Ericsson in 2023 and Pato O’Ward in 2024.”

I have enjoyed watching the St. Pete race grow.

St. Pete Broadcast Times and Channels

February 7, 2025 thepitwindow

NOTE: Saturday’s second practice is on FS2. This is not a typo. All times Eastern.

Kirkwood, Andretti Primed for Strong Season

February 6, 2025 thepitwindow

Kyle Kirkwood helped kick off the track build ceremony for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this morning. I had an opportunity to chat with him afterwards. Look for some notes about today’s event in a later story.

Kyle Kirkwood believes he and his Andretti teammates will have an even better season in 2025 than they had in 2024, when they had many top 10 and top five finishes, but onlt two wins and a couple of poles to show for it.

The Jupiter, Florida native is always excited to race at St. Pete. His two IndyCar victories have come on street courses, and he would love to add his home race to that total.

On his 2024 season, Kirkwood said, “I think we took a step in the right direction. We just didn’t have the elusive wins and podiums that we needed. But I’d have to say we gave ourselves really good opportunities to have wins. We gave ourselves four or five good opportunities to win races, and none of them panned out for us. So we just got to keep doing it, keep digging, and hopefully this year will be even better than it was last year.”

His optimism stems from the addition of the crew that worked on the Myere Shank teams last year, who are now exclusively with Andretti Global.

“This year is different for Andretti, and it’s a little bit of the C suite change. I just hs pumped everyone up. We have an influx of engineers with Shank going away, they’re now in house. They’re helping us with other projects, and the crew is gelling together. Well, we’re putting a huge effort in. So only good things to come,” Kirkwood said.

On the hybrid at the Indianapolis 500, Kirkwood thinks it is too early to tell how it will affect things, but he doesn’t look for a significant difference.

“I would say, it’s not going to change the racing. You know, I don’t think people want the racing to change, right? I think it’s been phenomenal there. So that’s a positive thing to say, ” he said.

“But ultimately it is adding weight to the car, which is the negative, so hopefully the positives outweigh the negatives with that. So yeah, I mean, we’re looking forward to it. It’ll be a new challenge, hopefully a new thing that we can get ahead on.”

IndyCar introduced the hybrid energy recovery system mind season in 2024. Of the tracks that will se the ERS used for the first time in 2025, Kirkwood cited two where he believes it will be most effective.

“Thermal will be extremely effective. We didn’t have we didn’t have it at Road America (last year), yeah, it’ll be very effective there. We’re going to get a huge influx of power for a period of time on that on that track, because how long it is, so how you use it, how you manage it, and what time gain you have from it will be, will be important.”