Below is the revised schedule for Sunday. All times eastern.
From IndyCar on FOX
Note: Warmup and IndyNXT race have been shortened to accommodate the schedule.
Grand Prix of Arlington Revised Race Day Schedule
Tag: IndyNXT by Firestone
Java House Grand Prix of Arlington Fast Facts
Fr4om IndyCar. My preview will be up tomorrow morning.
| Race weekend: Friday, March 13-Sunday, March 15Track: Streets of Arlington, a 2.73-mile, 14-turn, temporary street course (counterclockwise) in Arlington, Texas Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Race distance: 70 laps / 191.1 miles (NTT INDYCAR SERIES) | 27 laps / 73.71 miles / 55 minutes (INDY NXT by Firestone) Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 65 seconds of total time Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 530 kilojoules (kj) per lap Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and two sets of 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. Another new set may be used during the race. Two carryover sets from the St. Petersburg event may be used during the prequalifying practices. X: @Arlington_GP, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCARInstagram: @arlington_gp, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCARFacebook: @arlingtongp, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCARTikTok: @IndyCar, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR, @arlington_gp Event website: www.gparlington.com/ INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com 2025 race winner:Inaugural Event Qualifying record:Inaugural Event FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 4 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Warmup Show/Final Practice, 10 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1; Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, 12:30 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, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 11 a.m.. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 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, powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Michael Young and Jake Query are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf, Ryan Myrehn, DJ Clark and Jonathan Grace are the pit reporters. The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington 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 13 2-2:45 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, FS23:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (split group format), FS2 Saturday, March 14 8:35-9:55 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (split group format), FS1 10:15-11 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 2, FS2 1:35-3:10 p.m. – NTT P1 Award qualifying (two rounds of knockout qualifying followed by Firestone Fast Six single-car pole showdown), FS2 3:30-4 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying (two groups, 12 minutes each), FS2 Sunday, March 15 9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 10:06 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Arlington (27 laps/73.71 miles/55 minutes), FS1 (Live) 11:30 a.m. – FOX Pre-Race Show on air 12:10 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines” 12:17 p.m. – Java House Grand Prix of Arlington (70 laps/191.1 miles ), FOX (Live) ‘WHAT TO LOOK FOR’ AT ARLINGTON: New points leader Newgarden aims to continue Texas win streak: One week after taking the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points lead with his thrilling win at Phoenix Raceway, Josef Newgarden heads to Texas in hopes of keeping his dominance in the state. Newgarden won the last two INDYCAR SERIES races in the state – claiming oval wins at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022 and 2023 .Pole Showdown debuts in Texas: INDYCAR will use an updated race qualifying format on the streets of Arlington, Texas. For NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying, while the “knockout” format of Segments 1 and 2 will remain unchanged, the Firestone Fast Six segment will be adjusted to single-car, single-lap qualifying beginning with the sixth-fastest qualifier from Segment 2 and working toward the fastest from the previous round. During the Firestone Fast Six at Arlington, drivers will leave pit lane and get an opportunity for one lap – starting and ending at the alternate start/finish line. Once the car enters pit lane following that driver’s attempt, the next car will be released for its attempt. Tire allotments and tire rules will remain unchanged throughout the event. Lone Star Links: Even though there aren’t any native Texans in the field for the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, there are several ties to Texas throughout the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field .Santino Ferrucci lives in Dallas and races for Lone Star State legend A.J. Foyt.Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and his family moved to San Antonio when he was a boy, and he lived there through high school, attending Texas Military Institute in San Antonio. Will Power is a Texan by marriage, as his wife, Liz, hails from Plano. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington will be the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the streets of Arlington. However, it’s not the first time that INDYCAR SERIES cars have raced in Arlington, Texas. Arlington Downs Racetrack, a 1-mile dirt oval whose site is less than a half-mile from the current racetrack, held three points-paying races and two non-championship sweepstakes races from 1947 to 1950.The Streets of Arlington is the fourth road or street circuit to debut on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar since 2021. Chip Ganassi Racing drivers won the previous three debut races. Marcus Ericsson won the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville in 2021. Alex Palou won the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear when it debuted its new course in downtown Detroit in 2023 and at The Thermal Club in 2025.The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington is the second of six temporary street course races on the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Alex Palou won the first street race of the season at St. Petersburg on March 1. The other street course events are scheduled for the Streets of Long Beach on April 19, Streets of Detroit on May 31, the Streets of Markham, Ontario, on Aug. 16 and the Streets of Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23. Milestones: Scott Dixon is expected to make his 422nd INDYCAR SERIES start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record. Dixon has made 358 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Rinus VeeKay is scheduled to make his 100th INDYCAR SERIES start in Arlington…Josef Newgarden needs to lead 58 laps to pass Dario Franchitti for ninth on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time laps led list. INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:Lone Star State Return: INDY NXT by Firestone returns to Texas for the first time since 2019 with a race on the streets of Arlington. INDY NXT by Firestone has raced in the Lone Star State at both Texas Motor Speedway (2001-05) and Circuit of the Americas (2019). Local favorites: Neither Nicholas Monteiro nor Alessandro de Tullio are native Texans, but the young drivers might be the local favorites. Both youngsters race for one of the Lone Star State’s legendary figures – four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt. The man nicknamed “Super Tex” is a native of Houston, and his team’s headquarters is in Waller, Texas. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1967 and has numerous wins in his home state, including an INDY NXT by Firestone win with grandson A.J. Foyt IV at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002 .International flair: This weekend’s race will feature drivers representing nine countries. A total of 13 drivers represent the United States. There are three drivers from Australia, two from Mexico and one each from Brazil, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Scotland. |
Saturday at St. Pete
Today’s Schedule:
All times Eastern.
| Time | Series | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Gates Open | |
| 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM | Mazda MX-5 Cup | Race 1 |
| 8:35 AM – 9:15 AM | INDY NXT by Firestone | Practice 2 FS1 |
| 9:35 AM – 11:00 AM | NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Practice 2 FS1 |
| 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | INDY NXT by Firestone | Autograph Session – American Legion in Firestone Fan Experience |
| 11:35 AM | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series | Driver Introductions |
| 12:23 PM | OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at St. Petersburg | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – Race (80 Laps) FOX |
| 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM | INDY NXT by Firestone | Qualifying FS2 |
| 4:35 PM – 6:00 PM | NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Qualifying FS2 |
Good morning from St. Pete. Today IndyCar and Indy NXT comprise the bun around a NASCAR Truck sandwich.
I am sort of okay with the two series sharing a weekend, but I think IndyCar is better served having a standalone opening weeken
The weather has cleared and it appears the threat of rain is gone for the weekend.
Scott Dixon’s car can be repaired, so the teams will not have to go to a backup.
Mazda MX-5 Cup just finished their first race of the weekend. Bobby Gossett won. Earl bamber finished 8th and Sebastien Bourdais came home 11th. This series concludes the weekend program with race 2 at 4 pm tomorrow.
I’ll be back after IndyCar practice. The format remains the same as yesterday, butthe group morder is rversed.
Today’s practice groups.
AQualifying groups will be out later.
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Fast Facts
From IndyCar
Note: A digital copy of the 2026 INDYCAR Media Guide is available for download by clicking here. It is also available in the media guide section of the INDYCAR Content Site at http://content.indycar.com. A limited number of printed copies will be available beginning this weekend at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Race weekend: Friday, Feb. 27 – Sunday, March 1 Track: Streets of St. Petersburg, 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit (clockwise) through downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, including a runway of Albert Whitted Airport Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 50 seconds of total time Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 310 kilojoules (kj) per lap Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and two sets of 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. Another new set may be used during the race. Two carryover sets from the preseason test at Miami International Autodrome may be used during the prequalifying practices. X: @GPSTPETE, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR Instagram: @gpstpete, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR Facebook: @GPSTPETE, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR TikTok: @IndyCar, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR, @greensavoreeracingpromotions Event website: www.gpstpete.com/INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com 2025 race winners:NTT INDYCAR SERIESAlex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)INDY NXT by FirestoneDennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global) 2025 NTT P1 Award winner: Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet), 59.4624 seconds, 108.976 mph2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global), 1 minute, 3.8801 seconds, 101.440 mph Qualifying records:NTT INDYCAR SERIESFelix Rosenqvist, 59.2706 seconds, 109.329 mph, March 9, 2024 (set in Round 2 of qualifying)INDY NXT by Firestone Dennis Hauger, 1 minute, 3.8801 seconds, 101.440 mph, March 1, 2025 FOX Sports telecast: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 1:35 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 9:35 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 4:35 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Warmup Show/Final Practice, 9 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1; Firestone Grand Prix of St, Petersburg, Noon 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, 12:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 8:30 a,m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 3:45 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 10 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. Michael Young, Jake Query and Alex Hayden are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf and Ryan Myrehn are the pit reporters. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg 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/Eastern Time): Friday, Feb. 27 12:30-1:15 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS2 1:35-3 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (two groups), FS2 Saturday, Feb. 28 8:35-9:15 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS1 9:35-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (two groups), FS1 3:45-4:15 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying (Two groups, 10-minute session), FS2 4:35-6 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS2 Sunday, March 1 9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1 10:06 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (45 laps / 81 miles / 55 minutes), FS1, FOX One and FOX Sports App (Live) Noon – FOX Sports on air 12:22 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines.” 12:29 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (100 laps / 181 miles), FOX, FOX Sports Deportes, FOX One and FOX Sports App (Live) “WHAT TO LOOK FOR” AT ST. PETERSBURG: Palou begins historic title chase: Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou arrives at the season opener as the defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion for the fourth time in five seasons. The four-time series champion from Spain (2021, 2023-25) will look to make history by becoming the first driver since Sebastien Bourdais won four titles in a row for Newman/Haas Racing from 2004-07. Dixon eyeing first St. Pete win: Scott Dixon has six NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships, which trails only the seven INDYCAR SERIES titles collected by A.J. Foyt. His 59 wins rank second on the all-time INDYCAR SERIES victory list, behind Foyt’s 67. However, the streets of St. Petersburg might be his kryptonite. It is one of five tracks on the schedule where Dixon is winless and the one where he has the most starts (21). Dixon has been successful on the streets of St. Petersburg. Dixon has five runner-up finishes at the circuit and has an average finish of 7.33 in his 21 previous starts. He has finished in the top 10 in his last 10 starts, including second in 2025. Power plays poles at will: Will Power is the greatest qualifier in modern INDYCAR SERIES history, as his 71 career poles are the INDYCAR SERIES record. The tale of Power’s qualifying success is best told through the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where he has won nine of the last 16 poles. The only drivers to score a pole in the last 10 years in St. Petersburg not named Will Power are Robert Wickens in 2018, Colton Herta in 2021, Romain Grosjean in 2023, Josef Newgarden in 2024 and Scott McLaughlin in 2022 and 2025. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be the 23rd INDYCAR SERIES race on the streets of St. Petersburg. Alex Palou won the 2025 race, while Scott McLaughlin won the NTT P1 Award. Paul Tracy won the inaugural INDYCAR SERIES race on Feb. 23, 2003, under CART sanction, while Sebastien Bourdais started from the pole that year.The St. Petersburg INDYCAR SERIES race has been held every year since 2003, except in 2004. No driver has competed in every St. Petersburg race, but Scott Dixon has started 21 consecutive races.Will Power (2010, 2014) and Josef Newgarden (2019, 2020) are the only entered drivers to win at St. Petersburg more than once. Seven past winners are entered: Power, Newgarden, Graham Rahal (2008), Scott McLaughlin (2022), Marcus Ericsson (2023), Pato O’Ward (2024) and Alex Palou (2025).Team Penske has won at St. Petersburg 11 times, including seven of the last 14 races with Helio Castroneves (2012), Will Power (2014), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015-16), Josef Newgarden (2019-2020) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).Four drivers have won the race from the pole – Helio Castroneves (2007), Will Power (2010), Colton Herta (2021) and Scott McLaughlin (2022). The St. Petersburg winner has qualified fourth in five of the last 21 races. Milestones: Scott Dixon is expected to make his 420th INDYCAR SERIES start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record. Dixon has made 356 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Rookies Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher will make their NTT INDYCAR SERIES debuts at St. Petersburg. Both Collet and Hauger have raced at St. Pete in INDY NXT by Firestone. INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:Season starter: INDY NXT by Firestone drops the green flag on a new season on the streets of St. Petersburg for the 14th time in series history. The 17-race 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone calendar brings the series to many of North America’s most revered tracks joining the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at the streets of St. Petersburg, Streets of Arlington, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, streets of Detroit, World Wide Technology Raceway, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Nashville Superspeedway, Portland International Raceway, Milwaukee Mile and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.Local favorite: Nikita Johnson of Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR is one of five native Floridians competing this weekend in INDY NXT by Firestone. The 17-year-old from St. Petersburg made his series debut in his hometown event in 2025 and won races at St. Petersburg in the series that feed INDY NXT. Other Florida drivers in the field include second-year driver JM Correa and rookie drivers Alessandro de Tullio, Enzo Fittipaldi and Max Garcia. All four hail from Miami.International flair: This weekend’s race will feature drivers representing nine countries. A total of 13 drivers represent the United States. There are three drivers from Australia, two from Mexico and one each from Brazil, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Scotland. Welcome back: For the third consecutive season, INDY NXT by Firestone welcomes a new team to the paddock. Former series champions AJ Foyt Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing return to the series in 2026, running a pair of full-time cars beginning at St. Petersburg. The Foyt team won the first INDYCAR-sanctioned development series title in 2002. Indianapolis 500 competitor Cusick Morgan Motorsports also debuts in the series with a two-car effort.St. Pete precursor? Since 2005, a driver who won at least one race at St. Petersburg has gone on to win the INDY NXT by Firestone title seven times, the most recent being Dennis Hauger, who won the race in 2025. |
INDY NXT by Firestone Drivers Featured at Chris Griffis Memorial Test Monday at IMS
| The Chris Griffis Memorial Test is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 27 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Testing and driver evaluations by INDY NXT by Firestone teams will take place from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit. The annual open test is named in memory of Chris Griffis, the team manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports who passed away suddenly in September 2011. WHAT: Chris Griffis Memorial Test WHO: INDY NXT by Firestone Teams and Drivers Scheduled to Participate (subject to change, (R) denotes series rookie): ABEL Motorsports: Max Garcia (R), Colin Kaminsky, Jordan Missig, Myles Rowe A.J. Foyt Enterprises: Nicholas Monteiro (R), Alessandro de Tullio (R) Andretti Global: Lochie Hughes, Sebastian Murray, Josh Pierson, Max Taylor Chip Ganassi Racing: Bryce Aron, Niels Koolen Cusick Morgan Motorsports: Juan Manuel Correa, Nicholas Stati (R) HMD Motorsports: Jack Beeton (R), Enzo Fittipaldi (R), Tymek Kucharczyk (R) A full participation list will be available in the coming days on the INDYCAR and IMS content site. WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET, Monday, Oct. 27 WHERE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course |
Juncos Hollinger Returns to IndyNXT
From Juncos Hollinger Racing:
Juncos Hollinger Racing is proud to confirm its return to the INDY NXT by Firestone series in 2026, reaffirming the team’s long-standing commitment to developing the next generation of top-level racing talent. This return marks a significant step in the team’s broader vision to build a strong foundation for success in INDYCAR.
The decision follows a temporary pause in early 2025, when the team chose to concentrate resources on its NTT INDYCAR SERIES program. That decision was taken during a critical period of growth and consolidation, with a clear intention to rejoin INDY NXT when timing and conditions were right. That moment is now.
Juncos Hollinger Racing has a proud history in junior open-wheel categories, having claimed multiple championships and played a key role in advancing the careers of numerous drivers who now compete at the highest levels of the sport. As Juncos Racing, in what was then Indy Lights, the team secured two championships – in 2015 and 2017. In addition to these titles, Juncos recorded 18 wins, 18 pole positions, and 51 podium finishes between 2015 and 2021.
Returning to INDY NXT reinforces Juncos Hollinger Racing’s belief in long-term development and its commitment to playing an active role in shaping the future of North American open-wheel racing.
Dave O’Neill, Team Principal of Juncos Hollinger Racing, said:
“Our return to INDY NXT is a clear statement of intent – we’re committed to supporting INDYCAR’S future by developing the next generation of top-tier talent.
“Juncos Hollinger Racing has been part of INDY NXT before, but this time, we’re returning with purpose. Like every area of our program, we want to invest in the future of open-wheel racing. This is about progression – creating a meaningful, competitive platform where young drivers can grow, learn, and ultimately make their mark at the highest level of the sport. We look forward to revealing an exciting lineup that will carry our vision forward.”
Ricardo Juncos, Founder and Co-owner of Juncos Hollinger Racing, said:
“I’m very happy to announce our return to INDY NXT. Since 2015, we’ve enjoyed great success in this series, helping develop many talented drivers through our program. Now, after completing our fourth consecutive season in INDYCAR, we believe we can offer an even stronger pathway through our NXT team. By combining our proven track record in NXT with the experience we’ve gained in INDYCAR – not only on the sporting side, but also in technical development and R&D – we’re creating a significant advantage for our program. Our primary focus is to give our drivers every tool they need to rise to the pinnacle of INDYCAR.”
Further details about the team’s INDY NXT plans, including driver announcements and program structure, will be shared later in the INDYCAR off-season.
From earlier:
Pre Race Notes
Congratulations to Myles Rowe who won the IndyNXT race today. Rowe passed points leader Dennis Hauger with about 15 laps left to win his first indy NXT race and his first oval victory,
According to pole sitters Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou, how the racing will be is still an unknown. Indy NXT looked very racy this morning, but we shall see.
The finish line corn is back! Replaced by a Hy Vee logo the past few years, the traditional ear of corn has returned to its rightful place at the start/finish line
Scott mcLaughlin and Kyle Kir4kwood go into today’s race with untested rebuilt cars. Kirkwood got some laps during his qualifying run, McLaughlin’s first laps will be in the race.
It is time for oval qualifying order to be set on practice times rather than points. Qualifying groups are set by time on road and street courses, so setting the order by practice times on ovals would make qualifying procedures uniform for every race.
If there is a race at Iowa next year, it will be a single event, not a doubleheader. With fewer than 12,000 tickets sold for the weekend and no promotional help from the track, this venue seems doomed to be off the IndyCar schedule in 2026. IndyCar needs to find a way to make it worth the track’s while to have this event. Perhaps give the track a percentage of the gate. Give Iowa Speedway free signage at races earlier in the year.
If need be, pair IndyCar with another series (shudder!).
Let’s go racing. I’ll be back after the race.
Iowa Saturday-Two Days in One
Revised schedule: All times Central.
Gates open at 10 am.
Only Indy NXT qualifying has not carried over.
An install lap at 8:55 am begins the day.
IndyCar practice will consist of two groups doing high line practice for 15 minutes each followed by a 45 minute full field practice.
The Indy NXT grid is set by points standings. Dennis Hauger will start on pole.
The time between qualifying and the race may be a concern for anyone having an issue on their qualifying run.
I was wondering why this was a three day event to begin with.
I now television had a big say here, but IndyCar had an opportunity top move today’s race to a night contest.
Pre-Race Notes: Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway
From Firetsone:
The Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend takes place at “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet ” in Newton, Iowa, and features three races on the 0.875-mile oval; Two NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, the “Synk 275” and “Farm to Finish 275” doubleheader, as well as an INDY NXT By Firestone race.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Firestone will supply approximately 1,800 Firestone Firehawk race tires for practice, qualifying, and the pair of 275-lap (245.85 miles) races. Notably, the race distance for both events has been extended by 25 laps from last year.
Qualifying for both races will take place Saturday, July 12, with the first race of the doubleheader, the “Synk 275”, set for later that afternoon, and the “Farm to Finish 275” to take place on Sunday, July 13.
Each NTT INDYCAR SERIES entry will receive the following Firestone Firehawk race tire allocation:
- 13 sets of tires per entry
- One additional set of non-race spec tires designated solely for use in highline practice
Notes from Cara Krstolic, Director of Race Tire Engineering and Manufacturing:
Following the June test at Iowa Speedway, we conducted a full analysis of the data collected, and in partnership with INDYCAR, made the decision to build a new right-front race tire. This tire features a slightly revised construction to better handle the extreme loads experienced during the test session. A similar construction has been used successfully at Iowa Speedway in previous races.
The left side tires are the same construction and compounds as the Indianapolis 500 with a smaller stagger from last year at Iowa to help drivers run multiple lines during the race.
The right-side tire compounds remain unchanged from last year, as they performed well in managing the heat generated by Iowa Speedway’s high speeds and temperatures.
INDY NXT by Firestone
Firestone is providing close to 300 race tires for practice, qualifying and Saturday afternoon’s 75-lap (67.05 miles or 55-minute) INDY NXT by Firestone race at Iowa Speedway.
Each INDY NXT by Firestone entry will receive the following race tire allocation:
- 3 sets per entry
Notes from Cara Krstolic, Director of Race Tire Engineering and Manufacturing, on INDY NXT by Firestone tires:
The INDY NXT by Firestone oval tire for Iowa Speedway features a similar right-side tire design to last year but with a lighter tread gauge. Both right side tires will have the same compound specifications as in 2024 at Iowa. The left side tires have the same construction and compounds as last year.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 