The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series schedule announced Tuesday features a NASCAR crossover weekend in Phoenix in March.
The 17-race schedule opens March 1 with the Firestone Grand Prix on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., and finishes on Sept. 6 with the Grand Prix of Monterey at California’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
All 17 races will be broadcast on Fox for the second straight season. An average of 1.36 million viewers watched in 2025 as Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing became the series’ first driver to win three consecutive season titles. That was a 27 percent audience increase from the previous season.
“Our growth is industry-leading and will only accelerate faster as we continue our powerful partnership with FOX Sports and increase investment in our events,” Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO Mark Miles said. “The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series schedule provides a dynamic showcase for our sport and its stars, blending fan-favorite race weekends with incredible showcases at exciting new venues. We cannot wait for 2026.”
March 7 will see the IndyCar Series’ first race since 2018 at Phoenix Raceway. The open-wheel circuit will share that day’s slate with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (currently Xfinity Series), with the NASCAR Cup Series race to follow on March 8.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the NTT IndyCar Series back to Phoenix Raceway,” Phoenix Raceway president Latasha Causey said in a release. “This track has deep roots in open-wheel history, so we’re pleased to bring that tradition back to our race fans as part of a doubleheader Saturday with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.”
The IndyCar Series also will usher in a new event in Texas on March 15 with the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington, a 14-turn, 2.73-mile circuit through the streets of the city that is home to the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium.
The 110th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 24.
–Field Level Media
