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INDYCAR SERIESNXT SERIES

INDYCAR SERIES

 

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photos courtesy INDYCAR SERIES

The IndyCar Series, officially known as the NTT IndyCar Series for sponsorship reasons, is the highest class of American open-wheel car racing in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies since 1920. The series is self-sanctioned by its parent company, IndyCar, LLC, which began in 1996 as the Indy Racing League (IRL) and was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George as a competitor to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). In 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with CART's successor, the Champ Car World Series, unifying the history and statistics of both series (as well as those from their predecessors).

Ericsson Undeniable in Markham to End 63-Race Drought

MARKHAM, Ontario (Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026) – Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson wasn’t to be denied victory in the new Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham even as it meant tormenting a longtime rival.

Ericsson charged through the field late in the 90-lap Canadian race to hunt down and pass Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean for a victory.

SEE: Race Results

Ericsson scored his fifth career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory while denying Grosjean his first. Grosjean was trying to reach the top step of the podium only to come one step short for the sixth time. Coincidentally, Grosjean’s last win of any kind came in a GP2 series race in Hungary in 2011. Ericsson finished fifth in that race.

Ericsson’s victory here came 10 days after being confirmed to return to Andretti Global for a fourth season. It also ended his 63-race drought dating back to his 2023 season-opening victory in St. Petersburg.

“It’s been long enough,” Ericsson said. “It doesn’t come as much of a surprise. We’ve had such a good year. We’ve been working every weekend, getting stronger and stronger, qualifying up front every weekend. We might not have got the results we deserved every weekend, but I really felt we deserved (this).”

Ericsson’s voice cracked during the interview, which he blamed on screaming too much after taking the checkered flag. But he said it was a bold and aggressive drive over those challenging street-course laps.

“We were the fastest car all day, I thought,” he said. “Obviously, there were a lot of (cautions), so we had to stay out (longer on the final sequence). I wanted to show the pace and open a gap, so we gambled on staying out. I had the pace and we were lapping so quick (after coming out of the pits on Lap 69) seventh. It was a lot of work to get through the leaders.”

In that charge was contact in the Turn 5 hairpin with Andretti Global teammate Will Power for third place. Ericsson called the hard bump “unfortunate,” but Power said he understood.

Said Ericsson: “You never want that, but I had to get through. I knew I could win this race.”

Ericsson won another race like this. In 2021, he emerged as the winner of a trouble-filled first race on Nashville’s streets that included his car getting airborne vertically. The winner of the 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge now has four street course victories.

Grosjean settled for second place – his best since finishing second at Barber Motorsports Park in 2023. Power finished third with series points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing taking fourth and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward fifth.

“We did everything we could,” said Grosjean, who led 28 laps and scored his first top-five finish of 2026. “I wanted to (keep Palou in second place) – I knew (with that gap) it was safe. But then (Ericsson) came … unfortunately that (wasn’t our) day. But on to the next one.”

Several other drivers could say the same.

The race of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster had a tragic ending. He started from the pole for the second time in his career – the other was at Road America last year – and built a lead of nearly 3 seconds in leading the first 32 laps. But a caution spoiled that as all of the other frontrunners had pitted a couple of laps earlier, shuffling him to 12th place.

Foster wasn’t to be deterred, and he came charging back. He had moved up eight positions and was stalking Ericsson for third place when they approached Turn 3 on Lap 43. Foster went to the inside, but he clipped the left-side wall, contact which shot him straight into the concrete barrier on the right. The impact was virtually head-on, a major shunt. Fortunately, he was not injured.

That spot in the track similarly claimed Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who was running third behind his two teammates. His impact was just as fierce.

Kirkwood’s 21st-place finish allowed Palou to pull even farther ahead in pursuit of his fourth consecutive championship and fifth in six years despite starting outside the top 10 for the first time in 30 races (nearly two full seasons). Now, with four races to go, Palou leads Kirkwood by a nearly insurmountable 133 points with Team Penske’s David Malukas third, 137 points in arrears. Malukas finished this race a lap down in 17th place.

The new 12-turn, 2.1-mile street circuit seemed to offer the right balance of action and reaction, with a fair amount of race-turning calamity. The track produced 258 on-track passes with 242 of those for position - the most on-record in the event, which dates back to 1986 when the INDYCAR SERIES made its debut on the Streets of Toronto. As expected, the Turn 5 hairpin was a hot spot, with several instances of cars coming together.

One of the most significant contacts in that corner featured rookie Dennis Hauger of Dale Coyne Racing bumping Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen and then O’Ward. That was Lap 20, and it was part of Hauger’s fade through the field.

Last year’s INDY NXT by Firestone champion started the race from the fifth position and was still there when his two-lap slide began. It started with Palou passing him, but then Malukas did and before he knew it, he was 20th. Later, Hauger clipped the rear tire of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, who hit Rasmussen, drawing a caution.

Another of the contacts in Turn 5 saw Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel charge too deep into the braking zone, where he struck the car of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden. Siegel was penalized for avoidable contact.

It wasn’t a good day for first-year series drivers. AJ Foyt Racing’s Caio Collet had contact with Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian on Lap 1, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Mick Schumacher drew the race’s first caution on Lap 15 when he pounded the Turn 4 wall.

The turnaround is quick as the series sprints to season’s end. Next weekend, the 25 car-and-driver combinations make their anticipated appearance in the U.S. capital city with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. The pre-race show on FOX begins at 11:30 a.m. ET with the race shortly after 1 p.m.

 

MARKHAM, Ontario (Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026) – Second-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Louis Foster shone brightest amid a setting sun as a long first day of the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham came to an end.

The driver of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 45 Desnuda Organic Tequilla Honda established a track record in qualifying to earn his second career NTT P1 Award. His lap time around the new 12-turn, 2.1-mile temporary street circuit was 1 minute, 13.2383 seconds, an advantage of four-tenths of a second over Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard (1:13.6352).

SEE: Qualifying Results

Foster won his first series pole last year at Road America, a permanent road course. He said he has been itching to earn a top starting position on a street circuit, and this one gives him the first look at Sunday’s green flag for a 90-lap race (noon ET, FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

For Foster, the qualifying effort capped a day in which he had the third-fastest lap time in the morning practice and then topped the afternoon practice.

“I knew if we pieced it all together we’d be there (for the pole), and when I was doing that (pole-winning) lap I was like, ‘Please don’t wreck.’

“This car feels great … so fast all (day). I’m super happy to get another gremlin off our back. Obviously, (won) pole last year, but we’ve been nowhere close this year.”

Foster’s previous best starting position this season was sixth on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in May. On a street circuit, his best starting position was ninth in the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Foster will have a golden opportunity to score his first series victory as he will have an additional set of the preferred (and faster) Firestone Firehawk alternate tires for what should be a two-stop race. Several others in the top six will have only one such set. Should Foster win, he will join team owner Bobby Rahal as a winner of a new Ontario event. Rahal won the first race at Toronto’s Exhibition Place in 1986.

Rounding out the first three rows for Sunday’s race will be Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (third), Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson (fourth), Dale Coyne Racing rookie Dennis Hauger (fifth) and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay (sixth).

Hauger’s only other Firestone Fast Six appearance was in St. Petersburg when he qualified third. VeeKay reached the final round for the third consecutive race.

The qualifying session featured a rare mistake by series points leader and reigning season champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. Late in the second of three rounds, Palou lost the rear of the car approaching Turn 10. After first hitting the wall on the right side, the car ricocheted to the left-side wall for another impact. The double hit ended his session – and more than that.

Palou had a streak of 30 consecutive top-10 starting positions dating to the final race of the 2024 season. He qualified 12th, though he still holds a commanding 110-point lead over Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who will start 15th. Team Penske’s David Malukas, who is third in the standings, trails Palou by 118 points and will start this race from the seventh position.

Series rookie Mick Schumacher of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing delivered his best qualifying effort on a non-oval, finishing 11th. Schumacher’s previous best non-oval qualifying was 15th last month at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Two of the series’ double season champions caused red flags in the second group of the first round that proved costly. The Turn 4 spin of Andretti Global’s Will Power not only drew a red, which wiped away his fastest two laps, but Kirkwood was trailing him on a hot lap – he was forced to abandon the lap – and then Kirkwood couldn’t bump his way into the next round when INDYCAR permitted a one-lap final effort.

Kirkwood and Power qualified 16th and 24th, respectively. For Power, the incident was the second of the day after his car had to have its right side rebuilt slamming the Turn 10 wall in the second practice.

As the session was ending, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden pounded the Turn 10 wall, incurring heavy right-side damage. He will start at the tail of the 25-car field.

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026) – In a master class of tire management and pure pace, Alex Palou drove closer to his record-tying fourth consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and fifth overall title with a victory Sunday in the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland.

Palou earned his sixth victory of the season and 25th of his illustrious career, driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 4.1167-second victory over the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of NTT P1 Award winner Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian.

SEE: Race Results

The Spaniard increased his championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season.

“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” Palou said. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap.

“Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing. That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”

Two-time series champion Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda in his first race with Andretti Global at Portland International Raceway after winning this race the last two years with Team Penske.

Rinus VeeKay capped a strong weekend by finishing fourth in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, with Kirkwood putting two Andretti Global cars into the top five in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda.

The race, which had just one caution period for two laps, evolved into a chess match of tire strategy and management over its 110 laps.

Rosenqvist, Palou and Power each started on the slower, more durable Firestone Firehawk primary tire from the top three positions, respectively. Rosenqvist led the first 30 laps until he and Power both made their respective first pit stop on Lap 31, staying on the primary tires.

Palou and strategist Barry Wanser decided to stay out one lap longer on an “overcut” strategy, pitting for alternate tires on Lap 32. Palou was able to lay down a blinding lap on that extra trip around the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course and exited the pits ahead of Rosenqvist and Power.

The overcut worked for Palou, as it usually does due to his mastery of tire preservation.

“The overcut was just so powerful,” Rosenqvist said. “I also struggled a little bit on my launch (exiting the pit box). That’s basically what did it. He got ahead of us.”

Palou cycled back to the lead on Lap 37 after Josef Newgarden pitted on a different strategy in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet. From that point, Palou only trailed during pit cycles, but it wasn’t an easy canter to the checkered flag despite leading a race-high 60 laps.

The Spaniard pitted at the end of Lap 56 with a lead approaching five seconds and switched from alternate to scuffed primary tires. Meanwhile, Rosenqvist stopped at the end of Lap 59 and changed from primary to alternate tires.

“I was a little bit worried there when we put those alternates on,” Palou said. “They were so good. We didn’t expect them to be so good. I was like, ‘Man, if someone is going keep them for the end, we might have a battle.’”

The extra grip provided by the red-sidewall alternate tire helped Rosenqvist pull to within one second of Palou by Lap 80. Then Palou was able to keep the No. 45 Desnuda Organic Tequila Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s Louis Foster between himself and Rosenqvist, and one lap later Palou’s lead expanded to 1.7 seconds.

Palou made his final stop at the end of Lap 82, staying on scuffed primary tires. Then it appeared Power could have a shot at catching Rosenqvist and maybe reaching Palou, as Power had a set of the quicker Firestone Firehawk alternate tires waiting in his pit stall for his final stop.

But Power never heard the call from strategist Ron Ruzewski to pit at the end of Lap 86 and stayed on track. Power then got stuck behind the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Scott Dixon and the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger – Goodheart Chevrolet of Sting Ray Robb in the intervening lap before he pitted on Lap 87, ending his chances of challenging Rosenqvist for second or Palou for the win.

“I think we would have had a better shot at Rosenqvist because the reds (alternate tires) were really good at the first part of the stint,” Power said. “I never heard it (call to pits). I think I missed a call there. We certainly lost a lot on that next lap.”

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the streets of Markham, Ontario.

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026) – Felix Rosenqvist wants to add another win for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian before he leaves the team at the end of this season.

He’ll have one of his best chances to achieve that goal after winning the NTT P1 Award for the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland on Saturday at Portland International Raceway.

SEE: Qualifying Results

Rosenqvist, who won the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May, earned his second pole of the season and eighth of his career in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda sporting a colorful livery this weekend saluting legendary rock band the Grateful Dead. His best lap was 58.4828 seconds, completed with three seconds remaining in a taut Firestone Fast Six session.

That was enough to edge series leader and four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou, who will join Rosenqvist on the front row Sunday after his best lap of 58.5012 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

“It’s a phenomenal team effort,” Rosenqvist said. “We just kept tuning on it. I think we started off a little bit behind yesterday and really didn’t do anything magical. We just tried to focus on execution and putting all the corners together.”

The Swede is leaving MSR – a team that has two career victories, both in the Indy 500 – after this season for Arrow McLaren, where he will join six-time series champion and team newcomer Scott Dixon and team veteran Pato O’Ward.

Palou, aiming for a record-tying fourth straight championship, just missed earning his seventh pole of the season when Rosenqvist ended his final lap on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course.

“I had too much lunch today, man,” Palou said with a smile when asked where he could have found more speed on his best lap. “It’s so close. It hurts when it’s that close. But happy for Felix, happy for a Honda 1-2 there. Let’s see what kind of car we have for the race.”

The 110-lap race starts at 4 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, FOX Deportes. FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

Will Power moved to Andretti Global this season after winning this race in 2024 and 2025, the last two of his 16 full-time seasons with Team Penske, but he showed why this is one of his favorite tracks by qualifying third at 58.5130 in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda.

Power’s teammate Marcus Ericsson celebrated his contract renewal this week with Andretti Global for 2027 by qualifying fourth at 58.6729 in the No. 28 Delaware Life Honda.

Rinus VeeKay continued his strong season by producing the quickest lap by a Chevrolet-powered driver, ending up fifth at 58.7701 in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevy. Kyffin Simpson will join VeeKay in the third row of the starting grid after qualifying sixth at 59.0841 in the No. 8 Sunoco Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, his first appearance this season in the Firestone Fast Six.

Honda-powered drivers dominated qualifying, leading all three rounds in the knockout format and grabbing 10 of the first 12 qualifying spots.

Besides VeeKay, the only Bowtie driver who qualified in the top 12 is championship contender David Malukas, who qualified ninth at 58.8690 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. But Malukas will start six places back from that position as a penalty for an unapproved engine change at the previous round at Nashville Superspeedway, adding to his challenge Sunday.

Palou leads second-place Malukas by 83 points – a gap of more than a race – with six races remaining. A clean, steady race could expand that gap because Malukas and third-place Kyle Kirkwood are starting behind the reigning series champion, with PIR’s tight first-corner chicane sometimes inducing chaos and carnage toward the middle and back of the starting grid.

Kirkwood qualified seventh at 58.8303 in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda of Andretti Global, missing a spot in the Firestone Fast Six by .0352 of a second.

Christian Lundgaard has scored more points on natural road courses like PIR than any driver this season, but he struggled with various mechanical problems and didn’t make it out the first round. He qualified 25th at 59.5423 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Friday, Aug. 7, 2026) – Alex Palou’s path toward history became just a bit smoother Friday after he led the opening practice for the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland.

Series leader Palou, aiming for his record-tying fourth consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and fifth overall, was quickest at Portland International Raceway with a best lap of 58.5716 seconds in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou and CGR teammates Scott Dixon and Kyffin Simpson tested July 29 at the 12-turn, 1.964-mile circuit, a decision that’s paying dividends.

SEE: Practice Results

“Good day, great start,” Palou said. “I think there’s some work to do with the alternates (Firestone Firehawk tires), but we were really good on primaries, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“It’s good that we tested here because it allowed us to start with good speed already in the No. 10 DHL Honda. But, yeah, some work to do still. We just need more speed.”

Kyle Kirkwood was second overall in the 64-minute session divided into three groups, turning a best lap of 58.6602 in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda of Andretti Global. Kirkwood is third in the series standings, 87 points behind Palou and four points behind second-place David Malukas of Team Penske. Kirkwood’s engineers made significant changes to the car setup that resulted in him qualifying 19th and finishing 20th last year at this race.

“We definitely came here with a much different car than we’ve ever ran here, and hopefully it’s paying off,” Kirkwood said. “Early days here, but it’s promising. Compared to where we were last year, this is a big step in the right direction.”

Rinus VeeKay continued his strong season by ending up third at 58.7996 in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet. VeeKay is 10th in the standings for one of the smallest teams in the series.

Two-time reigning Portland winner Will Power was fourth at 58.9096 in the No. 27 TWG AI Honda of Andretti Global, which he joined this season after 15 full-time seasons with Team Penske. Louis Foster rallied from technical problems early in the session that forced extended repair time in the paddock, rounding out the top five at 58.9274 in the No. 45 Desnuda Organic Tequila Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Malukas, 83 points back of Palou, stopped the clocks eighth at 58.9888 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet that Power drove to victory the last two years at Portland.

Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren needed extended time in the pits for repairs after clouting the Armco barrier at the apex of the circuit’s tricky Turn 1 with their respective right-front wheels in separate incidents.

Up next is the second practice at 1 p.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 7 p.m. ET (FS1). Expect a close chase for the pole and first few rows of the starting grid, as less than one-half second separated the top 10 on the speed chart Friday.

The 110-lap race starts at 4 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX and FOX Deportes. FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls also will broadcast all sessions this weekend.

 

 

 

Rossi Completes First Validation Test of New IR-28 Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026) – Alexander Rossi took another step into the future of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Saturday, completing the first on-track test of the new Dallara IR-28 chassis at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner put the all-new car through its initial paces during a productive development session on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course, helping begin the testing process for the chassis that will debut for the 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

Rossi praised the preparation that led to the successful debut.

“I’ve been a part of some new car launches before, and I can’t say that any have gone as smooth as this one has,” Rossi said. “That’s down to everyone involved. We’ve all been waiting for this for a long time. Drivers, fans, teams, sponsors and all of you have been looking forward to it, and now it’s finally here.

“It’s like Christmas morning.”

Rossi said the session accomplished everything the development team aimed to achieve, despite intermittent damp conditions that limited running.

“It's hard to do a full comparison because of the conditions we were dealing with, but everything you could hope for from a day like today was accomplished,” he said. “The fact that the car is completely new and the only real issue we had was replacing one sensor is phenomenal. That’s a huge testament to Dallara, INDYCAR and everyone involved.

“The car has a lot of incredible qualities that we haven’t even scratched the surface of yet. It was an incredible start and just a joy to drive.”

Rossi also offered high praise for the IR-28’s appearance and initial handling characteristics.

“Aesthetically, it ticks every box you could hope for,” he said. “I was blown away the first time I saw it. The pictures don’t do it justice. The presence it has in person is pretty amazing. It looks aggressive, and even with a completely new chassis, new aerodynamics, new electronics and a spec damper package, the baseline was very comfortable from the get-go. There’s obviously a lot more to unlock, but it was a great starting point.”

Testing the next-generation INDYCAR SERIES machinery at Indianapolis Motor Speedway made the experience even more meaningful for Rossi.

“To be able to be a part of this next evolution of INDYCAR and do it at IMS, a place that means so much to me and all of us here, is super cool,” Rossi said. “I get to play a small part in the history and the future of this championship, and that’s a big privilege. I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2025 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou is scheduled to test the car Sunday.

 

 

INDYCAR Officiating Announces Streets of Markham Grid Penalties

iNDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026) – INDYCAR Officiating has announced six-position starting grid penalties for the entries of No. 5 Arrow McLaren and Nos. 26 and 27 Andretti Global for unapproved engine changes following yesterday’s qualifying on the Streets of Markham.

The entries were in violation of:

Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Approved Engine Change-Out if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine Change-Out.

According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, today, on the Streets of Markham.

 

INDYCAR Officiating Announces Streets of Markham Grid Penalties

INDYCAR Officiating has announced six-position starting grid penalties for the entries of Nos. 20 and 21 ECR and No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian for unapproved engine changes following the race at Portland International Raceway Sunday, Aug. 9.

The entries were in violation of:

Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Approved Engine Change-Out if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine Change-Out.

According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the Streets of Markham.

INDYCAR Announces Updated Saturday Schedule on Streets of Markham

As the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham race promoter works to complete the track build for the Streets of Markham circuit, INDYCAR has announced an updated schedule (all times EASTERN) and United States television programming for Saturday, Aug. 15

  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1: 10-11:30 a.m. (FS2)
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2: 2:30-4 p.m. (FS1)
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying: 6:30-7 p.m. (FOX One), 7-8 p.m. (FS2)

INDYCAR continues to monitor the ongoing circuit construction by Green Savoree Racing Promotions.

“INDYCAR is incredibly disappointed that our promoter was not able to complete the track build on time, despite significant support from our team on site,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Ontario has always been a magnificent market for our sport and the number of spectators that attended today is a shining example of that. New events can always pose logistical challenges and we join in the frustration of our loyal fans and apologize.

“Once we hit the track, we believe the circuit will be spectacular. We would like to thank the city of Markham for the major support it has made to provide INDYCAR a layout, which is fast, technical and will put on a terrific show on Sunday.”

Due to time constraints in the early evening, NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying tomorrow will be in its traditional “road course” knockout qualifying format as competitors vie for the NTT P1 award.

Coverage of Sunday’s Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham is scheduled to begin at noon on FOX and FOX One in the United States and TSN in Canada. Audio coverage of all on-track sessions also is available on INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

 

 

Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 16

Track: Streets of Markham, a 12-turn, 2.19-mile (3.52-kilometer) temporary street course

Race distance: Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham: 90 laps/197.1 miles/317.2 kilometers

Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF) | Weekend Event Schedule (PDF)

Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation.

Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 360 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.

Firestone tire allotment: 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 one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.

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Event website: www.HondaIndy.com

INDYCAR website: www.INDYCAR.com

2025 race winner (Streets of Toronto):

Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)

2025 NTT P1 Award winner:

Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 59.8392 seconds, 107.461 mph (172.942 kph)

Qualifying record: New circuit in 2026

FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (USA)/TSN+ (Canada) (live); Practice 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (USA)/TSN+ (Canada) (live); Qualifying, 2:25 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live) (USA)/TSN5/TSN+ (Canada); Warmup, 8:30 a.m. ET, Sunday FS2 (USA) Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, noon ET, Sunday, FOX (USA)/TSN1/TSN4/TSN+ (Canada) (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.

INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf, Joel Sebastianelli and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham race (11:30 a.m. ET Sunday) can be heard live on network affiliates nationwide. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, NTT P1 Award Qualifying (2:25 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices also air live on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, Aug. 14

3:05-4:30 p.m. - NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (40 minutes for all cars, followed by two groups for 12 minutes each), FS2 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live)

Saturday, Aug. 15

10:05-11:30 a.m. - NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (40 minutes for all cars, followed by two groups for 12 minutes each), FS2 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live)

2:25-4 p.m. - Qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (USA) / TSN5/TSN+ (Canada), (Live)

Sunday, Aug. 16

8:40-9:10 a.m. - NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS2 (USA), (Live)

Noon – FOX/TSN1 and TSN4 on air

12:15 p.m. – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham "Drivers, start your engines"

12:22 p.m. - Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham (90 laps/197.1 miles/317.2 kilometers), FOX (USA) /TSN1/TSN4/TSN+ (Canada), (Live).

NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship facts

  • Alex Palou leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with five races to go for the fifth time in his INDYCAR SERIES career. He also led the championship with five races to go in his championship-winning seasons in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Palou, who took the points lead at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in April, has led the point standings after 10 of the 13 races this season.
  • There are 12 drivers still mathematically eligible for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship: Alex Palou, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Christian Lundgaard, Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, Marcus Ericsson, Rinus VeeKay, Will Power and Scott Dixon. Any driver who trails the points leader by 216 points or more following the race will be eliminated from contention.
  • Since 2008 when INDYCAR SERIES racing unified under the NTT INDYCAR SERIES banner, the eventual series champion has won the 14th race of the season six times. The most recent occurrence was 2025 when Alex Palou won at Laguna Seca. He also won the 14th race of 2021 at Portland. Other drivers to win the 14th race of their championship season were Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Dario Franchitti (2009 and 2010) and Scott Dixon (2008).
  • From 2009-2019, the eventual NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion won the Toronto race six times. Dario Franchitti won in 2009 and 2011. Ryan Hunter-Reay won in 2012, Scott Dixon swept both races in 2013 and won the single race in 2018, and Josef Newgarden won in 2017. Seven other drivers have claimed the INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season they won at Toronto: Bobby Rahal (1986), Al Unser Jr. (1990), Michael Andretti (1991), Alex Zanardi (1998), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Paul Tracy (2003) and Sebastien Bourdais (2004).

Key championship point statistic: Since 2008, the championship leader with five races to go has gone on to win the championship 11 times. Those drivers were: Scott Dixon (2008, 2018 and 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Alex Palou (2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025).

Point differential: The 110 points that separate Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood are the second-largest point margin since INDYCAR SERIES racing was unified in 2008. Before this season, the average lead with five races to go since 2008 was 48.8 points.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 5 RACES TO GO

Year Leader Second-Place Lead Eventual Champion

(Deficit- if any)
2008 Scott Dixon Helio Castroneves 58 Scott Dixon
2009 Ryan Briscoe Scott Dixon 8 Dario Franchitti (-11)
2010 Will Power Dario Franchitti 41 Dario Franchitti
2011 Dario Franchitti Will Power 62 Dario Franchitti
2012 Ryan Hunter-Reay Will Power 34 Ryan Hunter-Reay
2013 Helio Castroneves Scott Dixon 31 Scott Dixon
2014 Helio Castroneves Will Power 28 Will Power
2015 Juan Pablo Montoya Will Power 46 Scott Dixon (-49)
2016 Simon Pagenaud Josef Newgarden 73 Simon Pagenaud
2017 Scott Dixon Helio Castroneves 3 Josef Newgarden (-23)
2018 Scott Dixon Josef Newgarden 62 Scott Dixon
2019 Josef Newgarden Alexander Rossi 29 Josef Newgarden
2020 Scott Dixon Josef Newgarden 96 Scott Dixon
2021 Alex Palou Scott Dixon 42 Alex Palou
2022 Marcus Ericsson Will Power 8 Will Power
2023 Alex Palou Josef Newgarden 80 Alex Palou
2024 Alex Palou Will Power 49 Alex Palou
2025 Alex Palou Pato O’Ward 129 Alex Palou
2026 Alex Palou Kyle Kirkwood 110 ???

Race notes:

  • The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham will be the 14th race of the 2026 season. There have been six winners in the first 13 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit, Nashville Superspeedway, Portland International Raceway), Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway), Christian Lundgaard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Road America), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Arlington), Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500) and Pato O’Ward (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course).
  • The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham will be first INDYCAR SERIES event held on the streets of Markham and the 40th INDYCAR SERIES race held in the Greater Toronto Area. Scott Dixon is the winningest active INDYCAR SERIES driver in the GTA with four victories (Dixon won both races in 2013, the 2018 race and the 2022 race). Michael Andretti has the most wins in Toronto with seven. Dixon, three-time Toronto winner Will Power (2007, 2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2015, 2017), Christian Lundgaard (2023) and Pato O’Ward (2025) are previous race winners entered this year.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Scott Dixon 4 2013 Race #1, 2013 Race #2, 2018, 2022
Will Power 3 2007, 2010, 2016
Josef Newgarden 2 2015, 2017
Christian Lundgaard 1 2023
Pato O’Ward 1 2025
  • Drivers who have won poles at Toronto entered in this year’s race are Will Power (2011, 2015), Scott Dixon (2013 Race 2, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2018) and Christian Lundgaard (2023). The polesitter has won the race nine times since the first race in 1986, most recently by Colton Herta in 2024.
ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS
Will Power 2 2011, 2015
Scott Dixon 2 2013 Race #2, 2016
Josef Newgarden 1 2018
Christian Lundgaard 1 2023
  • Chip Ganassi Racing has won eight times at Toronto: Michael Andretti (1994), Alex Zanardi (1998), Dario Franchitti (2009, 2011) and Scott Dixon (2013 both races, 2018, 2022). Team Penske has five wins at the track: Paul Tracy (1993), Will Power (2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2017) and Simon Pagenaud (2019). Team Penske has 10 pole positions at the track: Danny Sullivan (1988, 1990), Emerson Fittipaldi (1993), Helio Castroneves (2000), Gil de Ferran (2001), Will Power (2011, 2015), Simon Pagenaud (2017, 2019) and Josef Newgarden (2018).
  • Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 370th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 270th consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 233rd consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon will extend his record to 433 with a start Sunday.

 

Action-Packed Season Starts with Three Straight Races

Barber Motorsports Park Returns to April Date

All NTT INDYCAR SERIES Races Again To Air on FOX

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026) – INDYCAR has announced the return of a supercharged set of races to kick off the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season as part of “Phase One” of next year’s overall schedule. The spring event lineup includes another adrenaline-fueled launch with three straight weekends at:

  • Streets of St. Petersburg, Sunday, March 7
  • Phoenix Raceway, Saturday, March 13
  • Streets of Arlington, Sunday, March 21

INDYCAR announced the dates and locations for the first eight races of the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season as Phase One of the schedule unveiling.

For the third consecutive season, all NTT INDYCAR SERIES races will be broadcast on FOX, with three additional appearances scheduled during the two days of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and coverage of Miller Lite Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is once again the only premier motorsport series in North America with all races broadcast on network television.

During the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, viewership is up 16% from the previous season, creating the highest viewership of the championship since 2008.

“It has been another remarkable year of growth through our powerful partnership with FOX Sports, and we look forward to focusing on even greater opportunities through the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “We are pleased to confirm Phase One of next year’s championship alongside another accelerated start with races in St. Petersburg, Phoenix and Arlington. 2026 has been proof of concept that our sport is fueled by an expanding presence across marquee events and destinations, and we look forward to carrying that momentum into 2027.”

2027 will mark the second consecutive year – and just the fifth time in the 118-year history of the INDYCAR SERIES – that a season begins on three consecutive weekends.

The Sunday, March 7 race on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, will be the 17th time the championship will open in the Sunshine City. Following the season debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns for another joint showcase weekend with NASCAR in partnership with FOX Sports at Phoenix Raceway. The Saturday, March 13 race will be the 66th time the INDYCAR SERIES has raced on the historic 1-mile desert oval. The 2026 race featured 565 on-track passes – the most on record for the INDYCAR SERIES at Phoenix Raceway.

A week later, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to the 14-turn, 2.73-mile Streets of Arlington circuit for the second Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. The tentpole event unites three championship organizations: INDYCAR, the Dallas Cowboys and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of the Texas Rangers. The sold-out inaugural race featured the season’s fastest trap speed on a street circuit at 192.298 mph by Kyle Kirkwood before being won by the Andretti Global driver.

“The start to this year’s 2026 season was action-packed, and it’s gratifying to know the stage is set for a return to that frantic pace in 2027,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “St. Pete has become an ideal host to begin our season, and the reaction to the series’ return to historic Phoenix Raceway made our partnership with NASCAR and FOX all the more special. To finish that stretch with a marquee event on the Streets of Arlington will be a fitting way to lead into another heated season-long battle for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship.”

The spring portion of the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule continues Sunday, April 4 on the series’ first natural terrain road course of the season and a return to the “Augusta National” of racetracks at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. It is the 17th INDYCAR weekend at the picturesque, dynamic and physically demanding track.

Two weeks later, the season returns to the palm tree-lined Streets of Long Beach for the iconic Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 18. The legendary event set a modern-day record with over 200,000 in attendance in 2026. The 2027 edition will extend the longest-running street circuit event on the calendar, as this will be the 43rd time the INDYCAR SERIES has raced on the sunny Southern California streets.

Another thrilling Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway follows the Streets of Long Beach and begins on the challenging road course for the Sonsio Grand Prix, Saturday, May 15. It is the 13th time the 2.439-mile circuit has set the stage for the month’s remaining events.

Attention then turns toward the famed 2.5-mile oval the following week leading to PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend on Saturday-Sunday, May 22-23. A week later, the 111th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is set for Sunday, May 30. The 2026 edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” featured a race-record 70 lead changes and the closest finish in race history when Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian edged David Malukas of Team Penske by just .0233 of a second.

The 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule continues with the traditional post-May visit to the Streets of Detroit for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday, June 6. The 2026 race, won by Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, featured the most on-track passes on a street circuit this season.

2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Tests

For the second year, the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season calendar will begin with the Unser INDYCAR Open Test on Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 23-24 at Phoenix Raceway. The two-day test will not only prepare all teams for the season ahead but also the series’ race at the desert oval the following month. Additional details of the test, named in honor of the Unser family and their accomplishments at their home track, will be announced at a later date.

In preparation for the 111th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the Indy 500 Open Test is set for Tuesday-Wednesday, May 4-5 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – between NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on the Streets of Long Beach and the IMS road course. The two-day test allows additional track time for all teams, including rookies looking to complete the Rookie Orientation Program. Testing hours will be shared later.

Phase Two of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, featuring the remaining 2027 race dates, will be released in the coming weeks. Tune-in times for next season’s events will be announced at a later date. The 2027 schedule for INDY NXT by Firestone, INDYCAR’s developmental series, also will be announced at a later date.

2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE – PHASE ONE 

Date Venue Television
Sunday, March 7 Streets of St. Petersburg FOX
Saturday, March 13 Phoenix Raceway FOX
Sunday, March 21 Streets of Arlington FOX
Sunday, April 4 Barber Motorsports Park FOX
Sunday, April 18 Streets of Long Beach FOX
Saturday, May 15 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course FOX
Sunday, May 30 The 111th Indianapolis 500 FOX
Sunday, June 6 Streets of Detroit FOX

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, round 14 of the 2026 championship, Sunday, Aug. 16. Coverage begins at noon ET on FOX and FOX One. Audio coverage is available via INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. 

 

 

INDYCAR Officiating Announces Portland International Raceway Grid Penalties

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Aug. 7, 2026) – INDYCAR Officiating has announced six-position starting grid penalties for the entries of No. 4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises and No. 12 Team Penske for unapproved engine changes. The No. 12 of Team Penske made two unapproved engine changes during the race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway while the No. 4 of A.J. Foyt Enterprises made an unapproved engine change following the Monday, July 20 race.

The No. 4 of A.J. Foyt Enterprises and No. 12 of Team Penske were in violation of:

Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Approved Engine Change-Out if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine Change-Out.

The No. 12 of Team Penske was in violation of:

Rule 16.1.6.2.1. If an Entrant makes two (2) Unapproved Engine Change-Outs during an on-track Event, the penalty for the second (2nd) Unapproved Engine Change-Out is served at the following Race.

According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, which is the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday, Aug. 9 at Portland International Raceway.

 

Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 7-Sunday, Aug. 9

Track: Portland International Raceway, a 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course in Portland, Oregon

Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland 110 laps / 216.04 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland 35 laps / 68.74 miles / 55 minutes

Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF) | Weekend Event Schedule

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 300 kilojoules (kj) per lap

Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend. A carryover sets from the Mid-Ohio event in July or the Detroit event in May may be used during pre-qualifying practice sessions on Friday and Saturday.

X: @Race_Portland, @IndyCar, @indynxt, #PortlandGP, #INDYCAR

Instagram: @Race_Portland, @IndyCar, @indynxt, #PortlandGP, #INDYCAR

Threads: @IndyCar, @indynxt, #PortlandGP, #INDYCAR

Facebook: @PortlandGP, @INDYCAR, @indynxt, #INDYCAR

TikTok: @INDYCAR, @indynxt, #INDYCAR

YouTube: @INDYCAR

Event website: www.raceportland.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2025 race winners:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet)

INDY NXT by Firestone

Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global)

2025 NTT P1 Award winner: Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet), 58.3939 seconds, 121.081 mph

2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Caio Collet (No. 76 HMD Motorsports), 1 minute, 3.3595 seconds, 111.592 mph

Qualifying records:

NTT INDYCAR SERIES

Will Power, 57.2143 seconds, 123.577 mph, Sept. 1, 2018 (Set in Round 1 of knockout qualifying)

INDY NXT by Firestone

Louis Foster, 1 minute, 2.1396 seconds, 113.783 mph, Aug. 24, 2024

FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 5:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS1 (live); Practice 2, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 7 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 1 p.m. ET, FS1; OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland 4 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, 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, Noon ET Saturday, FS1; Qualifying, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race, 2 p.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. A Spanish-language telecast will be available on FOX Deportes.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Michael Young and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Jake Query, Ryan Myrehn and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland race (3:30 p.m. ET Sunday) can be heard live on network affiliates nationwide. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, INDY NXT by Firestone race (1:55 p.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award Qualifying (7 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices also air live on SiriusXM 218, www.indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, Aug. 7

1:30-2:15 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice 1, FS2 (live)

2:35-3:55 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1, FS1 (live)

Saturday, Aug. 8

9-9:45 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice 2, FS1 (live)

10:05-11:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2, FS1 (live)

Noon – INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying (two groups/10 minutes each), FS1 (live)

4:05 p.m. – OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland NTT P1 Award qualifying (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (live)

Sunday, Aug. 9

10:05-10:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, FS1 (live)

11:01 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland “Drivers, start your engines”

11:08 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland (35 laps / 68.74 miles / 55 minutes), FS1 (live)

1 p.m. – FOX on air

1:20 p.m. – OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland “Drivers, start your engines”

1:27 p.m. – OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland (110 laps/216.04 miles), FOX (live)

Race notes:

  • The OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland will be the 32nd INDYCAR SERIES race at Portland International Raceway and the eighth since the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned in 2018. Al Unser Jr. won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Portland in 1984, while Will Power won back-to-back races at Portland in 2024 and 2025. Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin and Power are the only former winners entered in this year’s race.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Will Power 3 2019, 2024, 2025
Alex Palou 2 2021, 2023
Scott McLaughlin 1 2022
  • Eight INDYCAR SERIES drivers have won at Portland International Raceway from the pole – Danny Sullivan (1988), Al Unser Jr. (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Max Papis (2001), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Sebastien Bourdais (2004), Alex Palou (2021) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).
ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS
Christian Lundgaard 1 2025
Santino Ferrucci 1 2024
Graham Rahal 1 2023
Scott McLaughlin 1 2022
Alex Palou 1 2021
Will Power 1 2018
  • Team Penske has won nine times at Portland International Raceway, the most by any entrant at the track. Penske’s winning INDYCAR SERIES drivers are Danny Sullivan (1988), Emerson Fittipaldi (1993), Al Unser Jr. (1994, 1995), Gil de Ferran (2000), Will Power (2019, 2024 and 2025) and Scott McLaughlin (2022). Chip Ganassi Racing has four wins at Portland with Alex Zanardi in 1996 and 1998 and Alex Palou in 2021 and 2023.
  • Twenty-two drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Portland International Raceway. Scott Dixon and Will Power each have nine starts, most among the entered drivers. Thirteen entered drivers have led laps at the track (Power 247, Scott McLaughlin 109, Alex Palou 106, Graham Rahal 69, Pato O’Ward 43, Alexander Rossi 32, Dixon 30, Josef Newgarden 11, Felix Rosenqvist 6, David Malukas 2, Marcus Armstrong 1, Marcus Ericsson 1 and Christian Lundgaard 1).
  • Six drivers have won INDY NXT by Firestone races at Portland before moving up to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Pato O’Ward won both races at Portland in 2018 on his way to the INDY NXT by Firestone championship. Rinus VeeKay won one of the doubleheader races in 2019, and Kyle Kirkwood and David Malukas split the doubleheader races in 2021. Former INDY NXT by Firestone champions Louis Foster and Dennis Hauger won in 2023 and 2025, respectively…Graham Rahal scored the first win of his professional racing career at Portland, winning the Star Mazda (now USF Pro 2000 championship) race in 2005.
  • Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 369th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 269th consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 232nd consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon will extend his record to 432 with a start Sunday.

INDY NXT by Firestone notes:

  • The season-long INDY NXT by Firestone title fight between Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR’s Nikita Johnson and HMD Motorsports’ Enzo Fittipaldi and Tymek Kucharczyk enters its final stretch as the series heads to Portland International Raceway. Johnson, who has a pair of wins in his first full season in the series, leads Fittipaldi, who has a season-best four wins, by a single point with Kucharczyk 25 points behind the lead. The ultra-competitive 2026 season has seen eight winners in 13 races and 10 different drivers finish on the podium. Among the 10 podium finishers is Portland native Josh Pierson of Andretti Global.
  • The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland will be the series’ 24th race at Portland International Raceway. Jacob Abel, the 2024 winner at Portland, is the only former winner entered. Previous Indy NXT by Firestone winners at Portland include Paul Tracy, Andre Ribeiro, Greg Moore, Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay, David Malukas, Kyle Kirkwood, Louis Foster, Abel and Dennis Hauger.

 

 

 

NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ IR-28 Designed To Deliver Faster Cars with Chevrolet and Honda Powerplants, More Action, Improved Drivability

NDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 28, 2026) – INDYCAR has unveiled the new NTT INDYCAR SERIES chassis and powertrain package for 2028, introducing a car with a modernized look designed to provide for faster lap times and improved raceability encouraging more wheel-to-wheel action, while also creating the safest car yet for “The Fastest Racing on Earth.”

Working with Dallara to produce the IR-28 chassis, the new car will make its competition debut at the start of the 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. The first renderings of the IR-28 were shared with the world this morning via a video narrated by Academy Award winner and star of the box office smash hit “The Odyssey,” Matt Damon. A link to the introductory trailer is available here. Media access to renderings is available here.

“We are pleased to unveil renderings of the new NTT INDYCAR SERIES chassis that will take our sport into an exciting new era,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “As you can imagine, a project of this magnitude takes an incredible amount of planning, collaboration and execution. I would like to thank all of our partners including Dallara, Chevrolet, Honda, Firestone and Shell, who have worked tirelessly to create a package that will enhance INDYCAR’s already incredible competition and industry-leading growth.

“With initial testing to begin this week, there is still plenty of work to do before 2028, but we are well on our way to showcasing a new era of INDYCAR, which will include enhanced wheel-to-wheel competition, track records, standards in raceability and new benchmarks in safety. We are confident the IR-28 is the ideal package to move INDYCAR forward for our teams, drivers, partners and fans.”

"We are honored that INDYCAR has chosen Dallara once again,” Dallara USA Chief Executive Officer Stefano dePonti said. “After more than a decade of partnership, their continued trust is the greatest recognition of our team's efforts. This achievement demonstrates the dedication, expertise and collaboration of many individuals who worked tirelessly to create a car that meets today’s needs while looking toward the future. It also reflects Dallara’s ongoing commitment to investing in innovation and education, sharing the knowledge developed in motorsport with academia and beyond."

Competition and Track Records

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES already is known as an intense and ultra-competitive championship, and the new car is prepared to take that reputation to another level as it builds on raceablity while enhancing speeds via additional power to advance the overall racing. The IR-28 is equipped to exceed current lap times and capable of breaking track records, including at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the last track records – one-lap and four-lap qualification records – were broken in 1996 by two-time Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Arie Luyendyk.

As part of the improved raceability, the IR-28 will weigh approximately 100 pounds less than the current car. The more favorable power-to-weight ratio enhances raceability to allow drivers to push harder and deliver even more competitive racing and wheel-to-wheel action.

New Car Design

Design of the new NTT INDYCAR SERIES car begins with a sleek and modern look while retaining the unmistakable DNA of past iconic series cars. The entire car is newly designed and built from the ground up, ensuring many noticeable differences from the current car.

New front and rear wings, optimized for style and efficiency, give the road and street course car an aggressive stance, while the superspeedway wing configuration provides maximum downforce with limited drag in a sleek, high-speed looking package.

For the first time ever, the car’s aerodynamic architecture has been purpose-built to optimize the wake from the front to the back in order to enhance overtaking opportunities. Additional benefits of the 2028 design include reduced outwash and, for Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a more aerodynamically stable speedway front wing.

The IR-28 aeroscreen, designed into the development of the car, is lighter, sleeker and more aerodynamic – supporting safety, more raceability and giving the IR-28 a fighter jet look and feel.

Each bodywork element has been designed to result in even closer on-track competition as the new aerodynamics will allow cars to follow more closely in corners and throughout the field.

Also for the driver, the new car will feature electronically controlled driver adjustable anti-roll bars, which will provide for enhanced tuning and raceability while cleaning up the cockpit by eliminating standard knobs and handles, thus, also improving driver safety.

Additional updates for the IR-28 include the introduction of the Custom AXIS Inertance Control Suspension System. Built around a lightweight, shared damping architecture, the AXIS platform expands spring, damper and inerter tuning options without increasing costs. Its highly tunable, multimode design improves mechanical grip through suspension optimization, reducing reliance on aerodynamic load while giving teams significant setup flexibility. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only major motorsports championship to permit both front and rear third-element inertance systems, making the IR-28 one of the most advanced suspension platforms in modern motorsport.

From a fan and commercial perspective, the new car will feature a digital car position display showing the position of the car in practice, qualifying and races and a unique transparent window in the engine cover, which will highlight Chevrolet, Honda and any additional manufacturer branding. Design updates for 2028 also include more visible surface areas for series and team sponsorship.

2028 Powerplant

Previously announced, the power for the new 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES machinery will be provided by 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engines capable of producing up to 760 horsepower. Chevrolet and Honda have committed to participate under the new engine formula, which will deliver increased torque, power and overall performance compared to the current generation of INDYCAR SERIES engines.

“Everyone at Chevrolet is looking forward to this next era of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the debut of the IR-28 in 2028,” GM Vice President of Global Motorsports Competition Eric Warren said. “This new car builds on more than a decade of collaboration with INDYCAR, and we’re confident the new 2.4-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine will deliver the performance, sound and excitement INDYCAR fans expect from Team Chevy — the same standard that has produced 16 manufacturer championships and 13 Indianapolis 500 victories.”

“For more than 30 years, Honda has built upon its racing heritage as a key partner of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and we are excited to begin this next chapter with the IR-28 powered by our new American-made HRC V6 Hybrid powertrain,” Honda Racing Corporation USA President David Salters said. "INDYCAR delivers some of the best racing on the planet, and this evolution of the formula creates new opportunities to enhance it—a lighter car, a more powerful hybrid powertrain, an even safer chassis and exciting chassis, and aerodynamic engineering challenges for our Honda associates and teams.

“Together, these advancements will help usher INDYCAR into a new era. Honda is proud to be part of that future, supported by the long-term commitment we made to the series earlier this year. We can’t wait to see the IR-28 on track entertaining our INDYCAR fans."

Low-voltage hybrid technology evolves in 2028 and beyond with greater power storage, more deployment options for teams and a package that is approximately 20 pounds lighter than the previous INDYCAR SERIES power unit. The significant performance advancement and deployment variability will be provided through a new partnership with UK-based Helix, a global leader in next-generation solutions in building and delivering electric drive systems.

With a client list that has included teams in FIA Formula One and FIA Formula E, and track-proven innovation that drives the hypercars of tomorrow, Helix’s hybrid design for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES remains packaged inside the bellhousing – located between the combustion engine and the gearbox.

The new hybrid platform will feature the first battery-based Energy Storage System (ESS) in NTT INDYCAR SERIES history, supplied by BOLD Technology, selected by INDYCAR for the program. Headquartered at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and expanding its U.S. operations in Michigan, BOLD develops advanced battery systems for Formula One, aerospace and defense applications. Its ESS for the IR-28 delivers approximately 14 times the energy storage capacity of the current supercapacitor-based system – giving drivers and teams far greater flexibility in when and how they deploy hybrid power – while contributing to the lighter, safer power unit package, engineered and qualified to the most stringent motorsport safety standards.

Xtrac, an exclusive supplier for INDYCAR since 2000 and a Helix associate, is providing transmissions for the new chassis. Development includes a gearbox that sheds 25 pounds from the current unit.

Safety Evolution

While the IR-28 provides quicker lap times, increased speeds and will allow for more on-track action, it also is designed to keep drivers safer than ever. From the aeroscreen to the roll hoop to side-impact structures, the new car seamlessly integrates recent safety and design advancements into its core architecture. Built to exceed INDYCAR or FIA specifications, whichever is more stringent, the new chassis delivers measurable safety improvements over the current car, including:

  • Driver cockpit:
    • The chassis features wider internal dimensions to accommodate a greater range of driver heights and body types.
    • The IR-28 also features enhanced internal airflow and driver cooling for improved comfort and performance.
  • Side impact protection:
    • Decades worth of race and incident evaluations – including chassis additions – have created a chassis that features stronger, more efficient side-structure design providing increased energy absorption in high-impact situations.
  • Crash dynamics:
    • Improved stability with a natural tendency to remain grounded during “nose-up,” sliding or spinning incidents.

An extensive initial testing schedule for the new IR-28 will include a variety of circuits and layouts from Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course and famed oval, Sebring International Raceway and more. Testing schedules and media availabilities will be provided at later dates.

What Select Drivers Are Saying

“Seeing the car for the first time made me even more excited about where INDYCAR is going. The design is super cool and feels like a proper next step for the series while still looking like an INDYCAR SERIES car. I think the fans are going to love it, and as a driver I cannot wait to get behind the wheel. The most important thing is that we keep the close, fun racing that makes INDYCAR special, and from what I’ve seen, we’re heading in a really good direction.” – Alex Palou, No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

“The car is awesome. We all wanted a new, modern-day car that is lighter and looks futuristic and fast but still has all of the incredible safety advancements that INDYCAR is known for. This does all of those things. There are still a lot of things to work through in terms of on-track testing and how it reacts to the different types of environments it will be exposed to, but from a visual standpoint, it’s incredible. This is something people will be excited about.” – Alexander Rossi, No. 20 Java House Chevrolet, ECR

“There is a ‘wow’ factor. The first thing that struck me is that it has more room in the cockpit and will fit differently-sized drivers, which is really good. Secondly, it definitely has the INDYCAR DNA, which was a worry for me that it wouldn’t look like an INDYCAR SERIES car. This definitely does. It also has an aggressive look with an integrated aeroscreen and a car that addresses a lot of little tweaks that drivers have asked for. Dallara has delivered on almost everything. I’m super excited for the future.” – Felix Rosenqvist, No. 60 SiriusXM Honda, Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian

Additional driver quotes will be available in a separate press release to be distributed shortly.

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland, round 13 of the 2026 championship, Sunday, Aug. 9. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One. Audio coverage is available via INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 28, 2026) – Comments from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock after seeing the new IR-28 chassis for the first time:

“The car looks aggressive and raw, and I love the integration of the aeroscreen with the rest of the chassis and aerodynamics. Dallara has made some really good steps. They have improved so many areas both inside and out. I jumped in and quickly got the urge to take it for a spin. I wish we could go sooner than 2028.” – Marcus Ericsson, No. 28 Delaware Life Honda, Andretti Global

“I was just as excited to see what was inside the car as I was to see what it looks like on the outside. INDYCAR and Dallara have done an incredible job combining updated aerodynamic ideas with all of the safety elements from the current car. It has a seamless look and one that’s also modern and aggressive at the same time.” – Will Power, No. 26 TWG AI Honda, Andretti Global

“What a sight. I sat in the car and, in the past three years, I haven’t had the itch to drive again as much as I did sitting in it. The car looks beautiful, futuristic and very impressive. Aerodynamically, it looks a lot quicker – and if it looks quicker, it’s going to be quicker. The safety considerations are a key aspect and well thought out, as well. Thank you, INDYCAR and Dallara. I can’t wait, and I’m excited about the future.” – Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren Team Principal

“Seeing the car for the first time made me even more excited about where INDYCAR is going. The design is super cool and feels like a proper next step for the series while still looking like an INDYCAR SERIES car. I think the fans are going to love it, and as a driver I cannot wait to get behind the wheel. The most important thing is that we keep the close, fun racing that makes INDYCAR special, and from what I’ve seen, we’re heading in a really good direction.” – Alex Palou, No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

“I’m really excited – it has exceeded expectations. I’m also super excited about the performance expectations, which sound very promising and will add to the great racing that we already have. I cannot wait to see it out on the track and hear the 2.4-liter engine, as well. This will take INDYCAR to the next level.” – Kyffin Simpson, No. 8 Sunoco Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

“I just think there is something exciting about this car. I love the aggressive way the car sits, the aeroscreen, which is now integrated into the car, and the rear wing, which looks sick. And this still looks like an INDYCAR SERIES car. I like that. And I like that the safety evolutions over the last few years have been incorporated. So, from the weight reduction, expected aero grip and more power from the engine manufacturers, this is the car that’s going to provide exactly what we’ve been asking for it to do.” – Conor Daly, No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

“Seeing it without any livery, it feels like Batman has a new toy. It feels aggressive in the areas where you want it to be. I think it’s the natural, perfect evolution into a new era. Aerodynamically, everything I hear from Dallara is that they are trying to minimize the effect of dirty air so that we can race even closer. Even if it’s a half-a-wing of clean air, it will make a huge difference. Between Dallara and INDYCAR, I think what they have created is really great, and I’m as optimistic as I’ve ever been that this car will race really well.” – Jack Harvey, No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

“The car is awesome. We all wanted a new, modern-day car that is lighter and looks futuristic and fast but still has all of the incredible safety advancements that INDYCAR is known for. This does all of those things. There are still a lot of things to work through in terms of on-track testing and how it reacts to the different types of environments it will be exposed to, but from a visual standpoint, it’s incredible. This is something people will be excited about.” – Alexander Rossi, No. 20 Java House Chevrolet, ECR

“It still looks like an INDYCAR SERIES car but so much more modern, integrated and racy. Over the last few months, we’ve heard bits and pieces about the wings or sidepods, but to see it all put together – it’s better than the expectations. Even details like the barge boards behind the front wheels, I think it’ll help the racing a lot, especially on ovals. And the car is lighter. I cannot wait to hop in and give it a go. This is exciting.” – Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet

“There is a ‘wow’ factor. The first thing that struck me is that it has more room in the cockpit and will fit differently-sized drivers, which is really good. Secondly, it still has the INDYCAR DNA, which was a worry for me that it wouldn’t look like an INDYCAR SERIES car. This definitely does. It also has an aggressive look with an integrated aeroscreen and a car that addresses a lot of little tweaks that drivers have asked for. Dallara has delivered on almost everything. I’m super excited for the future.” – Felix Rosenqvist, No. 60 SiriusXM Honda, Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian

“I’m very excited for the new car – I like the design a lot. It’s very striking and aggressive in many ways but isn’t too far of a departure from the old car, which is exactly the way it should look. I was the tall driver used for the seat fit and initial sizing of the cockpit, so I’ve seen the new chassis, and I have to say it’s beautifully built especially with the way everything is integrated with the aeroscreen and everything else. One of our goals should be to attract another manufacturer into the sport, and I hope this new footprint allows for that. I expect everyone to be very pleased.” – Graham Rahal, No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

“It’s awesome. It just looks racy. It has a really good design. It’s refined, very well thought through and filled with details both inside the cockpit and out. Plus, it’s kept the core INDYCAR feel while expanding our technology and taking this to another level. I’m really excited.” – Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland, round 13 of the 2026 championship, Sunday, Aug. 9. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One. Audio coverage is available via INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

 

NXT SERIES

 

www.indynxt.com

photos courtesy INDYCAR SERIES

Indy NXT (pronounced "Indy Next"), previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as INDY NXT by Firestone for sponsorship reasons. Indy NXT is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program of racing series leading up to the IndyCar Series.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026) – For the first time since March, Alessandro de Tullio sealed the deal.

De Tullio led all 35 laps from the pole to win the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry. It was the rookie’s second victory of the season, as he also won in late March from the pole at Barber Motorsports Park.

SEE: Race Results

The victory provided sweet relief for the INDYCAR development series rookie, who has shown tremendous pace in qualifying with eight pole positions this season – one shy of the series record – but had just the Barber win to show for it before today. De Tullio also crossed the finish line first from pole in June at Road America, but he and teammate Nicholas Monteiro were disqualified after post-race technical inspection discovered a sporting infraction.

“It wasn’t easy,” de Tullio said. “I had to take care of the tires. There was quite a bit of (wear) toward the end. Good race. The car was great. I can’t thank the full team enough.

“Super happy to get this one, and hopefully it sticks.”

De Tullio took the checkered flag 2.1885 seconds ahead of series veteran Lochie Hughes in the No. 26 Andretti Global car. Hughes’ teammate Max Taylor completed the podium finishers in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen entry.

Rookie Tymek Kucharczyk finished fourth in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports car, while Jacob Abel rounded out the top five in the No. 48 Abel Motorsports entry in his first series start since 2024.

The tense race for the series championship and NTT INDYCAR SERIES career enhancement package awarded to the title winner tightened even further with just three races remaining this season. Enzo Fittipaldi took over the series lead by one point with his seventh-place finish in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports car, taking the top spot from Nikita Johnson, who entered this event with a one-point margin over Fittipaldi.

Johnson finished eighth in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR machine. Meanwhile, Kucharczyk drew even closer to the top two with his 11th top-five finish in 14 starts this season, as he remained third, just 18 points behind leader Fittipaldi and 17 behind Johnson.

“Tough weekend,” said Fittipaldi, who started 12th. “I don’t understand why we struggled so much this weekend. We have an idea, but it’s strange. We were looking forward to this race weekend; I thought we were going to be really strong. For some reason, we were struggling a lot.”

De Tullio left no doubt about his speed at the start, as he got a good jump at the green flag and built a small gap entering the notorious chicane in Turns 1 and 2 of the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course. He parried a strong move by Hughes in the chicane complex and started to pull away.

“It was tough because we have to start early here as a rule, so they (rivals) get a good draft,” de Tullio said. “Lochie, obviously, is a driver with a lot of experience, and he knows how to race. So, it was difficult to hold him off there in Turn 1. We just had to go elbows out, and we kept it clean – that was most important.”

The only other drama happened when rookie Carson Etter spawned the only caution period of the race, on Lap 3. Etter spun exiting Turn 12 and nosed into the pit wall in the No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing entry.

De Tullio rocketed from the field again on the restart on Lap 5 and never trailed. His gap to Hughes grew to nearly three seconds with 10 laps to go, as de Tullio was able to easily lap the No. 15 Cusick Morgan Motorsports machine of rookie Nicholas Stati, a task that was harder for his closest pursuers Hughes, Taylor and Kucharczyk.

Once that chasing trio cleared Stati, they set sail for de Tullio and sliced nearly a second from his lead. But there weren’t enough laps to trim that gap any further.

The next INDY NXT by Firestone race is Sunday, Aug. 30 at the Milwaukee Mile, the last oval race of the season. The 2026 season concludes with a doubleheader Sept. 5-6 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026) – Alessandro de Tullio’s march toward an INDY NXT by Firestone season record continued Saturday – by a tiny margin.

De Tullio earned his eighth pole this season – one shy of tying the all-time record for the INDYCAR development series – in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry, holding off Andretti Global’s Lochie Hughes by .0033 of a second to earn the top starting spot for the Grand Prix of Portland. It was the fourth-closest duel for the pole on a road or street circuit in series history.

SEE: Qualifying Results

“Unreal,” de Tullio said. “This season has been, in terms of speed, amazing. I just can’t thank this team enough for giving me a great car. Every weekend, we’re always there, always fast. We’re constantly on the front row.”

Series rookie De Tullio, from Miami, has started first or second in 12 of the 14 races this season. He is trying to break the series record of nine poles set in 2018 by current NTT INDYCAR SERIES star Pato O’Ward.

De Tullio’s pole-winning lap of 1 minute, 2.2006 seconds came in the first qualifying group. He was forced to sit and watch half of the field try to topple his time, with series veteran Hughes falling just short at 1:02.2039 in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course.

Max Taylor will start third after his best lap of 1:02.2347 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car of Andretti Global. Championship contender Tymek Kucharczyk, who led practice Saturday morning, will join Taylor on the second row after his lap of 1:02.2268 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry.

Jacob Abel, making his first series start since 2024, qualified fifth at 1:02.3116 in the No. 48 Abel Motorsports machine. Abel’s teammate Myles Rowe rounded out the third row at 1:02.3408 in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy car.

Kucharczyk, 25 points behind series leader Nikita Johnson, is the only one of the three main title contenders starting near the front. Johnson qualified ninth at 1:02.4178 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR car. Fellow rookie Enzo Fittipaldi, one point behind Johnson in second, will start 12th after his best lap of 1:02.5727 in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports car.

The 35-lap race starts at 2 p.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

While the title fight rages, De Tullio will try to convert his Saturday speed into Sunday success, a rarity this season. He has just one victory – in March at Barber Motorsports Park – despite starting on the front row 12 times this season. He is seventh in the standings.

“It’s a little bit hard, as well, considering the speed we have and where we are in points and things that go on, it’s a little bit difficult to think about that,” de Tullio said. “But the important thing is we are there, we have the pace. On this side of things, it’s been a great season.”

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (Friday, Aug. 7, 2026) – If the first practice is any indication, the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland could be a very interesting race with major championship implications.

Just one of the top five drivers on the time sheet Friday at Portland International Raceway is in the top five in the championship standings for the INDYCAR development series. Niels Koolen, 16th in points, led with a best lap of 1 minute, 3.0405 seconds in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing car.

SEE: Practice Results

“It seems all the prep we did as a team for this track paid off so far,” Koolen said. “Let’s see if we can keep this up for the rest of the weekend.”

Seb Murray of Andretti Global, 13th in points, ended up second at 1:03.0861 in the No. 27 Megatron machine on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile natural road course. Murray’s teammate Lochie Hughes, fifth in points, was third at 1:03.1374 in the No. 26 Andretti Global entry.

Surprises continued with JM Correa, 11th in points, ending up fourth at 1:03.1984 in the No. 68 Cusick Morgan Motorsports car. Myles Rowe, sixth in points, rounded out the top five at 1:03.3058 in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy machine.

It wasn’t the strongest session for the top three title contenders.

Points leader Nikita Johnson was 13th at 1:03.5915 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR entry.

“Traffic was a little bit difficult,” series rookie Johnson said. “(The circuit) is so flowy that it’s kind of hard to see in your mirrors sometimes, and even I messed up, as well, on some of these laps. It’s kind of hard for everyone to see who’s behind. A little bit of traffic here and there, but we had the car in a better window at the end.”

Enzo Fittipaldi, just one point behind Johnson in second, was 18th at 1:03.9284 in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports car. His fellow rookie teammate Tymek Kucharcyzk, 25 points behind Johnson in third, was the quickest of the tight trio atop the standings in 12th at 1:03.5783 in the No. 71 HMD Motorsports entry.

All three of the title contenders can take solace in knowing less than one second separated the top 20 drivers on the speed chart.

In another interesting storyline this weekend, 2024 series runner-up Jacob Abel was ninth at 1:03.4055 in the No. 48 Abel Motorsports car in his first INDY NXT by Firestone start since the end of the 2024 season.

Up next is a second practice at noon ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 3 p.m. ET. The 35-lap race starts at 2 p.m. ET Sunday. FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls are broadcasting the remaining sessions this weekend.

 

 

 

INDYCAR SERIESNXT SERIES

 

2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE

DateVenue
Sunday, March 1Streets of St. Petersburg
Saturday, March 7Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, March 15Streets of Arlington
Sunday, March 29Barber Motorsports Park
Sunday, April 19Streets of Long Beach
Saturday, May 9Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Sunday, May 24The 110th Indianapolis 500
Sunday, May 31Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 7World Wide Technology Raceway
Sunday, June 21Road America
Sunday, July 5Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sunday, July 19Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday, Aug. 9Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 16Streets of Markham
Saturday, Aug. 29Milwaukee Mile Race 1
Sunday, Aug. 30Milwaukee Mile Race 2
Sunday, Sept. 6WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
 

2026 INDY NXT BY FIRESTONE SCHEDULE

DateVenue
Sunday, March 1Streets of St. Petersburg
Sunday, March 15Streets of Arlington
Saturday, March 28Barber Motorsports Park Race 1
Sunday, March 29Barber Motorsports Park Race 2
Friday, May 8Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 1
Saturday, May 9Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 2
Sunday, May 31Streets of Detroit
Sunday, June 7World Wide Technology Raceway
Saturday, June 20Road America Race 1
Sunday, June 21Road America Race 2
Saturday, July 4Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Race 1
Sunday, July 5Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Race 2
Sunday, July 19Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday, Aug. 9Portland International Raceway
Sunday, Aug. 30Milwaukee Mile
Saturday, Sept. 5WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 1
Sunday, Sept. 6WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 2

 

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