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IndyCar's 2027 season opener has been set. The series announced Thursday that the season will again begin with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 7, 2027.
Along with IndyCar returning to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, to begin its season, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return for a second year to be the day before the IndyCar race. This year, notable IndyCar alum Dario Franchitti and James Hinchcliffe drove in the truck race.
The announcement confirms that the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will remain on the IndyCar calendar, as an extension of the race past 2026 had not been publicly announced (although Firestone agreed to be the race's title sponsor through 2028). The race has kicked off the IndyCar season for 15 of the last 18 years, and has been done annually since 2005. Alex Palou will look to win the race for a third consecutive year in 2027.
The 2027 IndyCar season will begin one week later than the 2026 season. This could be in hopes of IndyCar returning to Phoenix Raceway, where it did a joint weekend with the NASCAR Cup Series this year. With the Super Bowl being a week later next year, NASCAR's season opener – the Daytona 500 – has been moved back a week to not air on the same day. While NASCAR has not yet announced its date for its race at Phoenix Raceway next year, it will likely come a week later if it's in the same order of the schedule.
IndyCar may want to begin its season with three straight race weekends again, which would mean accommodating the shifted NASCAR schedule to return to Phoenix Raceway on the weekend of March 13-14, as the series is returning to the Grand Prix of Arlington on March 21. The official Grand Prix of St. Petersburg date opens the door for IndyCar to go back to Phoenix Raceway with NASCAR.
Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar sets 2027 start date; what it means for early season schedule
Continue reading...
Along with IndyCar returning to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, to begin its season, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return for a second year to be the day before the IndyCar race. This year, notable IndyCar alum Dario Franchitti and James Hinchcliffe drove in the truck race.
The announcement confirms that the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will remain on the IndyCar calendar, as an extension of the race past 2026 had not been publicly announced (although Firestone agreed to be the race's title sponsor through 2028). The race has kicked off the IndyCar season for 15 of the last 18 years, and has been done annually since 2005. Alex Palou will look to win the race for a third consecutive year in 2027.
The 2027 IndyCar season will begin one week later than the 2026 season. This could be in hopes of IndyCar returning to Phoenix Raceway, where it did a joint weekend with the NASCAR Cup Series this year. With the Super Bowl being a week later next year, NASCAR's season opener – the Daytona 500 – has been moved back a week to not air on the same day. While NASCAR has not yet announced its date for its race at Phoenix Raceway next year, it will likely come a week later if it's in the same order of the schedule.
IndyCar may want to begin its season with three straight race weekends again, which would mean accommodating the shifted NASCAR schedule to return to Phoenix Raceway on the weekend of March 13-14, as the series is returning to the Grand Prix of Arlington on March 21. The official Grand Prix of St. Petersburg date opens the door for IndyCar to go back to Phoenix Raceway with NASCAR.
Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar sets 2027 start date; what it means for early season schedule
Continue reading...
