With a record four races in March, there has never been a faster-paced start to an NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, and the 2026 championship begins Sunday, March 1, at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.

A return to historic Phoenix Raceway, an inaugural event on the Streets of Arlington and another trip to Barber Motorsports Park will set the stage for another record-making 2026 season.

For the first time since 2014, North America's premier open-wheel series will feature an 18-race championship. For the second year, FOX Sports will provide coverage of all on-track sessions, including all 18 races scheduled to air on FOX. With two additional appearances on broadcast television during PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on May 16-17 ahead of the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, FOX will provide a record 20 network windows for the series.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport series in North America with all races broadcasting on network television. All INDYCAR programming also streams live on FOX One and the FOX Sports app.

"Coming off a 2025 season of massive and historic growth with FOX Sports, 2026 has all the makings of another incredible year," INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. "The addition of new events at Phoenix, Arlington, Markham and Washington D.C., combined with integration around this summer's FIFA World Cup 2026 on FOX, will provide even greater opportunity to showcase the ultra-competitive, wheel-to-wheel racing and dynamic driver personalities that the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is known for. We cannot wait to see what happens during the 2026 championship and the battle for the Astor Challenge Cup, beginning with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg."

Drivers will take aim at several milestones throughout the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The next first-time winner in the series will mark the 300th all-time race winner in the history of the INDYCAR SERIES.

Four-time series champion and winner of three consecutive titles, Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, looks to become only the second driver to win four consecutive championships, joining Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing will attempt to extend all-time records for seasons with a win (23), consecutive seasons with a win (21), consecutive starts (356), starts (419), podiums (145) and top fives (216).

Will Power, who joined Andretti Global starting this season, looks to extend his all-time record for pole positions earned (71).

Several other drivers are on pace to make a milestone 100th career NTT INDYCAR SERIES race start, including Palou, Rinus VeeKay, Santino Ferrucci and Scott McLaughlin.

For more information, visit indycar.com.

Photo Courtesy of INDYCAR – Penske Entertainment | Chris Owens