The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has revealed its 2023 schedule and, for the most part, it looks like this year’s 17-race go-round. Continuity of dates is a plus in racing, and INDYCAR realizes that date equity rings true for its fans.
As is customary for the series, all action begins on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida the first Sunday in March, and then there’s a month-long lag for the second race on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval. From that point the series is on a road, street and oval sprint through to the season finale, which will again be held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca the second Sunday in September.
The sole new venue is the Streets of Detroit, as INDYCAR relinquishes its 29-year hold on racing at Detroit’s Belle Isle road course and returns to downtown city streets the weekend after the 107th Indianapolis 500. There were three INDYCAR races held on the streets of the Motor City, with Emerson Fittipaldi earning two wins in 1989 and 1991 and Michael Andretti securing victory in 1990.
The balance of venues are familiar and their time-frames allow fans to follow the series throughout the heart of the United States, as well as for its single date in Toronto, long a regular stop on the circuit. The series will offer fans a stretch of eight races in the final nine weeks of the season, for action nearly every week. That will be exceptionally tough on teams and truck drivers.
Fully 13 of the 17 events will be broadcast on NBC, with all practice, qualifying sessions and individual races streamed on Peacock. The first seven races, including the Indy 500, are on NBC network television, a plus for the series. Three contests are scheduled for USA Network and the Toronto round will only be available in the United States on Peacock. INDYCAR’s two days of qualifying for this year’s 107th Indy 500 race take place the weekend before Memorial Day and can be seen on NBC’s broadcast network, which brings total NBC coverage to 15 individual dates.
“The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is on an impactful upward trajectory, making progress at a pace that befits our thrilling style of competition,” noted Mark Miles, Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO. “The 2023 season provides an opportunity to further build on this trend, bringing our sport and its stars to more markets and households, and reaching new consumers across the globe.”
There are seven road course races, five street circuits and five ovals on the docket for 2023, with a single doubleheader weekend, on the Iowa Speedway oval, scheduled for July 22-23.
“We have worked hard to achieve date and venue equity, an ongoing goal at INDYCAR,” states Jay Frye, INDYCAR president. “We are excited to return to downtown Detroit, and the repaves at Road America and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will add new challenges for drivers and teams. The intensity level will be at an all-time high as we conclude the season with three weekends in a row.”
The actual race times will be noted at a later time for all venues.
Sunday, March 5 Streets of St. Petersburg 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit (13-time season starter, 20th overall) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, April 2 Texas Motor Speedway 1.5-mile oval (36th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, April 1 Streets of Long Beach 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit (39th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, April 30 Barber Motorsports Park 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course (13th race) NBC, Peacock
Saturday, May 13 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (14th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, May 28 107th Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval (107th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, June 4 Streets of Detroit – length TBA (1st at this track, 4th downtown, 34th since 1989) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, June 18 Road America 4.014-mile, 14-turn road course (34th race) USA, Peacock
Sunday, July 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course (40th race) USA, Peacock
Sunday, July 16 Streets of Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1.786- ice, 11-turn street course (37th race) Peacock
Saturday, July 22 Iowa Speedway 0.894-mile oval (18th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, July 23 Iowa Speedway, 0.894-mile oval (19th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, August 6 Streets of Nashville 2.1-mile, 11-turn street circuit (3rd race) NBC, Peacock
Saturday, Aug 12 Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (15th race) USA, Peacock
Sunday, August 27 World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway 1.25-mile oval (15th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, September 3 Portland International Raceway 1.964-mile, 12-turn road course (29th race) NBC, Peacock
Sunday, September 10 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 2.238-mile, 11-turn road circuit (26th race, 11th season finale) NBC, Peacock
By Anne Proffit
(Some research provided by Trackside Online)
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