INDYCAR ROAD TRIP: Texas, Long Beach, Barber

Heading trackside to watch the NTT IndyCar Series live takes your experience to a whole new level. The sight, the sound and even the smell of a jostling pack of IndyCars flashing past is the definition of sensory overload, and one not to be missed. …

Heading trackside to watch the NTT IndyCar Series live takes your experience to a whole new level. The sight, the sound and even the smell of a jostling pack of IndyCars flashing past is the definition of sensory overload, and one not to be missed.

In April, race fans get three chances to enjoy the NTT IndyCar Series in all its explosive glory, with three very different tracks hosting the action. It’s the full-throttle, 200mph-plus excitement of Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, followed by the twists and walls of Long Beach’s legendary street race/street party, then into the sweeps and elevation changes of Barber Motorsport Park’s stunning natural-terrain road course.

NTT IndyCar Series event tickets offer exceptional value for money, so whether you’re local to the tracks or setting the controls for interstate cruise mode, it’s time to plan that road trip and get the full-on experience. See you at the race track!

Sunday, April 2
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, TEXAS /
PPG 375

If you’ve never been to an NTT IndyCar Series race, Texas Motor Speedway is an incredible place to get off the mark. IndyCar’s annual visit to the 1.5-mile oval is an unmissable blur of mind-blowing speeds, wheel-to-wheel action, and ultra-close finishes. With speeds touching 220mph and the cars often just inches apart, it’s IndyCar racing in the raw. Last year, Josef Newgarden beat Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin to the win by just 0.0699s after 248 intense laps.

Sightlines in the Texas-sized grandstand are excellent – there’s no bad seat in the place – and the tracks “No Limits Next” upgrades mean fans will be able to enjoy more comfort, extra storage space and leg room. Enhancing the raceday experience, there’s an expansive Belly-Up Bar and No Limits Bars to relax prior to the action or if you want to stretch your legs during the race (with TV monitors, you won’t miss a thing). Add in an expansive Fan Zone and multiple culinary outlets serving a range of great eats (we recommend you try a Texas Hill Grinder), it’s a full-on day’s entertainment around the amazing on-track action

Great tickets are available starting at just $50, with upgraded Grandstand tickets from $70, and kids 12 and under are just $10 with a ticketed adult. Garage Pass and Pit Stop Park tailgating area upgrades are also available. Find out more and purchase tickets here.

Most parking is free, but VIP Parking located directly across from Gates 1-7 on the west side of the speedway and Express Parking located directly across from the Speedway Club on the south side of the speedway, with dedicated lanes in/out of the Speedway, are available to purchase here.

Getting there: Whether you’re coming to Texas Motor Speedway from the Fort Worth, Dallas or Denton areas, access is easy. For driving directions and traffic patterns, click here.

And to get you in the mood for some wheel-to-wheel action, Texas style, check out last year’s race highlight…

Sunday, April 16
STREETS OF LONG BEACH, CALIF. /
48th ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH

The NTT IndyCar Series is front and center at America’s No. 1 street racing festival, the 48th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. After practice and qualifying on Friday, April 14, and Saturday, April 15, Sunday’s race takes in 85 laps of the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit that wraps around the Long Beach Convention Center and blasts down Shoreline drive. High speeds and heavy braking on roads usually filled with SoCal commuters, plus unforgiving walls that punish the slightest mistake, make Long Beach a truly spectacular experience, in or out of the racecar.

Reserved grandstand seating on the front stretch opposite pit lane and on the approach to Turn 1 and Turn 6 – both key overtaking points – offers superb viewing. Sunday reserved seating grandstand tickets start at just $92, with Junior (12 years and under) reserved seating starting at $67. Weekend reserved seating (3-day admission with Sat/Sun reserved seat) is also available, along with Saturday-only reserved seating.

Alternatively, if you want to move around and view the action from multiple locations, general admission tickets are a great value option. They’re good for unreserved seating on Friday and Saturday and admission only on Sunday, no seating. Plus, one Junior can get in free when accompanied by a ticket-bearing adult. Three-day general admission is $112, with Sunday coming in at $82.

Adding to the experience, three-day or single-day paddock passes are also available, but do not include track admission.

For all ticketing options, find out more and purchase your tickets here.

Getting there: Some limited parking is still available close to the track, but alternative transportation including Long Beach Transit, Metro A Line and Metrolink, can deliver you close to the track. Plus, there’s an official race track drop-off point for Uber, Lyft and taxis on First St. between Elm and Long Beach Blvd. Find out more here.

With other great series on track through the weekend, including Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round and races for Historic F1 cars, Porsche Carrera Cup and Stadium Super Trucks on Sunday’s packed bill, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is a must-see weekend. Add in concerts, a Lifestyle Expo and the Family Fan Zone and it’s the fastest party on the planet.

Sunday, April 30
BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK, ALA. /
CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA INDY GRAND PRIX

Completing its diverse April, the NTT IndyCar Series races on one of the most scenic and challenging natural-terrain road courses in North America, Barber Motorsports Park. With 17 flowing turns in its 2.3-mile layout, and a wide racing surface that makes for some interesting lines when it comes to setting up overtaking moves, the Alabama track rarely fails to deliver a fascinating race. Over 90 laps, differing gameplans will come into play, with multiple permutations of fuel and tire strategies often leaving the outcome in doubt until the very end.

Race fans can enjoy the spectacle from superbly positioned and beautifully maintained spectator banking areas, with the speed and agility of an IndyCar showcased around the sweeps and elevation changes that define Barber. The main spectator area is along the back stretch, between Turns 8 and 11. From this area, most of the course, except for Turns 2/3 and Turn 13, is visible. It’s a track where drivers stalk their prey, before finally committing to a make-or-break pass – rhythm is everything, and patience is key.

Under balmy southern skies, there are few better places to watch the stars of the NTT IndyCar Series do their thing. Plan on bringing an outdoor blanket or chair and enjoy the races on one of the hillsides or in the Fan Zone. Grandstand seating is limited and available on a first-come first-serve basis. Pop-up tents are allowed; however, be mindful of your fellow race fans around you when setting up. And if you want to watch from multiple locations, a complimentary tram service takes some of the strain.

Raceday general admission is only $49 (yes, you read that right), with Friday’s practice day just $25 and Saturday coming in at $45 (when the bill includes Indy NXT, radical Cup and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, as well as a frantic IndyCar qualifying session). Even better, kids 15 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult and do not require a physical ticket.

Onsite parking will be limited this year, and you must have a parking pass to enter the Park. Upon purchasing tickets you will be provided a complimentary parking pass.

For more details on tickets and parking, and to purchase your tickets for the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix, click here.

• For details of all upcoming 2023 NTT IndyCar Series race, include how to purchase tickets, click here.