How to watch the 2024 INDYCAR season opener at St. Petersburg

All you need to know ahead of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener.

After a long winter of waiting, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES finally returns to the track in sunny Florida, as the 2024 season gets underway with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Alex Palou, now a two-time champion, will begin his title defense in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing machine, though he’s never won a race at St. Petersburg in four starts.

There have been big changes to the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule in the offseason. The 2023 season wrapped up at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which will now feature earlier in the 2024 season (in June). And the finale has moved to the Music City, taking place at Nashville Superspeedway on September 15th.

Of course, everyone has Memorial Day Weekend circled on their calendar, as the drivers prepare for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26.

Here’s all you need to know about Sunday’s season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida

Sunday, March 10th: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

The 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

2024 NTT INDYCAR Series Schedule:

March 10th: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Streets of St. Petersburg)

March 24th: $1 Million Challenge (The Thermal Club)

April 21st: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (Streets of Long Beach)

April 28th: Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix (Barber Motorsports Park)

May 11th: Sonsio Grand Prix (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course)

May 26th: The 108th Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

June 2nd: Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (Streets of Detroit)

June 9th: XPEL Grand Prix at Road America (Road America)

June 23rd: Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca)

July 7th: Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course)

July 13th: Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Race 1 (Iowa Speedway)

July 14th: Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Race 2 (Iowa Speedway)

July 21st: Honda Indy Toronto (Exhibition Place)

August 17th: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 (World Wide Technology Raceway)

August 25th: BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland (Portland International Raceway)

August 31st: Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s – Race 1 (Milwaukee Mile)

September 1st: Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s – Race 2 (Milwaukee Mile)

September 15th: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (Nashville Superspeedway)

Q&A: Tyrese Haliburton on entering All-Star Weekend in an Indy car, the 3-point contest and more

“All of these people are here for All-Star Weekend, and I’m the Hoosier representative,” Tyrese Haliburton told For The Win.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is one of the busiest individuals at the NBA’s 2024 All-Star Weekend.

Haliburton, who led Eastern Conference guards in All-Star votes from fans as well as media and players, earned an appearance as the starting point guard in the East for the All-Star Game.

The 23-year-old represents the Pacers, the hosts of NBA All-Star Weekend for the first time since 1985. He is just the fourth player in franchise history to ever make an appearance in the starting lineup of the All-Star Game. For the second year in a row, Haliburton will also participate in the Starry 3-point Contest.

Haliburton took some time to catch up with For The Win to discuss showing up to All-Star Weekend in an Indy car, the love he received from Larry Bird and Reggie Miller and more.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

IndyCar’s Josef Newgarden seemingly got a tattoo of NASCAR champ Ryan Blaney’s bearded face

Josef Newgarden appears to be a man of his word with his new ink celebrating NASCAR champ Ryan Blaney.

Well, it looks like Josef Newgarden is a man of his word because it appears he’s got some new ink after making a little wager.

The two-time IndyCar Series champ and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner is a big supporter of his Team Penske teammates on the NASCAR side, so when Ryan Blaney remained in contention for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship, Newgarden made a deal. He texted Blaney: “If you win this championship, I’m getting your face tattooed on my thigh.”

“Oh let’s [expletive] GO,” Blaney replied.

Well, not long after that, the No. 12 Team Penske driver won his first NASCAR championship. And afterward, Blaney told For The Win he was eager to see if Newgarden would follow through, hoping for a full-beard portrait and all.

And now, it appears that Newgarden did, in fact, get Blaney’s face and the NASCAR trophy tattooed on his leg. (It could be temporary, but we’re hoping it’s not.)

Blaney previously explained that the tattoo had to be of him with a full beard, even though he’s looking mostly clean-shaven now:

“Full beard. We won the championship, full beard, full mustache. I want my face. I sent him a picture. I sent him a reference photo. I was like, “How about this to base it off of?” But yeah, you gotta go full beard. 1800s U.S. president is what he called me, so that’s what I want.”

That’s exactly what he got.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=421393221]

How to watch the 2023 INDYCAR season finale at Laguna Seca

All you need to know to watch INDYCAR’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES season comes to a close on Sunday in sunny Monterey, as champion Alex Palou will take a victory lap at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey after clinching the series title last weekend.

Palou, now a two-time INDYCAR champ, won at Portland International Raceway in a brilliant performance, and now returns to the track where he ended the season with a victory last year.

This will be the final season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the INDYCAR SERIES before a schedule revamp. While Laguna Seca will be on the schedule in 2024, the season finale will shift to Nashville next year.

Here’s all you need to know about Sunday’s race.

Sunday, September 10th: Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey

The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

NTT INDYCAR Series points standings:

1st. Alex Palou, 618 points

2nd. Scott Dixon, 527 points

3rd. Josef Newgarden, 470 points

4th. Pato O’Ward, 461 points

5th. Scott McLaughlin, 448 points

6th. Marcus Ericsson, 423 points

7th. Will Power, 393 points

8th. Christian Lundgaard, 362 points

9th. Alexander Rossi, 349 points

10th. Colton Herta, 348 points

How to watch INDYCAR’s action-packed doubleheader at Iowa Speedway

All you need to know ahead of the NTT @INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader at Iowa Speedway.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to Iowa Speedway this weekend for a doubleheader at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.”

With two races adding up to a bevy of championship points on the line, and superstars like Ed Sheeran and Caitlin Clark highlighting festivities, INDYCAR Iowa weekend is quickly becoming a fan-favorite spectacle.

Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward will try to defend their race wins at Iowa a season ago in the first oval races on the schedule since the 2023 Indianapolis 500.

Fans in attendance will also enjoy four massive concerts bookending each race. On Saturday, Carrie Underwood will perform the pre-race concert, with Kenny Chesney performing the post-race concert. On Sunday, Zac Brown Band will kick things off, with Ed Sheeran closing out the weekend in Iowa.

So when should you tune in to catch Race No. 2?

Sunday, July 23rd: Hy-Vee One Step 250

The following day, the Hy-Vee One Step 250 will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday on NBC and Peacock.

Race 1 Recap:

Josef Newgarden proved once again he’s the man to beat in Iowa, leading the most laps en route to a fifth career victory at the short track. Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin finished close behind, but Newgarden was so dominant that only five total cars finished on the lead lap.

NTT INDYCAR Series points standings:

With four race wins in 2023, Alex Palou enters the doubleheader weekend with a commanding advantage in the standings.

1st. Alex Palou, 442 points

2nd. Josef Newgarden, 344 points

3rd. Scott Dixon, 328 points

4th. Pato O’Ward, 309 points

5th. Marcus Ericsson, 307 points

6th. Scott McLaughlin, 298 points

7th. Will Power, 274 points

Indy 500 fan whose car was damaged by a flying tire is getting a new one from Penske Entertainment

A tire from Felix Rosenqvist’s car flew off into the crowd during the Indy 500 and hit a parked car.

[mm-video type=video id=01h1qebda6rqp25wmqym playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h1qebda6rqp25wmqym/01h1qebda6rqp25wmqym-5bfe01ffd656b074771dca73bfc922fd.jpg]

Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, particularly the final 20 laps, was filled with drama, tension and some terrifying crashes, including when a tire from Felix Rosenqvist’s car flew off into the crowd and hit a parked car.

Rosenqvist made contact with the outside wall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and spun out as a result. With traffic coming around the track, Kyle Kirkwood hit Rosenqvist’s skidding car, causing the tire to shoot out toward the grandstands. Kirkwood then slammed into the wall, flipped upside down and slid down the track.

Thankfully, no one was injured from the tire soaring above fans’ heads — though one spectator was treated for minor injuries from flying debris not related to the tire. But it hit a parked car, damaging the front left side.

MORE INDY 500: Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden on his thrilling last-lap pass and ‘Top Gun-style’ celebration

And now, as the IndyStar reported Wednesday, the owner of the damaged (passenger) car, Robin Matthews, is getting a replacement from Penske Entertainment, which owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series, per a track spokesperson.

More from the IndyStar:

“I didn’t see it come down,” said Matthews, a racing fan from Indianapolis. “I came down and they said, ‘Robin, it’s your car!’ I thought, ‘No.’ I thought somebody was pranking me. It’s a car. It’s fine.”

For racing fans who know anything about Roger Penske and the “Penske Way,” a new car for Matthews is hardly a surprise.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=1168941]

Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden on his thrilling last-lap pass and ‘Top Gun-style’ celebration

“I couldn’t have scripted it better for us to be able to have a green-flag finish,” Indy 500 champ Josef Newgarden told For The Win.

[mm-video type=video id=01h1qdt3054fsbx7k2rc playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h1qdt3054fsbx7k2rc/01h1qdt3054fsbx7k2rc-b0bfbed92a68abfd26967c598d4e7c8a.jpg]

More than a decade after his first time out, Josef Newgarden finally became an Indianapolis 500 champion Sunday, winning the 107th running of the iconic race.

Following three red-flag pauses in the final 15 laps of the 500-mile race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Newgarden and Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 champ, battled it out off a one-lap restart shootout. Newgarden surged past Ericsson on the backstretch for the lead and ultimately the victory in a thrilling final lap. Winning a record 19th Indy 500 for Team Penske, the No. 2 Chevrolet driver edged Ericsson by 0.0974 seconds for the fourth-closest finish in the race’s history.

For The Win spoke with Newgarden on Tuesday after his Indy 500 victory about his late-race strategy, adding to the Team Penske legacy and his “Top Gun-style” celebration.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

13 magnificent photos of Josef Newgarden’s Indy 500 victory milk celebration

Josef Newgarden’s milk bath after winning the 2023 Indy 500 was absolutely magnificent.

Josef Newgarden’s first-ever Indianapolis 500 victory was as hard-fought as they come.

After battling through three red flags thanks to some incredibly scary crashes in the final 17 laps, Newgarden overtook the 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson on the final lap to secure the victory. Newgarden was then able to out-duel Ericsson in the final stretch to win his first career Indy 500.

Fans had to wait nearly an hour over the expected finish time for the end of the 2023 Indy 500 after Felix Rosenqvist and Kyle Kirkwood collided in a scary crash that sent a tire flying past the stands. Two more crashes then followed, with fans wondering if the race would finish under yellow, but in the end Newgarden was able to take home the win after a thrilling final lap.

MORE INDY 500: Twitter reacts to Josef Newgarden winning the 2023 Indy 500.

And after all was said and done, Newgarden hopped into the crowd to celebrate with fans!

Then, finally, the moment racing fans were all waiting for. Newgarden drove over to Victory Lane to dump milk — whole milk, as was his choice! — all over himself to celebrate his win!

Here are 13 photos of Newgarden’s Indy 500 celebrations with fans and his iconic victory milk bath.

Twitter reacts to Josef Newgarden winning the 2023 Indy 500

Josef Newgarden pulled off a last-lap pass to win the 2023 Indy 500.

The 2023 Indianapolis 500 delivered a wild one-lap dash to the finish after several red flags in the closing stages, and Josef Newgarden passed Marcus Ericsson to win in a thrilling finish.

Ericsson got a great jump on the restart, but Newgarden was able to use the draft to pass Ericsson down the backstraight, and held off the defending Indy 500 champion through the final two turns to win IndyCar’s biggest race in his 12th attempt.

Instead of climbing the fence, Newgarden went into the crowd to celebrate with the fans. Here’s what fans were saying after an epic race.

Also see:

Felix Rosenqvist’s flying tire smashed into a parked car after narrowly missing Indy 500 crowd

Thankfully, the tire only hit a parked car and no bystanders.

It’s a miracle no one was injured in this terrifying incident at the 2023 Indianapolis 500.

During the final 17 laps of Sunday’s race, Felix Rosenqvist spun out on the track after hitting the wall. Kyle Kirkwood’s car clipped Rosenqvist on the way by, causing the tire of the latter’s car to fly off out of the track in a scary moment.

MORE INDY 500: Kyle Kirkwood’s on-board camera captured a terrifying angle of his Indy 500 crash.

Thankfully, Rosenqvist’s tire cleared the fans in the stands nearby, as it had just enough height to miss the stands completely. Here’s how the crash unfolded, with the flying tire missing the stands.

So, where did the tire land? Not too far away after it hit a parked car sitting nearby!

It’s really incredible that no one was hit by the flying tire as it made its way out of the track. And thankfully, Rosenqvist and Kirkwood were both uninjured after their scary crash.

Here’s how racing fans reacted after Rosenqvist’s flying tire narrowly missed the Indy 500 crowd and smashed into a parked car.