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IndyCar and NASCAR Plan More Doubleheader Events After Phoenix Success

The partnership between IndyCar and NASCAR continues to grow after a successful joint weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Officials from both organizations spoke about the benefits and fan excitement surrounding combined race weekends during the Autosport Business Exchange in New York.

Earlier this year, the two series shared a Desert Double event at Phoenix Raceway in March. The IndyCar race featured 250 laps with 565 passes and 18 lead changes involving 11 drivers. Team Penske's Josef Newgarden secured a late win on Saturday, followed by the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race that same evening. Sunday's main event was the NASCAR Cup Series race.

This format will return to Phoenix from March 12–14, 2027, with IndyCar and the O'Reilly Series again sharing Saturday's schedule before the Sunday Cup race. Talks hint that IndyCar may even headline the Saturday program next year.

History of Joint NASCAR and IndyCar Weekends

The idea of combining race weekends isn't new. It started during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when IndyCar and the NASCAR O'Reilly (formerly Xfinity) Series raced on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield road course on Saturday ahead of the NASCAR Cup event on Sunday. This arrangement continued through 2023 until NASCAR brought back the Brickyard 400 on the oval track.

Positive Impact and Future Opportunities

Jonathan Gibson, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Penske Corporation, noted strong increases in ticket sales and fan engagement from these joint events.

"It wasn't the first one; we started at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the road course event in 2021. Last year at Phoenix, Saturday ticket sales doubled with IndyCar and the O'Reilly Series racing together. Drivers enjoy being part of the broader racing community, and fans love it. While we won’t do this every weekend, Phoenix is back on the schedule for next year, and other opportunities exist."

Tim Clark, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer at NASCAR, agreed, highlighting the interest these crossovers create among competitors and fans.

"Watching our drivers off-track usually means downtime, but when the IndyCar drivers were racing, everyone was watching. For motorsports fans—not just those loyal to one discipline—it’s exciting to see both series on the same weekend. The IndyCar race finished, and within an hour and 15 minutes, the O'Reilly Series hit the track. Seeing these differences side by side is great for the sport, and there’s more to come between NASCAR and IndyCar."

Recent Highlights

  • Phoenix Desert Double Weekend: 250-lap IndyCar race with 565 total passes and 18 lead changes.
  • Josef Newgarden: Claimed victory for Team Penske in the IndyCar race at Phoenix.
  • Upcoming Event: Phoenix Raceway scheduled for March 12–14, 2027, with IndyCar and NASCAR O'Reilly Series sharing Saturday.
  • Past Collaborations: IndyCar and NASCAR O'Reilly/Xfinity Series raced together at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course from 2020 through 2023.

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