IndyCar’s Arlington circuit layout will leave drivers “exposed,” but keep things entertaining – Newgarden
The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time IndyCar Series champion, part of the track reveal on Tuesday, provided insight on the challenges for drivers ahead for the new 2026 Texas street race.
A collaborative effort between Penske Entertainment, the Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of the Texas Rangers, the IndyCar Series will return to the Lone Star State following a two-year absence in 2024-25. North America’s premier open-wheel championship previously ran at Texas Motor Speedway, based nearby in Fort Worth, from 1997-2023.
While the collective group of partners will play a significant part in raising the event to heights the sport is striving for, the main attraction still remains on track with the 14-turn, 2.73-mile street circuit. For reference, the longest street circuit the series raced on this past season was the 1.968-mile layout in Long Beach.
The full unveiling of the track layout took place on Tuesday at Texas Live!, an entertainment center located between AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys, and Globe Life Field, home of the Rangers.
The circuit, which was designed by IndyCar’s longtime street track architect Tony Cotman, certainly raised plenty of eyebrows with a modern flow that rivals that of Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, which wraps around the stadium of the Miami Dolphins.
The Arlington street course features a straightaway that extends .9-mile, which is likely to see drivers push over 180 mph before being challenged with an enticing braking before a hard-braking point of a right-hander in Turn 10. There are other obvious passing zones in Turn 1, Turn 12 and Turn 14, while also presenting a unique “horseshoe” carousel that makes up Turn 6. A double-sided pit lane, similar to what is currently used for the Detroit street race, will also be highlighted. Additionally, the track will go underneath hospitality and suites in two different areas.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden was among those in attendance at the unveiling in Arlington, along with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou and AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci.
Arlington Grand Prix track map
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
Newgarden, the two-time defending winner of the Indianapolis 500 and a two-time IndyCar Series champion, shared his thoughts on the track and what kind of racing could be expected.
“Yeah, it’s kind of got everything,” Newgarden told Motorsport.com. “It’s got the typical low-speed sections that you would find on a street course, but then it has some complex double apex corners that kind of wrap around the stadium seating, so that will be really unique for fans. It’s got one pretty high-speed corner that leads onto the longest straight. And then the straightaways are very long, so I think understanding efficiency with downforce is going to be a topic here that’s not necessarily a topic on other street circuits. So, that could be an interesting element.
“How are you going to stay out front if you’re leading this thing? I think you’re going to be exposed around a track like this. So, it could be very entertaining to watch. It could be a draft fest on that long straightaway. So yeah, that’s what you’re going to be dealing with and we’ll figure it out as we do.”
News
Shocking: Aston Martin F1 Reserve Driver Felipe Drugovich “SURPRISED” by Impressive Speed in First IndyCar Test
Aston Martin F1 reserve driver Felipe Drugovich “surprised by the speed” in maiden IndyCar test The 2022 Formula 2 champion tested an Indy car for the first time last week at Barber Motorsports Park Felipe Drugovich was left astonished after a…
Breaking: Indy NXT Champion Foster Inks Multi-Year Deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing!
Indy NXT champion Foster signs multi-year deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing The Briton is set to make his IndyCar debut with the team in 2025 Indy NXT champion Louis Foster has made a major leap in his career by…
Shocking: Rins Claims Leg Injury Not Linked to Disastrous Result!
Rins: Leg injury not the reason for poor results Yamaha rider underlines his 100% fitness after Japan nightmare Alex Rins has stressed that his lack of competitiveness at struggling Yamaha has nothing to do with the limp he has been walking…
FIA makes two leadership appointments
FIA makes two leadership appointments FIA president Ben Sulayem adds two senior figures to boost organisation’s leadership team The FIA has announced two senior leadership appointments as part of president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s efforts to transform the governing body. Spaniard…
Williams to “compromise” next season ahead of 2026 rules overhaul
Williams to “compromise” next season ahead of 2026 rules overhaul Vowles expects Williams to struggle next year, but for good reason Williams team principal James Vowles has warned that the 2025 Formula 1 season will prove tricky for the British outfit…
Jerry Jones and Roger Penske partner to give IndyCar a brand new street racing spectacle
Jerry Jones and Roger Penske partner to give IndyCar a brand new street racing spectacle When IndyCar approached the Dallas Cowboys about potentially hosting a street course race in Texas, Jerry Jones saw that Roger Penske was involved and had no hesitation…
End of content
No more pages to load