2023 IndyCar Series: Schedule and Coverage
Among the many reasons to be excited for 2023 is the NTT IndyCar Series, which will be kicking off later in the year. The 2022 season was undoubtedly exciting and entertaining; by all indications, the 2023 season promises to be better.
In many ways, the NTT IndyCar series is a unique competition. It’s the only open-wheel series in the world that has races on permanent road courses, ovals, and street circuits. Thus, the competition offers something different from other popular motor racing tournaments around the world.
Read on to learn about the IndyCar Series’ schedule for 2023 and where races will be aired. Let’s dive right in:
2023 IndyCar Series Schedule
The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series is set to feature 17 races, with the season opening on the Streets of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 5. It’s followed by just under a month’s break before the open-wheel racing series is resumed on Sunday, April 2, at the Texas Motor Speedway.
Traditionally, the 2023 IndyCar Series is hosted on April 16 by the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It makes it the 39th time the competition would be featured on the well-known streets of Southern California. The fourth race of the season is to be held at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, April 30.
The month of May is, as usual, going to be dominated by the famed Indianapolis 500 race, popularly referred to as the Indy 500. The Indy 500 qualifying weekend will take place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course) on May 13. Subsequently, the main Indianapolis 500 event is to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval course) on Sunday, May 28.
In June, the usual Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix will be taking place on Sunday, June 4. This race also doubles as the first race on the Streets of Detroit circuit, which is downtown to the previous race location – Belle Isle Park. Sunday, June 18, will see the Sonsio Grand Prix held at Road America as the final race in June. On Sunday, July 2, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be hosting the eighth race of the season.
Next, the series will be making its appearance in Canada’s largest city on Sunday, July 16, with the Honda Indy Toronto. The following two races will be held at the Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, followed by a return to Streets of Nashville on Sunday, August 6.
On Saturday, August 12, the 2023 IndyCar Series will be coming back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the Gallagher Grand Prix. Late August features the first of the season’s last three races – the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 – on Sunday, August 27. It also marks the final oval race of the season and is to be held at the World Wide Technology Raceway.
The Grand Prix of Portland, which is the penultimate race of the season, is scheduled to be held at the Portland International Raceway on Sunday, September 3. The season then comes to an end with the 26th edition of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey to be hosted at the newly repaved WeatherTech Raceway on Sunday, September 10. There, the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series Champion will emerge and receive the Astor Challenge Cup.
2023 IndyCar Series Coverage
2023 is a good year for IndyCar Series coverage. Building on the momentum of last season, the IndyCar Series would have at least 13 races aired on network television in the US. It’s certainly worth noting that this is only the fourth time in the past 50 years that the IndyCar series would be covered on network television on such a scale.
13 IndyCar Series races will be featured on NBC in 2023. Of these 13 races, the first seven races of the season include the competitive Indianapolis 500. NBC will also air six of the last seven races of the tournament. In addition, three races will be featured on USA Network, and one will be aired exclusively on Peacock, which will also present simulstreams of the races featured on NBC and USA Network and will cover qualifying and practice sessions.
With the comprehensive coverage the IndyCar Series will be receiving, we can only hope it can replicate its television success of 2022. The last season was the most watched in six years. Furthermore, it was the most watched across NBC Sports. Getting more coverage means the 2023 season might be set to receive more attention from fans and from bettors who will thrill themselves with finding the best sporting odds before races.
2023 IndyCar Series – Final Thoughts
If the 2023 IndyCar Series is anything like the 2022 season, you can expect an action-packed racing event showcasing bold drivers as they navigate challenges on exceedingly diverse tracks. There is certainly a lot to get excited about.