For the primary time within the historical past of the division, NASCAR Vans will compete on a road course. When NASCAR unveiled the schedule for all three nationwide divisions on Wednesday, the brand new included hidden gem among the many anticipated modifications. IndyCar and NASCAR have partnered like this earlier than, however by no means at St. Pete.
As each races shall be broadcast by FOX Sports activities, a deal got here collectively to deliver the NASCAR Truck Collection to St. Petersburg in 2026. The occasion will associate with IndyCar for the collection’ opening weekend of 2026 with the Vans racing on Saturday, February twenty eighth. IndyCar will race the next day on Sunday, March 1st, opening its season on the streets of St. Pete for the sixteenth consecutive yr.
Colton Herta, Andretti International
Picture by: Penske Leisure
“What an important new racing addition to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to incorporate the NASCAR vehicles into Saturday’s present subsequent yr,” mentioned Kim Inexperienced, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Inexperienced Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “Saturday shall be packed for our followers with leisure. We’ve got INDYCAR qualifying and now an historic first with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Collection race. And, as traditional, all of it culminates on Sunday with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season-opening occasion on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg.”
On that very same weekend, the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Collection shall be racing on the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
Extra collaborations sooner or later?
Answering a query from Motorsport.com NASCAR Govt Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Improvements Officer, Ben Kennedy, mentioned the potential for working extra carefully with IndyCar sooner or later.
“Yeah, probably,” Kennedy instructed Motorsport.com. “We’ll collaborate with them on the St. Pete race subsequent yr, and the excellent news is now we have such a superb relationship with Doug, with Bud, with Roger, your entire workforce over at IndyCar, and there are a variety of synergies as effectively, with them having FOX as a broadcast associate, now we have FOX for the primary a part of our season. There are a variety of pure alternatives for us to work nearer collectively, particularly on a few of these races within the season.
“One thing that we’ll proceed to discover with them. I feel St. Pete subsequent yr shall be a superb type of case examine for us. We have had examples of it, of racing at Indianapolis previously, and although we did not have as huge of a presence there, IndyCar going to Iowa for quite a few years, they got here and raced at Richmond for a handful of years as effectively.
“Actually necessary for us to proceed to have the connection. I would not be shocked if there have been extra alternatives for us to work nearer along with them.”
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