IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of American open-wheel car racing in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies since 1920 after two initial attempts in 1905 and 1916. The series is self-sanctioned by its parent company, IndyCar, LLC., which began in 1996 as the Indy Racing League (IRL) and was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George as a competitor to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). In 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with CART's successor, the Champ Car World Series and the history and statistics of both series, as well as those from its predecessors, were unified.
This article is about the racing series. For its sanctioning body, see IndyCar. For the video game based on the series, see IndyCar Series (video game).Category
33 (including part-time drivers running only in the Indianapolis 500 and other select races)
12 (including part-time teams running only in the Indianapolis 500 and other select races)
Álex Palou (2023)
Chevrolet (2023)
The series' premier event is the Indianapolis 500, which was first held in 1911. Historically, open-wheel racing was the most popular form of U.S. motorsport nationwide. However, an acrimonious split (often referred to by many as "The Split") in 1994 between the primary series, CART, and Tony George led to the formation of the Indy Racing League, which launched the rival IndyCar Series in 1996. From that point on, the popularity of open wheel racing in the U.S. declined dramatically.[2] The feud was settled in 2008 with an agreement to merge the two series under the IndyCar banner, but enormous damage had already been done to the sport.[3] Post-merger, IndyCar continues to run with slight viewership gains per year. However, as a result, the only post-Split IndyCar race that still enjoys widespread popularity among the general public is the Indianapolis 500.
Overview[edit]
Series name[edit]
For 1996–1997, the series was simply referred to as the Indy Racing League. For 1998–1999, the series garnered its first title sponsor, and was advertised as the Pep Boys Indy Racing League. In 2000, the series sold its naming rights to Internet search engine Northern Light, and the series was named the Indy Racing Northern Light Series.[4]
The name IndyCar Series was officially adopted beginning in 2003, as the series was now legally entitled to use it due to the expiration of a 1996 legal settlement with Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). The series began to progressively downplay the former IRL name, changing its name to simply IndyCar for the 2008 season. The company was similarly renamed in 2011.
Izod signed a six-year deal to become the series title sponsor beginning on November 5, 2009, through 2014,[5] but the sponsorship was terminated at the end of the 2013 season.[6] In 2014, Verizon Communications became title sponsor of the series through 2018.[7] In January 2019, it was announced that Japanese communications company NTT would become title sponsor and official technology partner of the IndyCar Series.[8] In 2023, IndyCar announced that NTT had extended their title sponsorship, for an unreported length.[9]
Television[edit]
The three-race inaugural season was televised on ABC. The 1996–97 season was broadcast by ABC, CBS and ESPN. In 1998, TNN was added to the rotation.[42][43] In 1999, Fox Sports Net aired the majority of the races, and the remaining ones aired on Fox, ABC and ESPN2.[44] From 2000 to 2008, ABC and ESPN were the exclusive television partners of the Indy Racing League.[45]
In 2009, Versus (later NBCSN) began a 10-year deal to broadcast 13 IndyCar races per season, whereas the remaining races, including the Indianapolis 500, would remain on ABC through 2018.[46] As of the 2018 season, ABC aired 5 races per-season (plus two days of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500), with NBCSN or other NBCUniversal networks (in the event of scheduling conflicts) airing the remainder of the schedule.[47] On March 21, 2018, it was announced that NBC Sports would become the sole U.S. rightsholder of the IndyCar Series beginning in 2019, under a new three-year contract. NBCSN will continue as the primary broadcast outlet for most races, and overflow content will be available through its subscription service NBC Sports Gold. Eight races per-season will be televised by NBC—including the Indianapolis 500, marking the first time in 54 years that the race was not televised by ABC.[48][49][50][51] With the shut down of NBCSN in 2021, the rights to the IndyCar races moved to USA Network beginning with the 2022 season.[52]
In the United Kingdom, since the launch of BT Sport in August 2013 races are shown on one of the BT branded channels or ESPN. Previous to August 2013, the IndyCar Series races were broadcasts on the Sky Sports family of networks, with the viewing figures of the IndyCar races in the UK outnumbering those of NASCAR races. The IndyCar Series also had highlights of all the races on the channel Five British terrestrial channel and Five USA, but has since been discontinued since the 2009 season.[53] For the 2019 season broadcasts returned to Sky Sports, with the series being shown on their F1 channel.
In Portugal, all of the IndyCar Series are broadcast on Sport TV.
In February 2013, Sportsnet announced that it would become the official Canadian broadcaster of the IndyCar Series beginning in the 2013 season in a five-year deal with the series. The new contract will include broadcasts on the Sportsnet regional networks, Sportsnet One, and City, along with mobile coverage and French rights sub-licensed to TVA Sports. Additionally, Sportsnet would also originate coverage from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Indianapolis 500, and Honda Indy Toronto with Bill Adam, Todd Lewis, and Rob Faulds. Canadian driver Paul Tracy also joined Sportsnet as an analyst.[54] In 2023 it was announced that TSN would broadcast IndyCar for the first time since 2012.[55]
In Australia, Stan Sport is IndyCar's broadcast partner with highlights also broadcast on Nine Network.[56]
In Brazil, DAZN is IndyCar's broadcast partner in that country since 2019, with all races, qualifying and practice sessions live. Previously, SBT broadcast the first two races of IRL, but following complaints by Tony George because of the schedule of the transmission (VTs at 1:30AM), and because they also aired the CART series, he took the transmission rights from Emerson Fittipaldi gave them to Rede Bandeirantes to broadcast that year's season from the Indy 500 onwards. Band aired the series from 1996 to 2001 and from 2004 until 2020 (the latter period together with BandSports). SporTV also broadcast races from 2001 until 2004. In 2021, the event was broadcast by TV Cultura.[57] The 2022 season will also be broadcast by ESPN (in cable and streaming by Star+).[58][56]
ESPN is the international broadcast partner of IndyCar Series in the rest of Latin America until 2018 and again since 2022 season.
Eurosport has been the international broadcast partner of IndyCar in most of Europe (except in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, and the United Kingdom).
In the late 2000s, the official website streamed online all races, qualifying and practice sessions unrestricted. That service is now limited in the United States to subscribers of the broadcast partner streaming service (currently Peacock). In 2022, IndyCar launched its streaming service (branded as IndyCar Live) to viewers in certain international territories without local broadcast partner.[59]
2008 (in conjunction with DirecTV HD)
2016–2018
2019–present
