IndyCar's new Texas street course races by Cowboys stadium, Rangers field, under suites

As officials unveiled IndyCar 's newest street course Tuesday, a 2.73-mile circuit that will weave through the entertainment district of Arlington around the Dallas Cowboys stadium, snaking under suites and winding by the Texas Rangers field, they boasted the race would be the series' "next great racing spectacle."

The 14-turn course of the IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington was described as one with "sweeping curves and technically challenging sectors that are both aesthetically pleasing and uniquely demanding. Speeds are expected to reach over 180 mph before testing the drivers into the right-hander of Turn 10."

When Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou saw the layout of the track, which debuts March 2026, a circuit that is the longest street course on the schedule and features the longest straightaway at .9 miles, they had a slight correction to make.

With nearly a mile of straightaway, they predicted drivers will be able to reach speeds well above 200 mph.

"It's going to be fast. I'm ready. I'm pumped," said Palou. "It's a shame that we're not starting like next week. I would be ready to race it. You said 180 miles an hour. I think it can be a little bit more looking at that straight."

"I think you're probably going to be over 200 miles per hour looking at the straight," Newgarden said. "So, it's going to be a very fast track. It's a good layout, a lot of good visibility with the way they've laid it out. So yeah, be here because it's going to be a big show."

Other highlights of the course, designed by longtime circuit creator Tony Cottman, include two coliseum-like atmospheres featuring a double-sided pit lane and a “horseshoe” like carousel of Turn 6. IndyCar said there are "four enticing passing zones: Turn 1, Turn 10, Turn 12 and Turn 14."

Palou, back-to-back IndyCar champion, said he was already studying the course for race strategy.

"Having that long of a straight with our cars, with the draft that it creates, it'll be a lot of overtaking opportunities," he said. "But I saw also the suites ... the cars pass under the suites. I think that's going to be really, really cool for everybody to see."

Newgarden said he expects the race will rival iconic events like the Indianapolis 500. "The Grand Prix of Arlington will be one of those events that you want to circle (on your calendar) that you have to win every single year," he said.

'It's magic'

The latest IndyCar venture was announced Monday as a first of its kind event in racing bringing together three championship organizations, the Cowboys, Rangers and IndyCar, and showcasing AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.

"Well, I have to pinch myself," Jerry Jones, owner of the Cowboys, said Tuesday, adding that he "jumped at the opportunity" to be part of the Grand Prix of Arlington.

Roger Penske said "I look at this as history. It's magic. It's an opportunity for us to showcase our sport around the world and certainly to bring the best racing to Arlington."

The series was last in Texas in 2023 at Texas Motor Speedway but could not agree to a suitable date and financial arrangement with the track as the most recent races struggled to draw 10,000 fans.

This race puts IndyCar into the nation's fourth-largest market with a willing partner, which officials hope will help the series reach new fans and sponsors.

"The good thing about IndyCar right now is it's hard to predict what's going to happen each race. It's tough to predict a winner," Newgarden said Tuesday. "If you've watched the Indianapolis 500 over the years, you just never know what's going to happen until the very end. I think you'll expect the same thing here at this track. It can change in the last minute. And so, as a driver, it's quite stressful, but as a fan, that's what you want to see. You want to see a good game, you want to see a close finish, and I think you'll have that here."

Fox will provide live coverage of the Grand Prix of Arlington, which will include a full weekend of racing and entertainment with general admission, reserved seating, VIP hospitality and party zone areas available.

Fans can register and find more information here .

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow . Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com .

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyCar's new Texas street course races by Cowboys stadium, Rangers field, under suites