Spec chassis, two engines
Every team races an identical Dallara chassis; only the choice of Honda or Chevrolet power sets cars apart.
The story of American open-wheel racing
IndyCar
Ovals, road courses and city streets in a single championship — the spec cars, teams and drivers behind North America’s most versatile motorsport series.
1911First Indianapolis 500
18Rounds on the 2026 calendar
11Teams on the 2026 grid
TeamsDriversOval, road & streetIndianapolis 500Strategy
What is IndyCar?
IndyCar — officially the NTT INDYCAR SERIES — is North America’s premier open-wheel racing championship, self-sanctioned by INDYCAR, LLC and headlined by the Indianapolis 500. Every team races an identical spec Dallara chassis powered by a Honda or Chevrolet twin-turbo V6 with a hybrid energy-recovery system, so competition turns on driver skill, strategy and setup rather than chassis development. The series is owned by Penske Entertainment Corp.
- First Indy 500
- 1911
- Governing body
- INDYCAR, LLC
- Championship titles
- Drivers', Entrants' & Manufacturers'
- 2026 grid
- 11 teams · 18 rounds
01 — How it began
How IndyCar began.
American championship car racing goes back to the early years of motorsport, though the pre-1916 national titles were assigned retroactively by historians rather than awarded at the time, and are still disputed. The date nobody argues about is 1911, when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ran the first Indianapolis 500.
For most of the twentieth century the discipline ran under AAA and then USAC sanction, before CART took the leading teams into a series of their own in 1979. In 1996 Tony George founded the Indy Racing League around the Indianapolis 500, splitting American open-wheel racing in two for over a decade.
The split ended in 2008, when the IRL absorbed Champ Car and the two record books were merged. The unified championship became the IndyCar Series, and since 2020 it has been owned by Penske Entertainment Corp.
- Governing body
- INDYCAR, LLC, owned by Penske Entertainment Corp.
- First Indianapolis 500
- 1911, at the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Indy Racing League founded
- 1996, splitting from CART
- Reunification
- 2008, when the IRL and Champ Car merged
- Current chassis
- Spec Dallara IR-18, universal aero kit since 2018
- Engines
- Honda and Chevrolet 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 with hybrid ERS since 2024
02 — The essentials
What makes IndyCar different?
One spec car, three completely different kinds of circuit, and the biggest single race in motorsport.
Three track types, one title
Ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street circuits all count toward a single championship in the same season.
Push-to-pass
A limited, driver-controlled horsepower boost turns overtaking into a strategic resource on road and street courses.
No power steering
Drivers muscle every corner by hand — a physical demand unlike almost any other modern single-seater series.
03 — Race weekend format
A race weekend, decoded.
Practice
Teams run multiple sessions across ovals, road courses and street circuits, each demanding its own aero and mechanical setup.
Qualifying
Format depends on the venue: single-lap runs on ovals, a multi-day, multi-round shootout at the Indianapolis 500, or knockout segments ending in the Firestone Fast Six on road and street courses.
Race day
Points are awarded to entrants, drivers and manufacturers, with push-to-pass and pit strategy often deciding the result.
The Indianapolis 500 runs to its own two-week schedule, with a separate qualifying weekend that sets the 33-car field.
04 — How points are scored
IndyCar points system.
| Pos | Points | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 50 | 9th | 22 |
| 2nd | 40 | 10th | 20 |
| 3rd | 35 | 11th | 19 |
| 4th | 32 | 12th | 18 |
| 5th | 30 | 13th | 17 |
| 6th | 28 | 14th | 16 |
| 7th | 26 | 15th | 15 |
| 8th | 24 | 16th and below | 13 down to 5 |
Bonus points
- +1 point for pole position.
- +1 point for leading any lap; +2 more for leading the most laps.
- Entrant points mirror the driver scale.
- A separate Manufacturers’ Championship scores each engine supplier’s best eligible cars, with its own bonuses.
- Indianapolis 500 double points were dropped in 2023 — the 500 now scores like any other round.
Points continue to scale down below 15th place, from 13 for 16th to a minimum of 5.
05 — Race calendar
2026 champion: Álex Palou · title clinched at Milwaukee with a round to spare 2026 IndyCar calendar.
| Round | Race | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | St. Petersburg GP | Streets of St. Petersburg, FL | 1 March |
| 02 | Phoenix | Phoenix Raceway | 7 March |
| 03 | Arlington GP | Streets of Arlington, TX | 15 March |
| 04 | Alabama Grand Prix | Barber Motorsports Park | 29 March |
| 05 | Long Beach GP | Streets of Long Beach, CA | 19 April |
| 06 | Sonsio Grand Prix | IMS Road Course | 9 May |
| 07 | Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval) | 24 May |
| 08 | Detroit GP | Streets of Detroit, MI | 31 May |
| 09 | Bommarito 500 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 7 June |
| 10 | Road America GP | Road America | 21 June |
| 11 | Mid-Ohio GP | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | 5 July |
| 12 | Music City GP | Nashville Superspeedway | 19 July |
| 13 | Grand Prix of Portland | Portland International Raceway | 9 August |
| 14 | Markham GP | Streets of Markham, ON | 16 August |
| 15 | Freedom 250 | Streets of Washington, D.C. | 23 August |
| 16 | Milwaukee Mile 250 (1) | Milwaukee Mile | 29 August |
| 17 | Milwaukee Mile 250 (2) | Milwaukee Mile | 30 August |
| 18 | Grand Prix of Monterey | WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca | 6 September |
Last updated: 6 September 2026, the day of the Monterey season finale. Verify current dates with the official IndyCar schedule.
06 — From 1909 to today
IndyCar timeline.
1909
Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens
Built originally as a vehicle-testing facility before becoming the sport's spiritual home.
1911
The first Indianapolis 500
The AAA sanctions the inaugural 500-mile race at the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
1979
The CART breakaway
Team owners split from USAC to form Championship Auto Racing Teams, creating rival national championships.
1996
The Indy Racing League forms
Tony George launches a rival series, dividing American open-wheel racing for over a decade.
2008
Unification
The Indy Racing League absorbs Champ Car, reuniting the sport under the IndyCar banner.
2012
The Dallara DW12 arrives
Named for Dan Wheldon, it becomes the series' first fully spec chassis.
2020
The aeroscreen
A titanium-framed cockpit shield is introduced fleet-wide after a string of fatal accidents.
2024
Hybrid power
IndyCar introduces its first hybrid energy-recovery powertrain.
07 — Technology and competition
The eras that reshaped the grid.
Front-engine roadster era
Traditional front-engine dirt and oval cars defined American Championship racing before the rear-engine revolution.
The USAC era
Formed after AAA withdrew from racing, USAC sanctioned the championship through turbocharged Offenhauser and Ford power.
CART & Champ Car
Team-owner-led competition and manufacturer-built chassis pushed technical development until a 2003 bankruptcy forced reorganisation.
The spec-chassis era
The Dallara DW12 becomes the sole chassis for every team, a deliberate cost-control and parity measure.
Aeroscreen safety era
Cockpit protection becomes standard fleet-wide, a direct response to fatal accidents.
The hybrid era
A first-generation hybrid energy-recovery system arrives ahead of an all-new chassis and engine formula planned for 2027–2028.
08 — Champions and icons
Racers who defined their eras.
Current Champion
Álex Palou
2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion · Chip Ganassi Racing · fifth title, fourth in a row
A.J. Foyt
Seven national championships and four Indianapolis 500 wins — the winningest driver in the sport's history.
7 titles · 4 Indy 500s
Mario Andretti
Four national championships and the only driver to win the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and a Formula 1 World Championship.
4 titles
Rick Mears
Three CART championships and four Indianapolis 500 wins, all with Team Penske; holds the Indy 500 pole record.
3 titles · 4 Indy 500s
Scott Dixon
Six championships with Chip Ganassi Racing — the most of any active driver and second only to Foyt all-time.
6 titles
Hélio Castroneves
Four Indianapolis 500 wins, tied for the all-time record among a select group of legends.
4 Indy 500s
Will Power
Two championships with Team Penske, in 2014 and 2022, built on a reputation for outright single-lap speed.
2 titles
Josef Newgarden
Two championships and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 wins in 2023 and 2024, all with Team Penske.
2 titles · 2 Indy 500s
IndyCar Álex Palou
Five titles in six seasons and four in a row through 2026 — the fastest to five in American open-wheel history.
5 titles · 4 straight
09 — Defining events
Crises, controversies and turning points.
The USAC/CART split
Team owners break away to form CART, launching parallel, competing national championships for the first time.
"The Split" begins
Tony George's Indy Racing League divides American open-wheel racing for over a decade, widely blamed for weakening the sport's mainstream reach.
Unification
The Indy Racing League absorbs Champ Car, ending the 12-year split between rival American open-wheel championships.
Dan Wheldon's fatal crash
A 15-car accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway leads to sweeping safety changes; the following spec chassis is named the DW12 in his honour.
Justin Wilson's fatal crash
Struck by flying debris at Pocono, his death directly leads to development of the aeroscreen.
The Penske acquisition
Roger Penske buys the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series, ending 74 years of Hulman family ownership.
10 — Meet the grid
Explore IndyCar teams.
Current Champion Team
Chip Ganassi Racing
Álex Palou’s 2026 title team · Indianapolis, Indiana
#1
PEN
Team PenskeMooresville, NC · Est. 1966
#2
CGR
Chip Ganassi RacingIndianapolis, IN · Est. 1990
#3
AND
Andretti GlobalIndianapolis, IN · Est. 1993
#4
ARM
Arrow McLarenIndianapolis, IN · Est. 2001
#5
RLL
Rahal Letterman LaniganZionsville, IN · Est. 1991
#6
ECR
Ed Carpenter RacingIndianapolis, IN · Est. 2011
#7
MSR
Meyer Shank RacingPataskala, OH · Est. 1994
#8
DCR
Dale Coyne RacingPlainfield, IL · Est. 1984
#9
AJF
A.J. Foyt RacingSpeedway, IN · Est. 1965
#10
JHR
Juncos Hollinger RacingIndianapolis, IN · Est. 2021
#11
DRR
Dreyer & Reinbold RacingCarmel, IN
11 — Frequently asked
IndyCar FAQ.
What is IndyCar?
IndyCar is North America's premier open-wheel racing series, sanctioned by INDYCAR, LLC and headlined by the Indianapolis 500.
How does IndyCar scoring work?
Points are awarded to entrants, drivers and manufacturers each race, with the highest total at season's end winning the respective championship. The Indianapolis 500 also awards bonus points for qualifying position.
What is the Indianapolis 500?
IndyCar's centrepiece race — a 500-mile oval event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, first run in 1911 and often called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Why does IndyCar race on ovals, road courses and streets?
IndyCar is unique in mixing all three track types in one championship, requiring different aero and mechanical setups per venue — a deliberate differentiator from series that race only one type of circuit.
What is push-to-pass?
A driver-activated, temporary horsepower boost used strategically on road and street courses, limited in total uses per race.
Who has won the most Indianapolis 500s?
Four drivers are tied at four wins each: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears and Hélio Castroneves.
Who has won the most IndyCar championships?
A.J. Foyt leads all-time with seven national titles; among active drivers, Scott Dixon leads with six.
What engines and chassis does IndyCar use?
A single spec Dallara chassis for every team, with a choice of two engine suppliers — Honda or Chevrolet — running 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 hybrid engines.
What was "The Split" in IndyCar history?
The 1996–2008 division of American open-wheel racing into two rival championships — the CART/Champ Car series and the Indy Racing League — widely blamed for weakening the sport's mainstream popularity before the 2008 reunification.
Who won the 2026 IndyCar championship?
Álex Palou, for Chip Ganassi Racing — his fifth NTT INDYCAR SERIES title and fourth in a row, clinched at the Milwaukee Mile with a round still to run. Only Sébastien Bourdais had previously won four straight.
Does IndyCar have a hybrid engine?
Yes — introduced in 2024, an energy-recovery hybrid system was added to the existing twin-turbo V6, the series' first hybrid powertrain.
Is Kozmozracing affiliated with IndyCar or its teams?
No. Unless a product page explicitly states otherwise, Kozmozracing is an independent store and is not affiliated with or endorsed by INDYCAR, LLC, any team or driver.
Sources
- IndyCar Series — series overview, regulations and history · Wikipedia
- 2026 IndyCar Series — calendar, entry list and results · Wikipedia
- Palou clinches fifth IndyCar championship · RaceFans
- Honda powers Alex Palou to the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship · Honda News
- Official IndyCar schedule, results and standings · INDYCAR (official)
- Photo: Álex Palou at Laguna Seca, 2025 · Ben Goyette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Álex Palou, 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner · Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Chip Ganassi Racing 2025 Indy 500-winning car · OctaviaCombi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Independent fan guide: Formats, teams and regulations can change. Verify current sporting information with INDYCAR. Championship, team and driver names belong to their respective rights holders.
12 — The collection
IndyCar-inspired collection.
No products are assigned to IndyCar yet. Add products to this series in the product editor.