INDYCAR Statement:
Good Ranchers 250 Fast Facts
Race weekend: Friday, March 6-Saturday, March 7
Track: Phoenix Raceway, a 1-mile oval
Race distance: 250 laps / 250 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 150 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: Ten sets primary to be used during the event weekend. One additional set is available for use during the group session on Friday.
Photo Courtesy of INDYCAR
X: @phoenixraceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @phoenixraceway, @IndyCar, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @PhoenixRaceway, @IndyCar, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @IndyCar, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: http://www.phoenixraceway.com
INDYCAR website: http://www.indycar.com
2018 race winner: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet)
2018 pole winner: Sebastien Bourdais (No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan Honda), 39.0285 seconds, 188.539 mph (two laps)
Qualifying records:
One lap: Helio Castroneves, 18.8701 seconds, 194.975 mph, April 28, 2017
Two lap: Helio Castroneves, 37.7538 seconds, 194.905 mph, April 28, 2017
FOX Sports telecasts: Practice 10 a.m. ET, Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 2 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); High Line Session/Final Practice/Warmup Show, 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Race, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Jack Harvey, Georgia Henneberry and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters. All FOX Sports telecasts also are available on FOX One and the FOX Sports app.
INDYCAR Radio, powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Alex Hayden is the turn announcer. Alex Wollf, DJ Clark and Chris Wilner are the pit reporters. The Good Ranchers 250 race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (All Times Local/Mountain Time):
Friday, March 6
8-9 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, FS2
12:05-1:05 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (single car, two timed laps), FS2
2:30-3 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Group Session (Two groups, 15 minutes each), FS2
3:10-4 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, FS2
Saturday, March 7
12:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions
1 p.m. – FOX Sports on air
1:15 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines.”
1:20 p.m. – Good Ranchers 250 (250 laps / 250 miles), FOX, FOX One, FOX Sports App (Live)
‘WHAT TO LOOK FOR’ AT PHOENIX:
Palou continues historic title chase at Phoenix: Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou claimed the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for the second consecutive season. The driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda is scheduled to make his 100th series start in Saturday’s Good Ranchers 250. With 20 career wins, Palou is already assured of winning at least 20 percent of his first 100 races, something no other active driver has accomplished. Palou has led the NTT INDYCAR SERIES point standings after every race since Laguna Seca in June 2024 – a span of 28 straight races.
Phoenix familiar to a few: While most of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field will compete at Phoenix Raceway for the first time, five drivers in the field have raced at the 1-mile oval previously, and two of the three most recent winners are entered – Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden. Dixon won the series’ last return race to Phoenix Raceway in 2016 while Newgarden won the most recent race at the track in 2018. Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal and Will Power also have raced at Phoenix Raceway from 2016-18.
“Desert Double” with NASCAR: This weekend’s event at Phoenix is one of three Saturday races on the 2026 schedule, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is competing on a rare doubleheader with the NASCAR Cup Series on the same weekend in a “Desert Double.” NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series also races Saturday at Phoenix.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Notes:
The Good Ranchers 250 will be the first INDYCAR SERIES event conducted at Phoenix Raceway since 2018 and the 65th INDYCAR SERIES race held on the 1-mile oval since it opened in 1964.
The Good Ranchers 250 is the first of six oval races on the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Other oval events scheduled are: the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (May 24), Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway (June 7), Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway (July 19) and a doubleheader at the Snap-on INDYCAR Weekend at Milwaukee Mile (Aug. 29-30).
Five drivers have previously raced INDYCAR SERIES cars at Phoenix Raceway: Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Alexander Rossi. Al Unser has the most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track (six). Dixon (2016) and Newgarden (2018) are the only past Phoenix winners entered in this year’s race.
Eleven drivers have won the Phoenix race from the pole: Helio Castroneves (2002), Arie Luyendyk (1996), Rick Mears (1982, 1989, 1990), Al Unser (1969, 1985), Tom Sneva (1984), Teo Fabi (1983), Johnny Rutherford (1977), Gordon Johncock (1973), Bobby Unser (1968, 1972), Lloyd Ruby (1967) and Mario Andretti (1966).
Drivers who have won at Phoenix have gone on to win the INDYCAR SERIES championship nine times: A.J. Foyt (1964, first race; 1975, second race), Mario Andretti (1966, second race), Bobby Unser (1968, first race), Al Unser (1970, first race; 1985), Rick Mears (1982, first race), Bobby Rahal (1992), Buddy Lazier (2000), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001) and Tony Kanaan (2004).
Milestones: Scott Dixon is expected to make his 421st INDYCAR SERIES start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record. Dixon has made 357 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Alex Palou is expected to make his 100th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start…Josef Newgarden needs to lead 66 laps to pass Dario Franchitti for ninth on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time laps led list…Rookies Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher will make their first INDYCAR SERIES oval start this weekend at Phoenix.
INDYCAR
http://www.indycar.com/
Photos & Graphics Courtesy of INDYCAR