After Stealing Indianapolis From NASCAR, IndyCar Likely to Lose Historic Racetrack to Motorsport Rival

Published 09/20/2023, 3:54 PM EDT

A little more than a week ago, the 2023 IndyCar season concluded with Alex Palou as the champion. Now, all eyes are firmly turned towards the upcoming 2024 campaign. Unfortunately, there is a spot of worrisome news for IndyCar fans, as a long-time calendar presence could be absent in 2024, and it could be because of NASCAR. Without a doubt, the Penske organisation is hard at work finalising the 2024 IndyCar race calendar.

Now, rumour has it that this iconic track could be headed towards IndyCar’s stock car counterpart, NASCAR. What makes this all the more worse is that this particular track is the second oldest running race track on the calendar. The only track that beats it is the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It Made the Racing Worse” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Blames the Indy Cars for the Absence of Indianapolis From NASCAR

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What race track is everyone in IndyCar talking about?

The race track in question is none other than the Texas Motor Speedway, which is present on both IndyCar and NASCAR calendars. As it turns out, the 1.5 mile speedway has born witness to IndyCar racing on 27 consecutive occasions. This goes as far back as the 1996-97 Indy Racing League. In its place, the Texas Motor Speedway will be replaced by Milwaukee and the $1 Million Challenge exhibition race at The Thermal Club.

It isn’t a contract issue because the recent one boasts of a multi-year deal. Instead, the stumbling block refers to scheduling hurdles for the 2024 campaign. For the moment, it looks like this scenario could play out just in 2024, while the concerned parties find a solution. Apparently, the scheduling issue is NASCAR’s fault, as they are eyeing a March 24th slot for Circuit of the Americas. This is followed by the Easter weekend, and IndyCar is hoping for April 7th.

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Is NASCAR getting karmic justice against IndyCar?

In recent years, the NASCAR Cup Series has witnessed lesser number of visits to the Texas Motor Speedway. In 2022, it went from two point-paying races to one point-scoring race and an All-Star race. This year, that has been reduced further to just one points-paying race, and it’s future is being re-evaluated as well.

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It is also worth mentioning that NASCAR lost the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Instead, the cars race on the road course layout, and it has not made the community happy. Dale Earnhardt Jr in particular, believed that by trying to imitate the IndyCar formula, they lost the Indianapolis Oval. According to him in a 2015 interview, it has led to a decline in racing quality because NASCAR wanted to mimic IndyCar’s draft-overtaking on the straights

WATCH THIS STORY: “Only Sport That Celebrates Mediocrity” – Hailie Deegan’s Much Needed Performance at Texas Torn to Shreds by Unimpressed NASCAR Fans

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Written by:

Dhruv George is a Senior Motorsports Writer at EssentiallySports, with an impressive track record of over 13K articles. He not only writes engaging content but regularly connects readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has established himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports.

Edited by:

Nischal Kandpal

After Stealing Indianapolis From NASCAR, IndyCar Likely to Lose Historic Racetrack to Motorsport Rival

What race track is everyone in IndyCar talking about?

Is NASCAR getting karmic justice against IndyCar?

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