Crossover events are rarely devoid of drama. And the upcoming ‘Desert Double,’ as promoted by FOX Sports, has already stirred up debate. Phoenix Raceway will witness both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR this weekend, with the IndyCar Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series scheduled on a single day. This amalgamation was not favorable for a particular IndyCar star, and he stuck to his comments despite protests from fans.

No love lost for a joint event with NASCAR

“NASCAR got an average viewership of 3.9 million for the Cup race at COTA (4.1 million last year). O’Reilly race got 1.07 million (1.1 million last year). Truck race at St. Pete got 1 million viewers — biggest number on the Fox network (not FS1) since 2018. IndyCar got 1.4 million at St. Pete (1.42 million last year),” journalist Jeff Gluck reported on X.

But Pato O’Ward simply shrugged at these stats and replied with a sarcastic comment.

“I stand corrected, i’m so happy to be here with NASCAR this weekend🤝😆,” the IndyCar star wrote.

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However, the fans held a different view, where they praised the ‘Desert Double’ and called for more such features.

The context for the Arrow McLaren driver’s ‘correction’ lies in his comments last week. Ahead of another NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader that unfolded in St. Petersburg, Pato O’Ward said he is “already tired of IndyCar being like the support race.” He added that every time IndyCar pairs up with NASCAR, “we are always the sideshow. It’s great for the fans, but not for us.”

In St. Petersburg, IndyCar dominated the weekend. Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, the first street race in the series’ history, saw multiple former IndyCar drivers take part and rein in storylines. The Indy NXT race was also not run until Sunday morning. But for Phoenix, while the Cup Series gets its own raceday, the IndyCar Series is sharing Saturday with the OAP Series.

And floating a bunch of statistics, which reveal IndyCar’s lower ratings as compared to NASCAR, is not enough to convince Pato O’Ward. This weekend is not the first time the two series have shared a raceday, doing so at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2020. But even back then, the IndyCar Series, at their home track, raced before the then Xfinity Series.

Hence, Pato O’Ward’s concerns are somewhat valid. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old is coming off a career-best 2025 season, finishing second in the standings with six podiums. And he is looking forward to Phoenix for reasons beyond IndyCar.

A quick trip to a baseball game

Before commencing race duties in Phoenix, Arrow McLaren made a pit stop in Scottsdale. Pato O’Ward and Daniel Suárez attended Wednesday’s exhibition matchup between Team Mexico and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mexican speedsters watched their national team take on the back-to-back World Series champions and also promoted the IndyCar-NASCAR race weekend in Avondale.

“Well, yeah, we have a race this weekend in Phoenix,” Pato O’Ward said in a video posted to the team’s X account. “And we’re here promoting it, so let’s go!”

By stepping into the MLB spotlight, Arrow McLaren expanded its visibility to fans. The outreach to an audience beyond the traditional motorsports base highlighted multi-sport crossovers. The appearance also highlighted the growing appeal of athletes like O’Ward and Suárez, who carry strong followings on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Despite Pato O’Ward’s protests, the IndyCar-NASCAR crossover may be a thrilling event for fans. Let’s wait and see how it all unfolds in Phoenix.