By: Spencer Neff
March 12, 2026

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES caps off a three-weekend stretch of races to begin the season with one off its most anticipated events in recent memory.

Announced October 7,2024-the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington is the first of three new street courses for the 2026 season,

Before on-track activities begin, here’s a look at the story behind the new circuit and some pre-race notes.

Headlines

The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington will be a 70-lap race on a 2.73-mile, 14-turn circuit in Arlington, Texas. Run in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL (National Football League) and Texas Rangers of the MLB (Major League Baseball). The circuit will have drivers circumnavigate both the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and the Rangers’ GlobeLife Park.

In addition to its first new street course in five years (Nashville 2021-the Detroit circuit used since 2023 was also utilized from 1989-1991), INDYCAR announced changes to the Firestone Fast Six (Final Round) Qualifying this weekend.

While Round 1 and the Fast 12 (Round 2) remain as is, the Fast Six will be conducted via individual, single-lap runs for all six entrants instead of a timed session.

Per INDYCAR’s Sunday release: “During the Firestone Fast Six at Arlington, drivers will leave pit lane and get an opportunity for one lap – starting and ending at the alternate start/finish line. Once the car enters pit lane following that driver’s attempt, the next car will be released for its attempt. Tire allotments and tire rules will remain unchanged throughout the event.”

“I am excited about this opportunity to put more focus on individual teams and drivers and appreciate FOX Sports providing INDYCAR with an expanded broadcast window to accommodate this change,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said in Sunday’s announcement.

“This format will allow the competitors and sponsors who earned spots in the Firestone Fast Six the full attention of the broadcast during its qualifying attempt. It also allows for viewers at home to see just what makes qualifying in INDYCAR so competitive and the perfection that it takes to sit atop the grid and earn the right to lead the field to the green flag on race day.”

With the update for the Streets of Arlington event, FOX Sports has agreed to expand its coverage of qualifying to a robust, two-hour window.

“The move is designed to create a greater opportunity to spotlight and translate the challenge and expertise required by INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers competing for the top positions on the starting grid.” Per INDYCAR.

The series heads into the weekend off a thrilling return to Phoenix Raceway, where Josef Newgarden and Team Penske won the Good Ranchers 250.

Newgarden looks to ride his success to his seventh win on a temporary street course and first since Long Beach in 2022.

After finishing second in Phoenix, Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global looks to continue his recent mastery of street circuits. Four of his five career victories have been on temporary courses.

Following a disappointing weekend in Phoenix, Chip Ganassi Racing will look to add to its recent success in new events and street courses.

CGR won each of the first two events on the Nashville and Renaissance Center course in Detroit. Kyffin Simpson also earned his first career podium finish on the streets of Toronto (3rd place) last year.

Fast Facts   Spotter Guide Pit Assignments

Race weekend: Friday, March 13-Sunday, March 15 Track: Streets of Arlington, a 2.73-mile, 14-turn, temporary street course (counterclockwise) in Arlington, Texas Race distance: 70 laps / 191.1 miles (NTT INDYCAR SERIES) Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 530 kilojoules (kj) per lap Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and two sets of alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.  .X: @Arlington_GP, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCAR Instagram: @arlington_gp, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCAR Facebook: @arlingtongp, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #GPArlington, #INDYCAR TikTok: @IndyCar, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR, @arlington_gp Event website: www.gparlington.com INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com 2025 race winner:Inaugural Event Qualifying record:Inaugural Event FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 4 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Warmup Show/Final Practice, 10 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1; Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, 12:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside anal. INDYCAR Radio, powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Michael Young and Jake Query are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf, Ryan Myrehn, DJ Clark and Jonathan Grace are the pit reporters. The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington 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. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (All Times Local/Central Time): Friday, March 13 3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (split group format), FS2 Saturday, March 14 8:35-9:55 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (split group format), FS1 1:35-3:10 p.m. – NTT P1 Award qualifying (two rounds of knockout qualifying followed by Firestone Fast Six single-car pole showdown), FS2 Sunday, March 15 9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 11:30 a.m. – FOX Pre-Race Show on air 12:10 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines” 12:17 p.m. – Java House Grand Prix of Arlington (70 laps/191.1 miles ), FOX (Live) Heard Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR