IndyCar needs the Grand Prix of Arlington to be a success from day one, and there potential upside of the deal could be huge.
IndyCar’s viewership figures and fanbase have been well short of what you would expect for years now, as NASCAR comfortably leads the way in North America’s motorsport market.
They’re aware that there is potential to be tapped into, and the upcoming Grand Prix of Arlington represents an opportunity to reach a new demographic.
The track will circle the stadiums of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the MLB’s Texas Rangers, and the layout looks equally as exciting – so will it be a success?
Marshall Pruett says IndyCar ‘can’t afford’ bad race
The event is similar to what Formula 1 has done with the Miami Grand Prix – a circuit constructed around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium.
If they can emulate the sort of success and attendance that the Sunshine State has created, then IndyCar will be in a fantastic position.
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“I take solace in the people behind the Arlington GP; the area is billed as an entertainment hub, and the race is being put on by the teams and property/promotions group there.
“They can’t afford to have the race turn into a low-turnout turkey because that would hurt their businesses and reputations, so I expect all of the parties to go hard in the sales and advertising side to fill the stands and the hospitality suites.
“I’d expect the first few races to be really strong that way; sustaining it will be the challenge because that’s always the challenge.”
Where will IndyCar be when Arlington hosts its first race?
There’s a year and a half before Arlington hosts its first race – in March 2026, not long after the start of the season.
It will follow the historic Grand Prix of St Petersburg, which is one of the highlights of the season as the opening event.
By then, the grid could be completely different, with Scott Dixon and Will Power coming to the end of their careers.
Some drivers will be with new teams, and there may be some new faces coming over from Formula 1 to as that series rounds off its current technical regulation period.
The combination of that with a new FOX television rights deal leaves IndyCar primed to take off in the future – the only question that remains is just how much it will…