Drivers Eager for More NASCAR-IndyCar Doubleheaders

Competitors say shared events blend fan bases and showcase America's biggest motorsports.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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NASCAR and IndyCar drivers are enthusiastic about the prospect of more joint race weekends, as the two biggest motorsports series in the U.S. have only shared a race weekend a handful of times in history. Drivers say the doubleheader events bring together the distinct fan bases of the two series and provide an opportunity to appreciate the different driving styles and approaches of stock car and open-wheel racing.

Why it matters

Combining NASCAR and IndyCar events could help grow the overall fanbase for American motorsports by exposing each series' supporters to the other. The differences in the cars and driving styles also provide an interesting contrast that fans find compelling. As the top racing series in the country, more joint weekends could help showcase the strength and diversity of U.S. motorsports.

The details

This weekend marks the first time NASCAR's Cup Series and the NTT IndyCar Series will share an oval track, as they race at Phoenix Raceway. Previously, the series have only shared weekends on road courses, including at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2020-2023. Drivers say the key challenge will be how the rubber laid down by the Indy Cars' Firestone tires affects the handling of the stock cars, which use Goodyear tires. The speed difference between the two types of cars will also be very noticeable on the one-mile Phoenix oval.

  • The Cup and IndyCar series first shared a weekend in 2020 on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's road course during the COVID pandemic.
  • They repeated the Indianapolis doubleheader in 2021-2023.
  • However, when NASCAR's Cup Series returned to the 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval for the 2024 Brickyard race, the doubleheader weekend was shelved.
  • This weekend marks the first time NASCAR and IndyCar will share an oval track, as they race at Phoenix Raceway.
  • The previous weekend, NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series made its street course debut at St. Petersburg, Florida, the day before the IndyCar event.

The players

Daniel Suarez

A NASCAR Cup Series driver who is enthusiastic about the prospect of more NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheaders, saying the events bring together the distinct fan bases of the two series.

Ryan Preece

A NASCAR Cup Series driver who plans to watch the IndyCar race from the spotter's stand to appreciate the different driving styles and approaches of the open-wheel cars.

Chase Briscoe

A NASCAR Cup Series driver who notes the key challenge will be how the rubber laid down by the Indy Cars' Firestone tires affects the handling of the stock cars, which use Goodyear tires.

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What they’re saying

“Hopefully, it can be the beginning of bringing new opportunities because I don't see why we shouldn't do it more often. We are the biggest motorsports in the country, and I don't know who doesn't want to be racing with NASCAR. It's a no-brainer.”

— Daniel Suarez (autoweek.com)

“I believe the fan base that they have is actually quite different than NASCAR. I'm not saying that it's better or worse, it's just different. So, doing these double duties, I think it's fun because you bring these two different fan bases together to watch NASCAR and IndyCar. I enjoyed it when we did it back in Indianapolis. I thought it was a lot of fun.”

— Daniel Suarez (autoweek.com)

“It's really interesting to watch how they get around the race tracks, how they approach passing or restarts or pitting. There's a lot of things you can take, I don't necessarily want to say learn for yourself, but you can appreciate how they're going about doing it.”

— Ryan Preece (autoweek.com)

“I saw a video from when they were testing there about a month ago and actually sent it to (crew chief) James (Small) and our entire engineering group just because the track was so black from the rubber they laid down. It will be interesting what that does to the top lane.”

— Chase Briscoe (autoweek.com)

“They (Indy Cars) are super, super fast, especially on ovals. They are going to make us look like we are running in bicycles.”

— Daniel Suarez (autoweek.com)

What’s next

The NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway is sandwiched between Saturday's IndyCar race and Sunday's Cup event, so it will be interesting to see how the rubber laid down by the Indy Cars affects the handling of the stock cars.

The takeaway

The enthusiasm from drivers for more NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader weekends highlights the potential for these events to grow the overall fanbase for American motorsports by exposing each series' supporters to the other. The contrasting styles of stock car and open-wheel racing provide an intriguing spectacle that fans find compelling.