IndyCar President Doug Boles addressed criticism of the series’ 2026 schedule, which moves the season finale from Nashville’s oval to the Laguna Seca road circuit. Some fans argued that an oval race was a fitting way to close the season, pointing to the strong viewership of the 2025 Borchetta Bourbon Music City GP in Nashville, which averaged 1.142 million viewers on FOX.
Boles explained that the change is strategic, aiming to use the FIFA World Cup final as a lead‑in for the IndyCar race on FOX. The Nashville event has been shifted to July 19, the same day as the World Cup final, and will be run as a night race. He believes the combination of oval excitement and the World Cup audience will attract new fans to the series.
The 2025 season finale in Nashville was a thrilling event, featuring 502 on‑track passes and a victory by hometown hero Josef Newgarden. While the oval remains a key element of IndyCar’s appeal, Boles emphasized that the Nashville race will still be a great spectacle even though it is no longer the finale.
The 2026 season will conclude at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a historic venue famous for its “corkscrew” corner. Boles encouraged fans to attend, describing the race as a “bucket‑list” experience and praising the track’s beauty, the community’s passion for racing, and the surrounding attractions such as restaurants, beaches, and golf courses.
In addition to the Nashville and Laguna Seca adjustments, the 2026 schedule introduces three major additions: the inaugural Arlington Grand Prix, a return to Phoenix for a double‑header with NASCAR, and a move of the Canadian race from Toronto to Markham. These changes are intended to bring fresh excitement and new challenges to the series, and fans will be watching closely to see how they unfold.
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