North America's premier open-wheel racing series — and home of the Indianapolis 500, the single largest-attended one-day sporting event on the planet.
The biggest race on the IndyCar calendar.
The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. 33 cars circle the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 200 laps — 500 miles at nearly 230 mph. One of the three events in the informal Triple Crown of Motorsport, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix. Over 250,000 fans pack the stands to witness open-wheel racing at its absolute peak.
Everything you need to understand the series — in plain English.
IndyCar cars have exposed wheels — the tires sit outside the body, not covered by fenders. This makes them fundamentally different from NASCAR (stock cars) or IMSA (sports cars). Open-wheel cars are lighter, narrower, and generate massive aerodynamic downforce through wings.
The IndyCar schedule mixes oval tracks (like Indianapolis) with road courses (like Laguna Seca) and street circuits (like Nashville and Detroit). Each track type demands a completely different setup and driving style — making IndyCar drivers among the most versatile in motorsport.
Every IndyCar uses the same Dallara chassis and the same aero kit. The only engine choice is between Honda and Chevrolet — both produce around 550–700 hp depending on boost mode. Because cars are so equal, driver skill and team strategy matter more than engineering budget.
Each driver gets a limited number of "push-to-pass" activations per race — a button that temporarily increases engine boost for overtaking. This adds a strategic dimension: use all your boosts early and you'll be defending against fresh opponents late in the race.
How the three biggest North American-accessible racing series compare.
| IndyCar | Formula 1 | NASCAR Cup | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Type | Open-wheel prototype | Open-wheel prototype | Stock car (Next Gen) |
| Chassis | Spec (all Dallara) | Unique per team | Spec (Ford/Chevy/Toyota) |
| Engine | Honda or Chevy V6 twin-turbo | Hybrid V6 (team-specific) | V8 naturally aspirated |
| Top Speed | ~240 mph (ovals) | ~225 mph | ~200 mph |
| Track Types | Ovals + road + street | Road + street circuits | Ovals + road courses |
| Budget Scale | $10–30M per car/year | $100–600M per team/year | $20–60M per car/year |
| Biggest Race | Indianapolis 500 | Monaco Grand Prix | Daytona 500 |
The powerhouses that dominate the IndyCar paddock.
Drivers earn points at every race. The winner earns 50 points, with the scale descending. A pole position is worth 1 bonus point. Leading a lap earns 2 bonus points, and leading the most laps earns an additional 2 points.
The Indy 500 awards double points — the race winner earns 100 points instead of the usual 50. This makes it the single most important points-scoring opportunity of the season, and a driver can transform their championship position with one great result.
The Astor Cup is awarded to the IndyCar Series champion at the end of the season. Some years, winning the Indy 500 and the championship go hand in hand — but many Indy 500 winners have finished outside the top 5 in the overall standings, and vice versa.