"Calendar blocked! Let's gooo" - Fans react as IndyCar announces 2026 Arlington GP schedule

IndyCar announced the dates and schedule for the inaugural Arlington GP in 2026 on Thursday. The race will take place on the streets of Arlington, Texas, in the second week of March next year. Fans on social media couldn't control their excitement after the highly anticipated announcement.

IndyCar finalized the weekend of March 13 to 15 for the 2026 Arlington GP, which is a collaborative effort by Penske Entertainment, the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of the MLB's Texas Rangers.

One of the most popular drivers in the American open-wheel racing series, Pato O'Ward, who calls Texas his second home, said in the official announcement:

"The INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington is definitely circled on the calendar. Texans love racing, and they love big events. So, this is going to be mega. Hopefully, it will set the new standard for a street circuit race in North America."

IndyCar's Instagram post about the schedule announcement swiftly received a flurry of responses from excited fans.

"Calendar blocked! Let's gooo," wrote one fan.

"I speak for everybody when I say we will be watching no matter what," wrote another fan.

"Spring 2026 looking real bright 🙌🏻 ," said one user.

Some fans also thanked IndyCar for filling the three-week gap between the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the second race, the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix. Here are some of the reactions:

"Good timing," one fan commented.

"Thank you for filling that early season gap," one fan noted.

"Perfect. That gap between Thermal/LB is brutal," one fan expressed his thoughts.

Arlington GP will be IndyCar's first F1-style street circuit

The Arlington GP promises to host an absolute thriller of an IndyCar race in 2026. The 14-turn, 2.73-mile circuit will feature the AT&T stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, and the Globe Life Field, the home of the Texas Rangers. It will mirror F1's Miami Grand Prix, which features at the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

That won't be the only F1 resemblance. AJ Foyt Racing driver Santino Ferrucci revealed that the circuit will be IndyCar's first F1-like street course.

"This is going to become a staple, without a doubt. It’s going to be our first Formula 1-style street course and I think that’s something to strive for," the Dallas native said via motorsport.com.

Two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden also revealed how the main straight will facilitate great overtaking, with cars going over 200 miles an hour. The Arlington GP circuit will take inspiration from the Detroit GP with an unorthodox double-sided pit lane.

In January this year, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles divulged that the Dallas Cowboys were all in with the promotional efforts for the race. The AT&T stadium was showing ads for the race during the Cowboys' home games.

The circuit has been designed by veteran IndyCar designer Tony Cotman, and Penske Entertainment hopes for the race to become a tent-pole event for the series, like the Long Beach GP.