"Will be sensational": IndyCar's partnership with NFL for first 'F1-style' street track hyped by series CEO

IndyCar is gearing up for one of the biggest events in its modern history in March 2026. On October 7, 2024, the top class of American open-wheel racing announced a partnership with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of MLB's Texas Rangers for the Grand Prix of Arlington.

This race in Texas will take place on a 2.73-mile street circuit featuring AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys, and Globe Life Field, home of the Rangers. This parallels F1's Miami Grand Prix, which races on the streets of Florida featuring the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

The wide street course impressed AJ Foyt Racing star Santino Ferrucci, who likened the Texas track to F1, saying, via Motorsport:

"It’s going to be our first Formula 1- style street course and I think that’s something to strive for."

Penske Entertainment CEO, Mark Miles, who manages IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, recently appeared on the Pit Pass Indy podcast. When the host Bruce Martin asked him about this groundbreaking partnership with the Cowboys and the Rangers, Miles said:

"They are stoked about it. They are very excited about it and they are very engaged. Now, I don't know if it's every game, but I know in games since the announcement, if you're there (at the AT&T stadium) watching the Cowboys at home, on the big screen, you see a promo video for the Arlington Grand Prix. It's a long way away before that (race) happens, but they're in it. Their staffs are in it. Their thinking and their reach is really potent," he said (23:00 onwards).

Miles also played up the fast and flowing nature of the racetrack, adding:

"You've seen some mocked-up video of what the track's gonna look like. I think it'll be sensational. I think it'll be great racing."

The last time IndyCar raced in Texas was in 2023 at the Texas Motor Speedway. However, the race failed to fill out the stands, leading to the series parting ways with it.

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2x Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden expects a "big show" at IndyCar's Grand Prix of Arlington

Josef Newgarden celebrates after winning the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

Veteran IndyCar track designer Tony Cotman has designed the Arlington circuit. The 14-turn circuit promises the cars going north of 200 mph on the straights.

Defending two-time Indy 500 winner, Josef Newgarden was excited with this prospect that would provide the fans with delightfully high-paced action on the track.

"I think you’ll be going to be over 200 miles per hour looking at the straights. So, it’s going to be a very fast track. It’s a good layout, a lot of visibility with the way they’ve laid it out. Yeah, be here because it’s going to be a big show," the Team Penske driver said (via IndyCar)

The circuit also features an unorthodox double-sided pit lane, like that at the Detroit Grand Prix street race. This tri-sport partnership between Penske Entertainment (IndyCar owner), the Dallas Cowboys, and the Texas Rangers promises to turn a new page for the America racing series.