IndyCar will return to the Milwaukee Mile next season and Texas Motor Speedway is off the calendar for the first time since 1997 as part of the 2024 schedule released Monday.
The 17-race schedule includes two Saturday night races, a $1 million All-Star race in Southern California, 12 races televised on NBC and a move of the season finale from California’s Laguna Seca road course to downtown streets from Nashville.
Gone is the traditional stop at Texas Motor Speedway – the oval has been on the program since IndyCar’s first full season in 1997 – as well as a joint late summer weekend with NASCAR on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. NASCAR is expected to return to the oval, and IndyCar will compete on the Indianapolis road course only once – in May before the Indianapolis 500.
Roger Penske, owner of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, indicated that Texas will likely only be out for a year due to scheduling conflicts. NASCAR concluded its only Cup race of the year on Sunday at Texas, a track that has hosted two annual events for nearly two decades.
NASCAR is now targeting a spring date – IndyCar ran April 2 in Texas this year – and a date later in the year is difficult because NBC, IndyCar and NASCAR’s broadcast partner, is taking two weeks off from motorsports during the Summer Olympics.
“We love hosting the event in Texas, but television has really changed sports scheduling in all aspects with the Olympics,” Penske said. “We were unable to meet with Texas due to a NASCAR event. We’ll hopefully be back in Texas in another year, but the Olympics have really thrown a wrench into the whole sports schedule right now.”
IndyCar is still finalizing an exhibition race to be held in Argentina next season, which was not part of Monday’s schedule announcement. Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp., said Monday he expects IndyCar to compete in Argentina next fall.
“We have to clarify a lot of business issues and fly there. “There are a lot of logistics to deal with, a lot of inflation in Argentina that needs to be hedged or managed right now,” Miles said. “Not a week goes by that we’re not trying to get this over the finish line.”
Milwaukee returns to the schedule for a doubleheader on Labor Day weekend for the first time since 2015. The track first hosted IndyCar in 1939 and featured Rodger Ward (seven wins), Michael Andretti (five wins), Bobby Unser (four wins), Mario Andretti, AJ Foyt, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva, Paul Tracy and Al Unser won on the 1-mile oval.
Sebastien Bourdais won the last IndyCar race at the West Allis, Wisconsin track.
“There is such a great tradition and history of IndyCar racing at the Milwaukee Mile, and we are excited to build on that legacy,” Penske said. “We thank all of the loyal and passionate IndyCar fans in Milwaukee and throughout the state of Wisconsin and can’t wait to return to the Mile next season thanks to our partnership with the Wisconsin State Fair Park.”
The season begins March 10th on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida and ends September 15th on the streets of downtown Nashville.
With an average total viewership of 1.32 million viewers, IndyCar finished its most-watched season on record. It was the third straight year of viewership growth across NBC Sports platforms, including record audiences streaming IndyCar on NBC’s streaming service Peacock.
IndyCar will only stream two races next year: Toronto and the first race in Milwaukee. All practices and qualifying sessions will be streamed on Peacock.
“The upward trend of the series is reflected in the 2024 schedule,” Miles said. “With stops in world-class and global entertainment districts, classic American road courses and thrilling high-speed ovals, the 2024 season will be exciting and highly competitive from start to finish.
“The growth of IndyCar is noticeable. Combined with the efforts of our teams and partners, the 2024 Championship will be the perfect showcase for our drivers as we continue to expand our reach and popularity.”
2024 INDYCAR SCHEDULE
Sunday, March 10 Streets of St. Petersburg, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, March 24 The Thermal Club $1 Million Challenge, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, April 21 Streets of Long Beach, USA Network, Peacock
Sunday, April 28, Barber Motorsports Park, NBC, Peacock
Saturday, May 11 Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course), NBC, Peacock
Saturday, May 18 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Day 1, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, May 19 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Day 2, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, May 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Oval), NBC, Peacock
Sunday, June 2 Streets of Detroit, USA Network, Peacock
Sunday, June 9 Road America, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, June 23 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, USA Network, Peacock
Sunday, July 7 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, NBC, Peacock
Saturday, July 13, Iowa Speedway Race 1, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, July 14, Iowa Speedway Race 2, NBC, Peacock
Sunday, July 21 Streets of Toronto, Peacock
Saturday, August 17, World Wide Technology Raceway, USA Network, Peacock
Sunday, August 25, Portland International Raceway, USA Network, Peacock
Saturday, August 31st Milwaukee Mile Race 1, Peacock
Sunday, September 1st Milwaukee Mile Race 2, USA Network, Peacock
Sunday, September 15 Streets of Nashville, NBC, Peacock
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