INDYCAR Announces 15-Race INDY NXT by Firestone Schedule for 2027

INDYCAR Development Series Builds on Historic Growth, Momentum

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Nov. 13, 2026) – INDYCAR has announced a 15-race schedule for the 2027 INDY NXT by Firestone championship. The schedule features four doubleheaders and competition across 11 venues as the next generation of open-wheel racing stars continues its pursuit of driving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

The 2027 championship will feature a diverse mix of street circuits, road courses and ovals, challenging a talented roster of drivers, engineers and team personnel at some of North America’s most iconic racing venues.

INDY NXT continues to experience unprecedented growth and exposure, reinforcing INDYCAR’s rising energy and momentum. The 2026 INDY NXT championship featured a record-tying 10 race winners, including a record-tying seven first-time victors. The season also featured the most passes on record in series history, with on-track passing records broken at nine tracks. Growth throughout the paddock resulted in an average of 24 starters per race in 2026 – the most in 17 years.

Television viewership on FOX Sports’ FS1 and FS2 increased 14 percent over the previous season. FOX Sports will provide a televised platform for every race in 2027, helping build on the series’ record-setting growth.

“As we have seen in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone is in the midst of immense growth both on and off the track,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “With 10 different race winners last season, it is clear that the competition is as fierce as ever as drivers look to move up to the INDYCAR SERIES.

“With our partners at FOX Sports, the exposure and value of INDY NXT has clearly reached new heights. We know the 2027 schedule will provide another intense test for drivers and teams and produce a deserving champion to celebrate at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.”

The 2027 INDY NXT Championship Road Map

The season opens Sunday, March 7, on the sunny Streets of St. Petersburg for the 17th time and sixth consecutive year. The series then returns to the Streets of Arlington on Sunday, March 21, for the second annual Java House Grand Prix of Arlington NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend.

The first doubleheader of the season takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 3-4 at Barber Motorsports Park. Race 1 of the 2026 doubleheader featured a track-record 96 on-track passes, including 83 for position.

INDY NXT returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Saturday, May 15 as part of another historic May lineup at The Racing Capital of the World. The 14-turn, 2.439-mile layout produced a record 284 on-track passes in 2026.

June brings a busy stretch of competition at venues that all featured passing records and intense wheel-to-wheel battles in 2026. The series begins the month on Sunday, June 6 on the Streets of Detroit, followed by World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 13. The second doubleheader weekend of the season follows at Road America, with races Saturday and Sunday, June 26-27 on the iconic 4.014-mile circuit.

Following the series’ annual trip to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the summer continues with a second consecutive doubleheader and a Fourth of July celebration Saturday and Sunday, July 3-4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The championship then heads west to Portland International Raceway on Saturday, July 31, before returning to the historic Milwaukee Mile for the final oval race of the 2027 season Saturday, Aug. 28.

The INDY NXT by Firestone champion will be crowned for the second consecutive year at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca following the fourth and final doubleheader of the season during Labor Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4-5.

2027 INDY NXT by Firestone Testing Calendar

In addition to the race schedule, opportunities for driver and team development continue with a series of group and open tests in 2027.

The first of two preseason INDY NXT group tests took place Monday at Barber Motorsports Park, with an additional group test scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 27-28 at Sebring International Raceway.

Additional in-season group tests are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, April 28-29 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Monday, Aug. 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Laguna Seca test follows the series’ race at Portland International Raceway two days earlier.

INDY NXT oval open tests are scheduled for Thursday, April 22 at World Wide Technology Raceway and Thursday, June 17 at Milwaukee Mile, giving teams opportunities to fine-tune their cars ahead of wheel-to-wheel oval racing in 2027.

After this week’s announcement from Dale Coyne Racing that Nikita Johnson has joined the NTT INDYCAR SERIES team in 2027, the last four INDY NXT champions have full-time rides in North America’s premier open-wheel racing series next year. In 2026, 15 drivers with INDY NXT experience competed full time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and 20 drivers with previous INDY NXT experience competed in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

“INDY NXT by Firestone has been an ideal home for developing drivers and team personnel, and the diligent work from all of our stakeholders has produced meaningful results,” INDY NXT by Firestone Director Kirk Dooley said. “Once again, we have strategically added a testing schedule to an already impressive lineup of race weekends that will continue to provide an exemplary proving ground for INDYCAR’s next generation of stars. Combined with record paddock growth and exposure, 2027 is shaping up to be another exhilarating season.”

FOX Sports’ network assignments and tune-in times for the 2027 events will be announced at a later date. INDYCAR Radio will again provide audio coverage on SiriusXM channel 190 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Outside the United States, INDYCAR LIVE will continue to provide live streaming coverage of all 15 INDY NXT races, along with all practice and qualifying sessions.

2027 INDY NXT BY FIRESTONE SCHEDULE