The Grand Prix of Arlington has raised the bar for what events should look like in the IndyCar Series, according to several drivers.
Nearly 2.5 years in the making, the venue that makes up this weekend’s inaugural race for North America’s premier open-wheel championship has not disappointed. In fact, it has left many in awe as the 14-turn, 2.73-mile temporary street circuit that wraps around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field – home of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, respectively – showcases a top-notch presentation.
Drivers have already been raving about the challenging track design that features a .950-mile backstraightaway, horseshoe complex and technical corners. It goes well beyond that, though, with fans provided unique views; from three-story suites overlooking a dual pitlane and that carries over parts of the track for drivers to go under. There’s fan zones, concerts (with notable artist T-Pain) and other activities for engagement. This was the long-awaited plan of bringing IndyCar back to Texas for the first time since 2023, and doing it in the heart of the Entertainment District of Arlington, Texas, the middle ground of the metroplex between Fort Worth and Dallas.
Six-time series champion Scott Dixon has plenty of “fond memories”returning to the Long Star State with five wins at nearby Texas Motor Speedway. However, he believes the presentation of Arlington has only heightened what IndyCar should be.
“How they’ve done this and what IndyCar does, in street racing and how they’ve activated here, man, it’s epic,” said Dixon, driver of the #9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“So excited to be back. I’m always excited to be in Texas, always excited to be in Arlington and Dallas, but for us, you know, it’s just focused on the race.”
The 45-year-old New Zealand native furthered that thought when asked if he thinks this event could potentially rival the Grand Prix of Long Beach as the second biggest race of the season, behind only the Indianapolis 500.
“This is the new standard,” said Dixon. “This is what IndyCar needs to stick to.”
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing
Photo by: Perry Nelson / Lumen via Getty Images
Marcus Ericsson, driver of the #28 Andretti Global Honda, was complimentary of the event even before turning a lap.
“I’ve been very impressed so far,” said Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner. “Track walk (Thursday), the build of the track, you saw the attention to detail here. It’s very, very impressive, and would love it to be a new standard for IndyCar, for new races and current races to have events like this.
“It really raises the standard of IndyCar racing, and I think for sponsors, for VIPs, for fans to come to a race like this, and hopefully have a fantastic experience in this type of setting, it’s what we need to grow the sport.”
Kyle Kirkwood, Ericsson’s teammate who drives Andretti’s #27 Honda-powered entry, continued the theme.
“This is what IndyCar racing should look like,” Kirkwood said. “Just the hospitality, the hype around this place, where we’re at, the build, it looks beautiful. All the branding on all the walls looks perfect.
“It’s what a marquee event should look like for us at IndyCar. And it’s exciting to be here. This is a good time for our sport.”
And Kirkwood furthered Dixon’s thoughts on Arlington rivaling the Grand Prix of Long Beach, a race he is a two-time winner of, including last year.
“Easily,” Kirkwood said. “I don’t know if it’ll do it in the first year, right, because what’s Long Beach now, it’s going on our 51st year. So, yes, it definitely can.
“The build, the layout, where it’s at, I think is absolutely incredible. It might be even better than Long Beach with everything that they’ve done here, but Long Beach is just so historic, right? It’s going to be hard to just triumph that, but maybe in the coming years if this continues to be a marquee event for us, it very much could be.”
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