Something To Build Going Forward – Motorsports Tribune

By Phillip Schmitz, Staff Writer

If you were a fan that watched Sunday’s PPG 375 at Texas Motor Speedway, either from the grandstands or watching it on television, you could not have asked for a better NTT IndyCar Series race to witness.

If the only negatives that came from it were the early start time or the race finishing under caution, I’ll take those two when you consider the recent IndyCar races that have been held at the 1.5-mile oval. Prior to last Sunday, the racing has been less than ideal. 

After watching the race, I’m not going to say it was the best ever at Texas, but I will say it was the best since the reconfiguration in 2017. If not further than that if I’m honest. It was simply that good of a race.

IndyCar and Texas needed a race like that, with a lot of credit going to both of them. The sanctioning body did its part by deciding to add more downforce to the cars, as well as having a special practice that allowed all the drivers the opportunity to put down rubber in the second groove. Credit also goes to Firestone for providing the teams an extra set of tires to accommodate.

While the future of the IndyCar at Texas is still up in the air, the series has the option to return next season, and potentially beyond. Sunday shows that IndyCar wants to make it work at the track. They want to be in the Dallas/Fort Worth market.

Same with Texas Motor Speedway, who’s tried to do whatever they can to enhance the racing. Trying to get rid of the PJ1 that was sprayed in 2019 for NASCAR races, which stained the racing surface for the years to come. For its part, the track has tried to power wash and grind down the racing surface in an effort to remove as much of the stained part off the racing surface. 

Mother Nature also played nice for all involved last weekend. The race start time on Sunday for the PPG 375 was moved from 11:45 AM start time to being at 11:00 AM, due to the potential of inclement weather moving in and affecting the race. Thankfully it didn’t rain until hours after the No 2. PPG Team Penske Chevrolet of Josef Newgarden won the race.

Following Sunday’s successful outing, it’s probably a good bet that we’ll see the IndyCar back at Texas next year. After the race we just had, there’s not a reason why it shouldn’t be on the schedule. Question is where on the schedule, and what time?

In a dream scenario, returning the race to a Saturday night under the lights could be one option….