Well, Arlington.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty pumped to hear the news of IndyCar heading to a street race in (the) Dallas (area) in 2026. I’m even more pumped to hear that the promotion of said event will include the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers.
While it’s not a return to Texas Motor Speedway (or Austin) — more on that later — it is a return to a large metro area that, if promoted correctly, can be a successful event.
The final part of that sentence — if promoted correctly — is going to be the key to all of this. Because that’s what was missing in past years for the races at TMS. Yes, the racing hadn’t been the best over the final couple of years, although the ending of the 2023 race was certainly a banger, but that doesn’t even excuse the fact that the stands were laughably empty.
It’s more and more apparent that Eddie Gossage (RIP) was what drove TMS’s interest in IndyCar, and when he left, the interest was no longer there.
And, honestly, why should it be? Texas has a NASCAR weekend, and, more importantly, has NASCAR TV money. It’s all about return on investment, and while there is one for NASCAR, it just isn’t there for us.
Yeah, you can blame the promotion, and that’s valid. But racetracks are a business, and for tracks that get NASCAR races and the TV money, the ROI for IndyCar just doesn’t make it worth it.
Which is the same reasons why other tracks aren’t in play. I hear fans all the times screaming “IndyCar should go to (insert track here)!”. I agree, in a perfect world, the series would be racing a places like Phoenix, Michigan, Watkins Glen, and Pocono.
But it’s like when you are an awkward teenager in high school, you can ask people out all you want, but it doesn’t mean anyone will go on a date with you.
That was me. I was an awkward teenager. I know of what I speak.
We need to live in the real world here. It takes two to tango, and all of the tracks people talk about going to just don’t want to dance with IndyCar. Like you, I absolutely hate it, but those are the facts. Facts don’t care about our feelings.
Put it this way: if you were in charge of a track, and you had NASCAR dates that more than paid the bills, would you pony up a seven-figure sanctioning fee in the hopes that you break even on IndyCar?
Most of us would, because we love IndyCar, until we had the stakeholders of said tracks started calling for our heads, not to mention other outside influences. NASCAR cuddles up to IndyCar when it suits them, but if it doesn’t, tracks will go in lockstep to where the money is coming from. Always, always, follow the money.
Conspiracy theory? Maybe, but they have long proven themselves to be two things: a total monopoly, and absolutely cutthroat in the boardroom, with their influence reaching far and wide. Hence, why Michael Jordan, et al is currently suing them.
The dude has almost as much money as they do. It will be interesting how all of this plays out. Especially discovery. That might be a lot of fun!
So, you go where you are wanted, and this is where a street race in the Metroplex comes in. There are lots of things to be excited about this whole thing.
First, you have the Dallas Cowboys. While winning something of significance has been a challenge over, oh, the last 30 years, they are one of the biggest brands in the country, and marketing is their forte. They know what they are doing.
And here’s the thing, in the NFL, it’s all about “protecting the (NFL) shield at all costs”. Most likely, the Cowboys couldn’t get involved without the NFL giving its blessing. The NFL, the most behemoth pro sport in the country. Signing off on an IndyCar race.
That’s gotta get you hyped.
Then you have the Texas Rangers. Again, another professional sports team getting involved. The 2023 World Series champions. MLB signing off on this as well.
And Cowboys’ legend Michael Irvin doing the hype video that showed up on IndyCar social today. This is an all-in sort of thing.
Add to that, two great facilities in AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park. I’ve taken the AT&T tour and have seen a ballgame in Globe Life, and they are both incredible facilities that I’m sure will be utilized in some form during the race weekend.
And part of Globe Life is Texas Live!, which is a massive restaurant/bar complex that will be heavily utilized during the race weekend. In fact, it’s the location of Tuesday’s presser. I’ve been there and it is a very fun place that race fans would totally enjoy, especially when cars aren’t on track and NCAA conference tournaments/March Madness games (depending on the date of the race) are on the massive, 30-ft. screen behind the bar.
About the only problem I see is this: Arlington is a bit of a drive from downtown Dallas, and there aren’t a lot of hotels in the area. But if the race organizers are smart, they will have shuttles and other transportation ready to handle it. At least I hope so.
Full disclosure at the end of this: I love Dallas. I go there a handful of times a year and think it’s an amazing city with lots of great bars, restaurants, and things to do.
(And hopefully the Dallas Mavericks are at home that weekend so I can see my boy Luka Doncic play. NBA, make it happen.)
But all I’m saying is this: keep an open mind. There are lots of people and resources being thrown at this race. There are a lot of unknows, of course, but this much is true.
Lots of people with lots of money and resources are going to be putting a lot into this. If this race doesn’t absolutely kick ass in its inaugural year, I will officially give up hope.
And hey, everything is bigger in Texas. Right?
Mark my words, this is going to be big. Very, very big.
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