IndyCar spotlights stars, racing and sustainability in 2023

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — IndyCar finally has its own television program, a refocused marketing plan, aggressive sustainability efforts and a whopping 27 full-time entrants as the season begins this weekend on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

Is it enough to finally give IndyCar the respect its drivers have been demanding?

That’s the hope as IndyCar attempts to showcase some of the closest racing in motorsports. The series boasted nine different winners last year and the championship race came down to the season finale for the 15th consecutive year, a five-driver fight won by Will Power.

IndyCar has three former Formula One drivers in its field, including reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, and continues to be a destination series for drivers frustrated by the European ladder system. This year’s field features three drivers who advanced to F2 — the series right below F1 — including rookie Marcus Armstrong, who becomes the third New Zealander on the grid.

In an effort to prove IndyCar is just as sexy as F1 but more competitive and has personalities that outshine the superstars of NASCAR, Penske Entertainment and VICE Media Group partnered on programming designed to showcase the series the same way “Drive to Survive” on Netflix has worked for F1.

The six-part “100 Days to Indy” will air on The CW Network and chronicle the 100-day window ahead of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. Cameras will be prevalent all weekend in St. Petersburg, where the 17-race season officially opens.

THE PLAYERS

Team Penske returns with its lineup intact: Reigning two-time IndyCar champion Power, one-time series champion Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, who in his second season last year found his groove and accounted for three of Penske’s nine wins.

McLaughlin won the season-opener at St. Pete to kickstart a campaign in which the Kiwi and three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion should challenge for the title.