Will Power, a highly successful INDYCAR driver with 45 wins and two championships, will leave Team Penske before the 2026 season after a 17-year tenure, marking a significant change in his racing career.
Alex Palou secured the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship by winning the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland. This victory marked his second series title, making him the first driver to clinch the championship with one race remaining since 2007. Palou's win also helped Chip Ganassi Racing secure its 15th INDYCAR SERIES championship and a 1-2 finish in the driver point standings, with Scott Dixon finishing second. Palou's victory, his fifth of the season, solidified his lead in the standings over Dixon heading into the final race of the season.
The 2023 Detroit Grand Prix course through the streets of downtown features a double pit lane, the first of its kind in the IndyCar Series, which poses a unique challenge to drivers. Drivers will need to go slower than usual while merging back onto the course. The course is quite bumpy and there is little room to pass. Drivers will get a few more opportunities to become acquainted with the track before battling it out for the trophy starting at 3 p.m. Sunday.
TV ratings for last Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington remained steady from last year, while the Xfinity Series saw a healthy bump in viewership. The NTT IndyCar Series Indianapolis Grand Prix saw a decline in viewership from last year, as did the Craftsman Truck Series race from Darlington. The IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was back on NBC and saw a slight decline in viewership. The Cup race led in the 18-49 age demographic.