IndyCar has officially released its 2022 schedule, and the 17-race season looks set to be an absolute banger. Here’s everything you need to know.
Is That The IMSA Schedule?
IndyCar’s biggest faux pas with this schedule? It features a whopping six conflict with IMSA, the endurance racing series that many IndyCar drivers compete in part time. And some of those events are big ones.
The 12 Hours of Sebring in March is the same weekend as Texas Motor Speedway. There are also conflicts during IMSA’s Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Mosport, Lime Rock, and Nashville weekends. That’s not counting other weekends (Long Beach, Belle Isle) where both series compete on the same track.
Was that intentional? There’s no way to know for sure, but it’s hard not to imagine that IndyCar could have scheduled its season around IMSA’s and specifically chose not to.
A Return To Ovals
Thankfully, IndyCar is evening out the schedule a little bit by including another oval venue by returning to Iowa Speedway. The short track will host a doubleheader. Texas Motor Speedway, which has hosted double headers in both 2020 and 2021, will once again return to a Sunday-only event. That, with the Indy 500 and Gateway (WWT Raceway), brings the grand total of oval races to five, compared to five street races and seven road courses.
Early — But Sparse — Start
For the first time since 2003, IndyCar’s opening race of the 2022 season will take place in February at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
While it’s great to see the series making space for more races, the earlier start doesn’t provide any more races during that first stint. Instead, the first three races take place in as many months. It’s not a great way to carry momentum for the beginning of the series.
NBC-Heavy Broadcasting
All but three races in 2022 will be aired on NBC proper. Those three exceptions are Belle Isle (USA), Toronto (Peacock), and World Wide Technology Raceway (USA). That’s a seriously healthy look for a series that has frequently been relegated to NBCSN.
Full Schedule
- February 27: Streets of St. Petersburg
- March 20: Texas Motor Speedway
- April 10: Streets of Long Beach
- May 1: Barber Motorsports Park
- May 14: Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course
- May 29: Indianapolis 500
- June 5: Raceway at Belle Isle Park
- June 12: Road America
- July 3: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
- July 17: Streets of Toronto
- July 23: Iowa Speedway race 1
- July 24: Iowa Speedway race 2
- July 30: Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course
- August 7: Streets of Nashville
- August 20: World Wide Technology Raceway
- September 4: Portland International Raceway
- September 11: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
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