IndyCar — officially the NTT IndyCar Series — is the premier US open-wheel championship, and a genuine all-rounder: across a single season it races ovals, street circuits and road courses. It is run by Penske Entertainment, which bought the series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2020.
IndyCar is a spec series. Every team runs the same Dallara IR-18 chassis fitted with a hybrid-assisted 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 built by Honda or Chevrolet. With standard machinery, results come down to driver skill and team execution rather than who has the biggest budget — producing a close, unpredictable field where many different drivers can win.
Its crown jewel is the Indianapolis 500 — 200 laps, 500 miles around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway — one of the most famous races in the world and the centrepiece of the calendar every May.
For how the two great open-wheel series compare, see Formula 1 versus IndyCar.