MOORESVILLE, N.C. — IndyCar is giving its Indy Lights Series a makeover, complete with a new name and the return of an old sponsor.
Beginning next season, the series will be known as Indy NXT By Firestone.
“Indy NXT by Firestone will continue to develop and graduate new generations of racers ready to engage in breathtaking, high-stakes competition,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said. “Firestone is the perfect partner in this endeavor, with its innovative technology and authentic appreciation for Indy NXT and its vast potential.”
Firestone is also the sole tire supplier for the NTT IndyCar Series, continuing a longtime relationship between the tire company, IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500.
“We look forward to being part of the journey as Indy NXT enters a new era and expands our partnership with IndyCar,” said Lisa Boggs, director of motorsports, Bridgestone Americas. “Having been in the series previously, we know how important it is for the development of the next generation of drivers, and we are proud to support them again.
“Indy NXT provides opportunities for Firestone to engage with new audiences and develop and showcase our technology.”
Starting with the 2022 season, IndyCar took over the management and operations of the developmental series. The launch of the new era included a vastly enhanced collaborative partnership with the NTT IndyCar Series, featuring integration in paddock spaces, marketing, digital assets and race officiating.
The 2023 season will provide an additional opportunity for a reset and a new mission to emerge, guided by an ethos that aims to inspire and relate to Generation Z and the young talent piloting race cars.
After an expansion of teams and car count in 2022, the 2023 season is expected to build on that momentum, with the highest entry list for the developmental series since 2009.
The Indy NXT by Firestone championship will compete on the same tracks and on the same weekends as the NTT IndyCar Series events, providing further exposure to the series.
The schedule includes three doubleheader weekends: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, streets of Detroit and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where the Indy NXT champion will be crowned.
2023 Indy NXT By Firestone Schedule
March 5 Streets of St. Petersburg
April 30 Barber Motorsports Park
May 12 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 1
May 13 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 2
June 3 Streets of Detroit Race 1
June 4 Streets of Detroit Race 2
June 18 Road America
July 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
July 22 Iowa Speedway
Aug. 6 Streets of Nashville
Aug. 27 World Wide Technology Raceway
Sept. 3 Portland Int’l Raceway
Sept. 9 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 1
Sept. 10 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 2