IndyCar at World Wide Technology Raceway: Schedule, Predictions, And How To Watch

After a one-week break, IndyCar heads to World Wide Technology Raceway this time under the lights. Here’s everything you need to know before the cars hit the track Sunday night.

Round 8: Worldwide Technology Raceway Preview and Predictions

IndyCar is in St. Louis for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at the World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. Sunday’s race, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX, marks the first night race at the track since 2019 and the first to air on primetime broadcast television.

This track is the second of six ovals this season. Alex Palou was finally able to get the monkey off his back and get his first oval win at the Indy 500. Will he get his second, or will someone else get that oval victory?

St. Louis Preview

Since its first race in 1997, WWT Raceway has been a fan favorite that has produced thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing, and hopefully, this year is no different. 

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 is 250 laps around the short oval, perfect for tons of action. Looking back at last year, the action never stopped. The race saw an event-record 21 passes for the lead, a figure that smashed the previous mark of 13. Additionally, action throughout the field produced 676 on-track passes, with 254 for position, all event records. The amount of lead changes will be evident due to the different pit strategies; eleven drivers held the top spot in 2024.

Another thing to pay attention to is pole position, because at any other race, starting first would give a huge advantage, but here at the WWT Raceway, the last person to win from pole was Helio Castroneves in 2003, and only two others have done the same.

The Track: World Wide Technology Raceway

The track is an intriguing 1.25-mile (2.01 km) oval that is liked by many drivers who race there due to the unique shape and varying degrees of banking in each corner. The oval is more of an egg shape. The backstretch is confined to run parallel with Illinois Route 203, making Turns 1 & 2 a tighter radius than Turns 3 & 4.

Drivers to Watch

Josef Newgarden

It’s an easy decision to choose Newgarden as a driver to watch, considering his past performances. He is one of only two active drivers to claim victory around this oval. Last year, Josef had to overcome a late spin and hold off Penske teammate and polesitter Scott McLaughlin to add another win, bringing his total wins at St. Louis to five, the most by a driver in track history.  

It’s been an up-and-down start to the season for Newgarden, but a good result on Sunday can settle things down, get him back on track, and improve on his current championship standing of 11th.

David Malukas

World Wide Technology Raceway’s technical nature seems to bring out Malukas’ best, making it one of his most successful tracks to date. In 2022, David charged from eighth to second in the closing laps to record his first-ever podium finish in IndyCar. A year later, he followed it up with a third-place finish, for his second career IndyCar podium.

Last year, he continued his strong performance at St. Louis, but while trying to overtake Will Power in a late push for his first win, the two cars touched, sending Malukas spinning into the wall. This year, he’ll be looking for redemption, and with him participating in every race so far, something he couldn’t do last year, and the confidence he gained from finishing second in the Indy 500, pencils his name right into the conversation for the win.

Weekend Schedule:

Here is the weekend schedule for the NTT IndyCar Series at Worldwide Technology Raceway: