NASCAR announces historic IndyCar crossover race

NASCAR will make history in 2026 when a Truck Series race takes place on a street course for the first time ever.

There were a ton of major storylines coming out of the big schedule release on Wednesday, and this was a beauty which may not have immediately jumped out.

It sees the Truck Series head to St. Petersburg in Florida on the last weekend in February, to partner up with IndyCar for a pair of races which will both be aired by FOX.

Truck Series heads to St Pete

The Trucks will get a spectacular crossover weekend under way on Saturday February 28, before IndyCar takes over the streets for its race on Sunday March 1. COTA meanwhile will host the Cup Series and Xfinity Series on the same weekend.

Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, said: “What a great new racing addition to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to include the NASCAR trucks into Saturday’s show next year.

“Saturday will be packed for our fans with entertainment. We have INDYCAR qualifying and now an historic first with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. And, as usual, it all culminates on Sunday with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season-opening event on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg.”

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While this innovative partnership at St Pete will get plenty of column inches, there were of course other major storylines coming out of that 2026 schedule release.

NASCAR schedule release nuggets

They include NASCAR moving its All-Star Race to Dover, and adding San Diego and Chicagoland to the roster of tracks for next year. North Wilkesboro meanwhile will hold a Cup Series points race on July 19 for the first time since 1996.

One other notable move sees Watkins Glen moved up three months in the schedule to May 10 from August - despite the potential for adverse weather conditions in upstate New York.

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