IndyCar Weekly: Productions, practices and Phoenix
- Dan Jones
- Dec 7, 2025
- 6 min read
We may be getting into the depths of winter and although all on-track action has dried up, news from across the IndyCar and Indy NXT paddocks continue to trickle in. This week saw the penultimate driver confirmation heading into 2026, even more Daytona announcements as well as insights into Indianapolis. IndyCar Weekly provides your round-up of the news from IndyCar and Indy NXT from the last seven days.
Robb confirmed for 2026 Juncos return
After several months of confusion, Sting Ray Robb's future was finally formalised this week, with the 24-year-old confirmed to return to Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR) for the full 2026 season as he completes the teams' line-up alongside Rinus VeeKay.
Robb finished 25th in the standings in 2025 and importantly outside the Leaders' Circle, with the team missing out on the approximate $1 million bonus provided by IndyCar. That led to speculation that there were exit clauses in Robb's contract based around the Leaders' Circle leading to several weeks and months of confusion.
"This season is massive for me, and I'm embracing it fully,” Robb said. “It's my first opportunity to run with the same team for a second season and I'm ready for what it demands. The key for me is the continuity – working with the established team people and the newer faces we all trust, with everyone focused on elevating across all areas.
“Having Dave experience at the helm has been huge. You can feel the way his racing pedigree shapes our processes, the way he leads the room, and the overall professionalism. Pair that with the insight from Adam Carroll and the six seasons of experience Rinus brings as a teammate, and it feels like the whole operation is headed in the right direction. I'm excited to have Rinus as a teammate – we’re aligned, we’re hungry, and we’re ready to fight towards the front together.”
While Robb's team were adamant he would return to the No.77 in 2026, Juncos themselves did not confirm Robb's return following the season finale, with further speculation arising last week when the team listed their second driver as 'TBC' alongside VeeKay on their new website.
However, the air has now settled between Robb and Juncos with the American confirmed for a fourth IndyCar season, with 2026 marking the first occasion he will return to a team that he drove for the year prior.
“Sting Ray is a key pillar in the structure we’re building for 2026,” JHR team principal Dave O’Neill said. “His commitment and approach match the ambition driving this team forward. We took meaningful steps this year, but we know there’s far more potential to unlock and 2026 is our chance to convert that progress into real performance gains. With the continuity Sting Ray provides, combined with the pace, experience and race-winning pedigree Rinus brings, we believe this line-up gives us the firepower to move up the order quickly.”
Robb's confirmation means there is only one seat yet to be confirmed for 2026, that belonging to Dale Coyne Racing.
O'Ward completes second FP1 outing of 2026
Pato O'Ward continued to fulfil his role as McLaren's Formula One reserve driver this week as he completed 60 minutes of running in Free Practice 1 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, sitting in for Oscar Piastri.
It marks the second FP1 session of the year for O'Ward after he took the helm of Lando Norris' MCL39 in his home race at Mexico City. It marked O'Ward's fifth career FP1 session, his third in Abu Dhabi, with 2025 marking the first occasion he has completed multiple sessions in a season.
"It was exciting to be back in the car and help the team put our best foot forward, going into what is probably the most important Sunday of the year for the team with Lando and Oscar competing for the Championship," O'Ward said. "We completed the run plan well, helping Oscar set up the car. Thanks to the team for the opportunity this afternoon, I’m excited to get back in the car on Tuesday for the test.”
O'Ward finished the session 14th quickest with a 1:25.246, being the third-quickest of the nine rookies participating in the session, with the Mexican completing 27 laps of running throughout the hour.
“Well done to Pato for his second session in the MCL39, our fourth mandatory young driver appearance of the season," said McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella. "He drove very well, delivering all the information that we required to get the initial readings of the car.”
As noted by O'Ward, he will be back in the MCL39 on Tuesday in the post-season young driver test. His F1 role heading into 2026 has been made more unclear in recent weeks though, after the team signed FIA Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, as well as Richard Verschoor to their ranks.
Power to make first Daytona appearance with 75 Express
It isn't IndyCar Weekly without some talk about the IndyCar interest in the 24 Hours of Daytona, with this week being no different.
Will Power's growing involvement in sportscar racing was elevated further this week after confirmation that the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time series champion will make his maiden appearance at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January.
The Australian will race for 75 Express in the GTD Pro Class, the same outfit that he finished sixth in class with in this years' Indianapolis 8 Hour. As he did in Indianapolis, he will line-up alongside Kenny Habul and newly-crowned Supercars Champion, Chaz Mostert. Maro Engel will complete the four-driver line-up.
It continues the heavy IndyCar interest in the race, with Álex Palou and Scott Dixon previously being confirmed for Meyer Shank Racing in the GTP class, Colton Herta with Wayne Taylor Racing in the same class, Christian Rasmussen with AO Racing in the LMP2 class and James Hinchcliffe with Pfaff Motorsports in the GTD Pro class.
On this weeks' #exIndyCarDriverWatch, Kevin Magnussen was confirmed for all endurance races in the No.25 BMW WRT entry alongside Philipp Eng, Raffaele Marciello and Marco Wittmann (which also serves as your yearly reminder that Magnussen did once race in IndyCar!)
IMS to produce miniseries on track repave
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has confirmed they will release a four-part miniseries documenting the Turn 2 repave completed earlier in the year.
Behind the Bricks will detail the completion of the repave project, which displayed the famous brick track surface, in addition to the sone-and-tar surface beneath it. The series will feature interviews and exclusive footage of the repaving process with each episode seen on IMS' social media channels including Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.
“It’s not often that we get to really see the full history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of our eyes,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said. “What started as a project to fix a bump in Turn 2 turned into a historic, and at times, overwhelming exploration that uncovered aspects of his racetrack that have not seen the light of day, literally, in over 116 years. I can’t wait for our fans to see it all unfold on ‘Behind the Bricks.’”
The first episode will release on Monday, 8th December with the four episodes releasing in consecutive days with a full-length documentary released on Friday 12th.
A repave was completed in order to smoothen out a bump that had been growing in Turn 2, with 100 foot of track being repaved. Palou, O'Ward, Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato tested the surface in late October, all of whom were positive about the changes.
“It’s a little bit smoother, which I think is going to be a huge gain for the race, especially when we’re following cars,” said Palou. “It’s great. I cannot wait to go racing.”
Good Ranchers to sponsor IndyCar's return to Phoenix
One of the formalities was crossed off this week as IndyCar prepares to return to Phoenix Raceway for the first time since 2018, with Good Ranchers confirmed to be the title sponsor of the race on March 7th, 2026.
It marks the second time in as many weeks that there has been a sponsorship-related announcement for a new/returning race in 2026 after the confirmation that Java House will sponsor the Grand Prix of Arlington.
“We’re excited to welcome Good Ranchers as the entitlement sponsor of our upcoming IndyCar race,” Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey said. “Their commitment to giving back and serving our veterans really resonates with our community and our fans. It shows that Good Ranchers brings the same heart and purpose to their work that our race weekends bring to the Valley, and we’re proud to partner with them for an unforgettable and historic event.”
Good Ranchers is no stranger to the IndyCar scene, having regularly appeared on Scott McLaughlin's car over the last several seasons which the New Zealander has commonly nicknamed 'the meat wagon '.
The race will mark a double-header event with NASCAR, with IndyCar set to take to the track on Saturday before the Cup Series follows suit the following day.
“At Good Ranchers, we’re driven by a purpose to support America, and that commitment has shaped every part of our story,” Good Ranchers founder and CEO Ben Spell said. “As an American-born racing tradition built on hard work and a relentless drive to push forward, IndyCar embodies that same spirit. Together, we’re fuelling American families on and off the track.”
IndyCar saw touchdown at Phoenix last month when Rossi and Dixon completed a tyre test in preparation for next years' race, both drivers having raced at Phoenix previously. The series state that there is a full open test planned at the oval on the 17th and 18th February.
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Jhr is no longer my favorite team. At Nashville the driver that got the trophy for biggest mover, running fourth on last restart with a legitimate shot at the win, is no longer with a ride!?! Plus second straight year with leaders circle money!! Did they forget about the battle for the lead at gateway?? the run in the 500?? Give me a break!!!!!