By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

Extensive planning and collaborative design work continues on the new race car chassis and updated twin-turbocharged V-6 engine INDYCAR will introduce for the 2028 NTT IndyCar Series season, with thorough on-track testing scheduled for early 2026.

Pato O’Ward  climbs out of his race car after practice on Friday for the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto race this weekend. O’Ward and the INDYCAR drivers are looking forward to racing a new chassis and engine package in 2028. Photo by Joe Skibinski

Dallara will produce the chassis, featuring a look designed to appeal to a new generation of open-wheel fans while maintaining current styling cues. Dallara has produced chassis for the series since 1997 and has been INDYCAR’s exclusive chassis supplier since 2008.

“The time has come for a new NTT IndyCar Series chassis,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said during a recent update meeting with team-owners. “The DW12 served the series so well, as it provided a combination of phenomenal, wheel-to-wheel racing and critical enhancements to safety. But recent significant updates to the car _ from the aeroscreen to the hybrid power unit _ have helped advance the need for a completely new car.

“We are pleased by what our engineers and Dallara have collaboratively designed and believe it will appeal to the fans and paddock while also upholding our standards of safety and enhancing INDYCAR’s on-track competition well into the future.”

Three areas _ competition, powertrain development and safety _ remain central to the next car’s engineering, design and development.

The new car will aim to enhance the series’ competitive nature by being better-suited for racing on all four types of circuits on the schedule _ superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. Evolution of the new chassis has included work by Dallara and recently developed simulation technology, aimed at upgrading overall “raceability.”

Working with Dallara and other component suppliers, the overall car design includes a projected weight reduction of 85-100 pounds compared to the current chassis.

Plans also include a move a 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 internal combustion engine (ICE), expected to provide additional torque and power over the current 2.2-liter formula produced by Team Chevy and Honda Racing.

Xtrac, an exclusive supplier for INDYCAR since 2000, will provide transmissions for the new chassis. Development for 2028 includes a gearbox that will shed 25 pounds from the current unit and one that will share components with a future INDY NXT by Firestone gearbox _ streamlining components for teams also involved in INDYCAR’s developmental series.

Low-voltage hybrid engine technology, introduced to series competition with a successful launch in July 2024, will evolve in the new car with longer deployment, more horsepower gain and overall improved performance.

Performance Friction Corporation (PFC) again will be the exclusive supplier of brake system components for the series, as it has since 2017.

Safety will be a focus of Dallara’s design, in collaboration with INDYCAR technical and medical response officials. The new car will take safety to new benchmarks via an ergonomic driver cockpit that will improve seating position, an integrated aeroscreen and a new roll hoop. Recall the existing chassis was retrofitted with the aeroscreen upon that revolutionary safety device’s introduction in 2020.

Renderings and more information about the new car, along with additional partners, will be announced at a later date.

The new car update is a component of the recent upward trajectory of North America’s premier open-wheel series.

Real-time milestones include FOX viewership results of a 27 percent year-over-year gain while averaging 2-million viewers for the 2025 season; a partnership renewal with longtime tire supplier Firestone; announcement of the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and City of Arlington, Texas, starting in March 2026 and acquisition of the famed Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach street race by Penske Entertainment.

Street-course ace Kyle Kirkwood emerged atop the speed chart after Friday’s opening practice for the NTT IndyCar Series’ Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto.

SEE: Practice Results

Kirkwood, of Andretti Global, recorded a hot lap of 1-minute, 1.2054-seconds/105.050 mph around the 1.786-mile/11-turn temporary street circuit in the No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda. Colton Herta, who won last year’s race from pole position, was 10th overall in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda at 1:02.0219-seconds/103.667 mph also fielded by Andretti Global.

Herta, who twice ventured into the Turn 8 run-off zone, said the circuit felt different from last year. “It’s very low-grip,” Herta said. “It’s very difficult, and I’m sure guys had moments all over the place. It’s a different year, and it definitely feels like it out there.”

The track at Exhibition Place has a history of changing as an event weekend continues, with lap times improving as more Firestone Firehawk rubber is laid down at-speed.

Kirkwood won the previous two street races conducted this season _ the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear in downtown Motown. The native Floridian finished second to Herta in this event last summer, and noted the track was especially challenging Friday.

“It’s certainly a tough one because that’s probably the lowest amount of grip I’ve driven in INDYCAR in a very long time,” said Kirkwood, the only driver to clip the 105 mph barrier Friday. “That’s just due to the fact that we don’t have a bunch of support series here.”

Team Penske’s Will Power, fifth-quickest overall in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, agreed the layout was an opening day handful. “There’s a massive new bump at the end of the straight into (Turn) 3,” said Power, a two-time series champion from Australia. “It actually hurts (and it’s) right in the braking zone _ boom!” Power’s best lap time was 1:01.8538-seconds/103.948 mph.

As noted, Turn 8 proved particularly difficult. In one instance, the cars of native New Zealander Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet), Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Sexton Properties/A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet) ended up there simultaneously, fortunately without contact.

“I think we have rolled off in a better position than where we have been in the past,” said O’Ward, a native of Mexico with family ties to San Antonio, Texas. “We just need some time to pepper it in and get it there for qualifying.”

O’Ward was seventh on the chart at 1:01.9285-seconds/103.823 mph after completing 22 laps. “I’m definitely not unhappy with what we’ve arrived with considering our performance here last year,” O’Ward said. “Let’s see what we can do (Saturday).” O’Ward scored his first victory of the season, and first for Team Chevy, in Race 1 of the double-header at Iowa Speedway in Newton last Saturday.

David Malukas led the two-car effort from Waller, Texas-based A.J. Foyt Racing at 1:01.9569-seconds/103.775 mph in the No. 4 Clarience Techologies Chevrolet. Teammate and Dallas resident Ferrucci was 20^th among the 27 entries at 1:02.3798-seconds/103.072 mph in the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet.

Honda Racing has won 11 of the season’s first 12 races, and the Japanese manufacturer dominated last year’s race in Toronto with the top seven finishers. But while Kirkwood led Friday’s practice, McLaughlin was second overall at 1:01.3411-seconds/104.817 mph for Team Chevy.

Three-time/reigning series champion Alex Palou posted the third-quickest lap at 1:01.5987-seconds/104.379 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou scored his seventh victory of the season last Sunday on Iowa Speedway’s short-oval. The 28-year-old native of Spain has fashioned a massive 129-point lead over O’Ward in pursuit of his third consecutive championship and fourth in five years.

A Saturday morning pre-qualifying practice will be followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) with both sessions on FS1, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. Sunday’s 90-lap/160.74-mile race will begin shortly after noon on FOX Sports, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network.

INDYCAR has slapped a six-position starting grid penalty on the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda driven by six-time series champion Scott Dixon of New Zealand for an unapproved engine change following the Sunday, July 13, race at Iowa Speedway.

The entry was in violation of:

Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.

According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next event, the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Sunday, July 20, on the Streets of Toronto.

NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 515; 2, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 386; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 342; 4, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 335; 5, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 300; 6, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 298; 7, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 267; 8, Will Power, Team Penske, 244; 9, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 244; 10, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 237;

11, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 237; 12, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 234; 13, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 211; 14, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 207; 15, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 207; 16, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 194; 17, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 191; 18, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 184; 19, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 169; 20, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 164;

21, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 156; 22, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 150; 23, Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing, 145; 24, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 120; 25, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 115; 26, Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing, 111; 27, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 88; 28, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 36; 29, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, 20; 30, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 16;

31, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 12; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 10; 33, Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren with Henrick Motorsports, 6; 34, Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian, 5.

FOX SPORTS’ 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Sunday, March 2 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, March 23 _The Thermal Club, Thermal, Calif.  (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 13 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, May 4 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, May 10 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, May 25 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, June 1 _ Streets of Detroit (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 15 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, June 22 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 6 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington (Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Saturday, July 12 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 1 (Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren)

Sunday, July 13 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 2 (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, July 20 _ Streets of Toronto, Canada (FOX, noon)

Sunday, July 27 _ WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 10 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 24 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis. (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 31 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn. (2:30 p.m.)

NOTE _ All times Eastern. Dates and times subject to change.