IndyCar Good Ranchers 250 Preview
- Teagan Crump
- Mar 6
- 2 min read
By Teagan Crump
For the second time in two weeks, it's IndyCar race week! This week sees the first oval race of 2026 and it is sure to deliver a thrilling battle for the win.
This year’s race at Phoenix Raceway will be happening on Sunday 8th March at 8pm UK time (3pm ET).
Álex Palou started 2026 off by showing that he hadn't had a performance dip over the winter break and returned to his winning ways in St. Petersburg but several other drivers looked strong.
2018 Phoenix Raceway race recap
The last time that IndyCar raced at Phoenix Raceway was in 2018 and the grid looked very different then.
Sébastien Bourdais started on pole and maintained his lead at the start of the race. Behind him, both Ryan Hunter-Reay and Simon Pagenaud both looked to have pace and a good charge.
Interestingly, it was also Robert Wickens' first-ever oval race.
Lap 41 saw a crash for Pietro Fittipaldi, causing a caution. The lead of the race then went to Will Power who later battled with teammate Josef Newgarden.
On lap 121, the #4 car had an issue in the pits and ten laps later James Hinchcliffe took over the lead.
Several drivers continued to switch positions until lao 180 when Briton Ed Jones crashed into the wall and caused a caution.
On lap 250, Josef Newgarden crossed the line with Robert Wickens in second and Alexander Rossi in third.
What to expect at the 2026 Good Ranchers 250
The weather in Phoenix looks good and consistently sunny, a significant change from the changable weather in St. Petersburg.
Some of the veteran drivers will be relying on their past experience at Phoenix to give them an advantage over the likes of Palou, who has not competed in a race at the circuit yet.
One of the other interesting elements will be how the rookies fare. Caio Collet and Dennis Hauger already have experience on ovals where as Mick Schumacher does not.
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