Alex Palou was crowned 2026 series champion, Honda won the manufacturers’ title, Dennis Hauger earned Rookie of the Year honors, and Scott McLaughlin won the season-ending Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

However, the work doesn’t stop for NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers and teams with the offseason here.

Focus immediately turns to 2028 on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 10 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the first oval test of the new IR-28 chassis. The test is the second on-track validation test of the IR-28. The first came last month on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

IR-28 chassis

The new car will make its competition debut at the start of the 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi will drive Wednesday on the 2.5-mile oval, while five-time series champion and 2025 Indy 500 winner Alex Palou will handle testing duties Thursday, Sept. 10. Both drivers also handled the road course testing duties last month, as Rossi is a Chevrolet driver and Palou a Honda driver during the season.

“I know each manufacturer chose a driver,” Rossi said. “That’s kind of the extent of it. Obviously, both Alex and I did the road course test in very intermittent conditions. The oval test is a hugely different program and a different set of goals they want to accomplish because obviously that’s the most important place that that car is ever going to race.

“So, it’s a different run plan than what we saw at the road course. Some more kind of performance metrics will be analyzed there than just at the road course. So, it’s an exciting test to be a part of. Excited to get to do it.”

The Turn 2 Viewing Mounds at IMS will be open to the public both days.

Silly Season Continues

The offseason driver market also is beginning to ramp up.

Mick Schumacher was announced Friday during the Laguna Seca race weekend to round out the Meyer Shank Racing lineup in 2027, joining Marcus Armstrong, who signed a contract extension in July to remain with the organization.

Schumacher replaces Felix Rosenqvist, who returns to Arrow McLaren after a three-year stint with the team from 2021-23. He joins Pato O’Ward and Scott Dixon, the latter who left Chip Ganassi Racing after 25 years.

Dixon’s seat with Chip Ganassi Racing is among the most coveted open seats in the paddock. He won six championships with CGR, and 58 of his 59 series victories came with the team.

Other seats still to be finalized include both entries at AJ Foyt Racing, Dale Coyne Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing.

Team Penske and Andretti Global each will retain their three-driver lineups from 2026. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing downsized from three cars to two, selling its charter to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which will have Conor Daly in the car in 2027. RLL will return Graham Rahal and Louis Foster.

Among the notable free agents who competed full time this season are Christian Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, Caio Collet, Santino Ferrucci, Nolan Siegel, Romain Grosjean, Sting Ray Robb and 2026 Rookie of the Year Dennis Hauger.

Newly crowned INDY NXT by Firestone champion Nikita Johnson receives an INDYCAR SERIES career enhancement package as part of his champion’s spoils, and he will be attractive to INDYCAR SERIES teams for 2027.