INDYCAR completes first day of preseason testing at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. – After eight years away from Phoenix Raceway, IndyCar returned to the desert for preseason testing Tuesday (Feb. 17).

Ahead of the series’ official return to the racetrack in March, every IndyCar team came to Phoenix for two days of testing to get a read on how the track has aged and to collect data to prepare for the race.

It will be the first oval race of the 2026 season and the only oval on the schedule before the Indianapolis 500. 

IndyCar speeds at Phoenix will be a noticeable step up to what fans see when NASCAR comes to the desert. David Malukas reached 172.605 MPH, the top speed among the field Tuesday. Malukas was pleasantly surprised at how fast the track felt. 

“It is very fast,” Malukas said. “When you’re going through one and two, especially, we are on the limit.” 

2026 will be Malukas’ first with Team Penske, replacing Will Power in the No. 12 Chevrolet. He expressed his emotions Tuesday as he got to work with his new team. 

“The chemistry I have with the guys and the team, I’m just so happy,” Malukas said. “I get to race this beautiful car. It’s fantastic. It’s a dream for me. Every time I come in and out of the pits, I have a big smile on my face.” 

Malukas also raved about Team Penske’s ability to split up responsibilities on test days, knowing all three drivers are reliable and on top of their stuff. 

Track conditions were constantly changing Tuesday. While it was a clear day, partial cloud cover quickly made for an unpredictable track.

Kyle Kirkwood noted how intense driving into turn three when the sun is setting behind the grandstands in the late-afternoon. 

“It feels like you’re driving into a cave. You don’t know where you’re gonna end up,” Kirkwood said.

A big challenge for any series racing at Phoenix is pit road. The entry is off turn two with a curve around turns three and four before exiting near turn one.

“Pit lane’s a bit hectic on pit entry,” Kirkwood said. “With the paint they have on the inside there and how the banking gradually comes up towards the track, that’s gonna be a tough one for sure.” 

Kirkwood won at Gateway in 2025 and noticed similarities between the 1.25-mile track in Illinois and the 1-mile track in the Arizona desert.

“Just having two vastly different ends of the racetrack,” Kirkwood said. “It is substantially different and it requires a vastly different car on both ends of the track as well as driving style. It’s something I’m still coming to grips with.” 

IndyCar teams will return to the track Wednesday for day two of testing, ahead of March 7’s Good Ranchers 250.