Pre-Race Notes: XPEL Grand Prix at Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | June 19-21, 2026
The NTT INDYCAR® SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone head to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, this weekend for the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, the fastest road course on the schedule. The 4.014-mile, 14-turn (six left, eight right) permanent road course winds through natural terrain with 150 feet of total elevation changes, and features a long front stretch where speeds approach 200 mph.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
- Firestone will provide approximately 1500 race tires to 25 NTT INDYCAR SERIES entries for practices and qualifying, including the Firestone Fast Six, and Sunday’s 55-lap (220.77-mile) race.
- Firestone will supply Firehawk race tires for use at Road America that integrate Bridgestone global ENLITEN™ Technology components[1], including the following materials[2]:
- Renewable soybean oil: Replaces petroleum-based oils traditionally used in tire compounds
- Recycled carbon black: Reinforcement material recovered from end-of-life tires
- As per INDYCAR Rule 15.3.3.2.1. for road course events, each entry must use one (1) set of primary tires and one (1) set of new (sticker) alternate tires. Each set must complete at least two laps in the race.
- Firestone Racing provides a real-time tire tracker at Livetiming.net/firestone for media and fans to follow track tire strategies in qualifying and the race.
- Throughout the 2026 racing season, Firestone Racing continues to celebrate the brand’s 125-year legacy, which began with the founding of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, on August 3, 1900.
Each NTT INDYCAR SERIES entry will receive the following allocation of Firestone Firehawk race tires:
- Primary (black sidewall): 6 sets per entry (Rookies receive an extra set for Practice 1)
- Alternate (red sidewall): 5 sets per entry
- Rain (graysidewall): 5 sets per entry
Notes from Cara Krstolic, Chief Engineer and Director of Race Tire Engineering and Production:
“The Firestone Firehawk primary and alternate race tires we produced for this event have unique tire specifications tailored for the sustained lateral and vertical loads that come with the high-speed and high-commitment sections that Road America offers. The front primary and alternate tires for this event have a reduced tread gauge construction as compared to the front tire specifications for all the other permanent road courses.
Both the primary and alternate (red-sidewall) tires we produced for Road America this year have the same construction and are engineered with sustainability-focused ENLITEN technology and materials. Both utilize renewable soybean oil and recycled carbon black in the sidewall compounds.
While the construction and tread compound on the primary tires is the same as we had here in 2025, the alternate (red-sidewall) tire compound has been updated to provide slightly more grip than we saw here in last year’s race. The red softer compound tires may also show more wear as compared to last year.”
INDY NXT by Firestone
- Firestone will supply nearly 550 Firehawk race tires to 24 entries for the first INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader weekend at Road America.
- These Firehawk race tires are engineered with unique specifications for the challenging Road America circuit and are provided for practice, qualifying, Saturday’s Race 1 (20 laps / 80.28 miles or 55 minutes) and Sunday’s Race 2 (18 laps / 72.25 miles or 50 minutes).
- As per INDY NXT by Firestone regulations:
- Teams are permitted to use one set of carryover tires from their saved sets allotment of Road Couse Street Course (RCSC) specifications during the first 15 minutes of practice.
- Each entry must start one of the two races on the set of tires used in qualifying.
Each INDY NXT by Firestone entry is provided with the following allocation of race tires:
- Primary: 3 sets per entry (Road America specs.) plus 1 carryover set (RCSC specs.)
- Rain: 3 sets per entry