IndyCar at Texas Sunday preview: How to watch, start times, TV, schedules, streaming

IndyCar Texas start times: The NTT IndyCar Series will make its earliest stop yet in the Lone Star State as Sunday’s XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway kicks off the oval schedule of the 2022 season.

This will mark the IndyCar debuts at Texas for several drivers, namely Jimmie Johnson. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is a seven-time winner at Texas but will be racing on an oval for the first time in IndyCar as he moves to a full-time schedule. Though Johnson is aiming for top 10s in his second season on street and road courses, he has much loftier goals for Texas (which will be the precursor to his Indy 500 debut in May).

“We get on the ovals, that changes,” said Johnson, whose scheduled test at Texas last week was scrubbed because of inclement weather. “I clearly haven’t spent a lot of time on the oval yet, but I would think my expectations would be top 10 to start and do better from there.”

A lot of good memories at this place, ready to make some more on March 20. pic.twitter.com/goUsbb23IF

— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) March 7, 2022

As the last oval before Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Texas is an important barometer for veterans and rookies alike — even though it’s much different than the Brickyard.

Defending series champion Alex Palou said it’s more about sharpening the mental acuity for running inches apart at more than 200 mph.

“They are totally different the way you drive it, the way you defend, the way everything in the car works,” Palou said of Texas vs. Indy. “You go into an oval mindset, the way you race and pass, it’s the same way. The way the car feels and make changes is the same. It makes you get into a rhythm before the biggest race of the year.”

But there will be fewer laps to get acclimated