Mark Miles, the CEO of Penske Entertainment, has hinted at exciting possibilities for IndyCar’s future with international expansion on the horizon. He recently revealed discussions with Supercars about potentially featuring the Adelaide 500, a popular Australian street circuit, as part of an international race series for IndyCar.

The idea of a non-championship international series is part of a broader strategy to fill the six-month gap between IndyCar’s September season finale and the start of the next season in March. While the prospect of IndyCar racing in Australia is intriguing, Miles has emphasized that there are no immediate plans to introduce in-season races outside North America. Instead, the focus is on exploring international opportunities in the offseason, aiming for a series of non-points-paying races.

Miles highlighted the logistical and financial challenges of organizing such events, referencing the significant costs associated with international travel and track logistics. Despite these challenges, he is enthusiastic about the concept and sees potential benefits in growing IndyCar’s global presence.

For now, the priority remains on maintaining a strong North American calendar while exploring ways to integrate international events that could enhance the series’ global appeal.

While IndyCar’s last visit to Australia was in 2008, the series is keen to explore opportunities for growth. Any international races would need to be carefully planned to maximize impact both in the host country and in the U.S. broadcast market. The idea is to create high-profile events that resonate with local audiences and contribute to the series’ global appeal, while also ensuring that U.S. fans have access to these races through suitable broadcasting arrangements.

“There’s lots of places that with the economics we probably could go race, but I don’t love the idea that we’d have a non-points race during the championship and take two or three weeks and create a hole.

“We don’t want to be popping around to wherever anyone throws us money. We want to have meaningful events that stand for something and can promote the brand.”

“This is primarily to drive international fandom,” said Miles.

Will Power’s victory in Portland has significantly shaken up the championship race with just three races remaining in the 2024 IndyCar Championship . Power claimed his third win of the season, finishing ahead of championship leader Alex Palou in P2.

Power’s win, after a recent tough run and a crash last weekend, has kept his championship hopes alive. He now trails Palou by 54 points. The two-time series champion demonstrated his strength by leading a race-high 101 laps and executing a flawless strategy, with a crucial advantage gained from a quicker pit stop compared to Palou’s team.

Will Power’s teammate, Josef Newgarden, secured third place while Colton Herta finished fourth for Andretti. Marcus Armstrong rounded out the top five.

Romain Grosjean was the face of drama as he made a “lazy and foolish” act after losing control at Turn 1. As the ex-Formula 1 driver went to rejoin the race, he spun into Rasmussen’s racing line, causing the #20 to crash into Grosjean. In consequence, Rasmussen finished a lap down in 26th after a front wing change, while Grosjean finished 27th after running off into the grass shortly after.

James Hinchliffe wasn’t too impressed with Grosjean’s decision to re join an active track. “That was lazy, that was foolish, to not look in your mirror and know what was coming and turn,”

After starting at the back due to a unapproved engine change, Scott McLaughlin drives faultlessly to bring it home in 7th!

The series heads into the final stretch with three remaining oval races: the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s doubleheader and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway. Power, known for his strong performances on ovals, is optimistic about his chances, noting his past successes at tracks like Milwaukee and Iowa Speedway. Palou, however, has yet to win on an oval, which could be a significant factor as the championship battle intensifies.

Palou’s strategy in the race included an aggressive use of alternate tyres in qualifying, which left him struggling on the less grippy primary tyres during the race. Despite a strong effort, he couldn’t close the gap to Power, who executed a nearly perfect race strategy.

The championship picture is increasingly focused on a three-driver battle: Palou, Power, and Herta. With Scott Dixon’s crash on the first lap at Portland effectively ruining his championship hopes, he now sits fifth in the standings, 101 points behind Palou.

As IndyCar heads into its final races, the competition is expected to be fierce, with Power and Team Penske aiming to close the gap to Palou and possibly secure another championship.