The start time for the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix was the only notable omission when NBC Sports and IndyCar released the broadcast schedule for the 2024 season last week, revealing only that the race was set to air on NBC and Peacock.
Although there are three IndyCar events preceding it, Barber Motorsports Park will be the third points-paying race on this year’s IndyCar Series schedule. The Thermal Club, which hosted the series for the first time last year for Spring Training, will have a $1 Million Challenge made-for-TV non-points exhibition race on NBC and Peacock at 12:30 ET Sunday, March 24.
This year will mark the 14th time the scenic 2.3-mile, 17-turn natural terrain road course will host North America’s premier open-wheel championship, with Team Penske‘s Scott McLaughlin going in as the defending race winner.
Other current full-time drivers to have visited Victory Lane at the circuit located in Birmingham, Alabama, include Joseph Newgarden (2015, 2017, 2018), Pato O’Ward (2022), Alex Palou (2021) and Will Power (2011, 2012).
Team Penske holds the most wins at the track with seven, followed by Andretti Global with two, while Arrow McLaren, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing (under the banner CFH Racing courtesy of a partnership with Sarah Fisher and Wink Hartman) and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing each have one.