This Is the Year to Start Following IndyCar

IndyCar racing is far from perfect. All of the cars sport the same spec Dallara chassis mated to an engine from one of just two suppliers. The once-international series no longer ventures past Toronto, and the once-diverse schedule is down to just three ovals. Without the shining beacon that is the Indianapolis 500, the series would be unable to support itself and North American open wheel racing's time as an elite rung of auto racing's ladder would be over. It is, however, worth your attention. That has never been more true than 2021.

The headliner, of course, is the talent. From the outside, IndyCar has a stagnant field, dominated by Scott Dixon, with Will Power nipping at his heels, just the way the series has been since the day Dario Franchitti retired. That is changing quickly. Dixon and Power are joined by fellow champions Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud as the clear class of the field, with Andretti Autosport's Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi an eternal contender. Rossi himself is just one championship win away from joining that conversation at the top of the field. All five are threats to win any race, but what makes their battles so compelling are their contrasting styles. Power is fastest over one lap, for instance, while Rossi's reckless talent for making a crucial pass is unmatched. All drive for the three traditional powerhouse teams in the series (Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Autosport), and all will come into 2021 expecting to contend for a title.

Behind them, the headliners are a group of rising stars: Colton Herta, Patricio O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, and Alex Palou. Herta and O'Ward, who drive for Andretti Autosport and Arrow McLaren SP respectively, finished third and fourth in last year's championship standings, each as second-year drivers. Rosenqvist has just left Chip Ganassi Racing to join O'Ward at McLaren's ambitious program, and Palou has replaced him as Scott Dixon's full-time teammate at CGR. Each will be in a ride capable of winning a championship, and each will be expected to punch well above their experience.

While second and third-year drivers make up a significant number of elite entries, the bigger names are in the rookie class. Chip Ganassi Racing has the headliner, signing Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion and general face of the last two decades of stock car racing, to a two-year deal for road and street courses that could include the Indianapolis 500 next season. Penske Racing has made a promotion of their own, expanding to four cars to make way for Australian Supercars ace Scott McLaughlin. At Dale Coyne Racing, long-time Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean will also make a run at every road and street round, in addition to a potential additional entry at the short oval at Gateway Motorsports Park.