Beyond the Flag
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IndyCar season opener entry list total the highest in several years

By Asher Fair

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 12: Alex Palou, driver of the #55 Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda, drives during NTT IndyCar Series testing at Circuit of The Americas on February 12, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 12: Alex Palou, driver of the #55 Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda, drives during NTT IndyCar Series testing at Circuit of The Americas on February 12, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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A total of 26 cars are on the entry list for the 2020 IndyCar season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. A non-Indianapolis 500 race hasn’t featured 26 cars in seven years, and a season opener hasn’t featured 26 cars in eight years.

When the green flag flies this Sunday, March 15 to get the 2020 IndyCar season underway on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 26 drivers are set to take the green flag.

Of the 26 drivers who are set to compete in this 110-lap race around the 14-turn, 1.8-mile (2.897-kilometer) temporary street circuit on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, 21 are full-time drivers.

This is highest total in NTT IndyCar Series history and the highest at the top level of American open-wheel racing since the 2001 CART season. Of the 26 cars that are slated to take the green flag, 24 are full-time entries.

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But not since the 2013 season has a race outside of the Indianapolis 500 featured more than 25 drivers.

The Indy 500 features its traditional field of 33 (typically with a few additional entries to create Bump Day) every year, as there are many part-time entries and one-off entries that come to Indianapolis Motor Speedway just for this race.

But other than this one race on the schedule, a race has not featured 26 cars since April of 2013.

On Sunday, April 21, 2013, a total of 27 drivers competed in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of Long Beach, California. Since then, 110 non-Indy 500 races have been contested, and they have all featured between 21 and 25 drivers.

Additionally, 26 drivers is tied for the most in a season opener since the 2001 season when 27 drivers competed in the IndyCar season opener at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona and 28 drivers competed in the CART season opener at Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Mexico.

A total of 26 drivers also competed in the 2002 season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida and more recently in the 2012 season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg.

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NBC Sports Network is set to broadcast the 2020 IndyCar season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, March 15.