It’s the start of a new NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, and all teams are eager to hit the track, fighting for the ultimate prize – the coveted Astor Cup – awarded to the driver atop the podium at the end of the season.  

The road to the championship is a long-fought battle, with many points being awarded along the way. And if you’re new to the world of INDYCAR racing, the points system can cause a bit of confusion. So much so, we even made a TikTok about it. 

For returning fans and beginners alike, here’s your straightforward guide to learn the ins and outs of NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship points. 

The Big Three 

Every race weekend presents a new opportunity for drivers to earn points towards the championship. All races, with the exception of Indianapolis 500, have the same points structure. Despite not awarding double points at this year’s Indy 500, that race is still slightly different… Let’s worry about that in May. 

To start, let’s narrow down the points system of the other 16 races into three categories: 

1. Qualifying

2. Laps Led

3. Finishing Position

Qualifying – Points for Pole! 

The driver who wins pole position, the best starting position for the race, is the fastest qualifier in the Firestone Fast Six on road and street courses and fastest average speed on ovals.

In a traditional qualifying session, one (1) point is awarded to the driver who ends on pole.

Laps Led – Who will lead the pack?  

On race day, drivers can score up to three (3) points based on the number of laps they lead, if any. One (1) point is awarded to any driver who leads at least one lap during the race. Two (2) additional points are awarded to the driver who leads the most laps during the race.

Ready for a quick math lesson? Let’s go in-world to help paint the picture with an example from our first race weekend of 2023 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

In qualifying, our three-car lineup placed third (Pato O’Ward), eighth (Felix Rosenqvist), and 12th (Alexander Rossi). No points were awarded for our lineup here as no Arrow McLaren driver landed on pole position.

During Sunday’s race, Pato took the lead in Lap 74 and led for 23 laps. He was awarded one (1) championship point for leading at least one lap during the race. However, he did not lead the most laps – Scott McLaughlin led 38 laps – and therefore did not receive the additional two (2) points in this category.

Finishing Position – You get points! You get points!  

The third category – where the most championship points are gained during race weekend – is finishing position.

Every finishing position on race day is awarded points, with the maximum amount of points being 50 for the winning driver.

Here is the point-by-place breakdown: 

Position	Points	Position	Points
P1	50 points	P14	16 points
P2	40 points	P15	15 points
P3	35 points	P16	14 points
P4	32 points	P17	13 points
P5	30 points	P18	12 points
P6	28 points	P19	11 points
P7	26 points	P20	10 points
P8	24 points	P21	9 points
P9	22 points	P22	8 points
P10	20 points	P23	7 points
P11	19 points	P24	6 points
P12	18 points	P25-28	5 points
P13	17 points

Now, let’s go back to our example. Closing out our weekend in St. Pete, Pato finished P2, gaining 41 points (including one point for leading at least one lap), Alexander finished P4, gaining 32 points, and Felix placed P19, gaining 11 points.  

There are plenty of points up for the taking in the remaining races of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Be sure to tune into the action on your local network and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.