IndyCar slowly and steadily returning to relevance
FILE - In this March 9, 2018, file photo, the City of St. Petersburg is pictured in the background as IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud makes his way through turn 10 during the first IndyCar practice on the first day of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg. (Dirk Shadd/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, File)

FILE - In this March 9, 2018, file photo, the City of St. Petersburg is pictured in the background as IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud makes his way through turn 10 during the first IndyCar practice on the first day of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg. (Dirk Shadd/The Tampa Bay Times via AP, File)

Mar. 06, 2019 10:05 AM EST
FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2018, file photo, Scott Dixon holds the Indy Car Championship trophy with his wife Emma Davies and their children Poppy and Tilly Davies Dixon, in Sonoma, Calif. IndyCar is ready to go racing again after six long months spent working on the business side of the series. Deals done since Scott Dixon wrapped up his fifth IndyCar championship last September include new title sponsorship from Japanese communications giant NTT. (AP Photo/Elijah Nouvelage, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2018, file photo, Scott Dixon holds the Indy Car Championship trophy with his wife Emma Davies and their children Poppy and Tilly Davies Dixon, in Sonoma, Calif. IndyCar is ready to go racing again after six long months spent working on the business side of the series. Deals done since Scott Dixon wrapped up his fifth IndyCar championship last September include new title sponsorship from Japanese communications giant NTT. (AP Photo/Elijah Nouvelage, File)

Mar. 06, 2019 10:04 AM EST
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2019, file photo, IndyCar driver Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden, is interviewed during IndyCar auto racing media day, in Austin, Texas. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Among the newcomers are Felix Rosenqvist, the new teammate to Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing, and Marcus Ericsson, who fills Robert Wickens' seat at Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2019, file photo, IndyCar driver Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden, is interviewed during IndyCar auto racing media day, in Austin, Texas. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Among the newcomers are Felix Rosenqvist, the new teammate to Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing, and Marcus Ericsson, who fills Robert Wickens' seat at Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman, File)

Mar. 06, 2019 10:13 AM EST
FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2018, file photo, driver Marcus Ericsson of Sweden arriving at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Among the newcomers are Felix Rosenqvist, the new teammate to Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing, and Marcus Ericsson, who fills Robert Wickens' seat at Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2018, file photo, driver Marcus Ericsson of Sweden arriving at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The IndyCar season opens Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Among the newcomers are Felix Rosenqvist, the new teammate to Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing, and Marcus Ericsson, who fills Robert Wickens' seat at Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)

Mar. 06, 2019 10:12 AM EST
FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, from left, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles, Tsuneshia Okuno, an executive vice president at NTT and 2018 series champion Scott Dixon shake hands during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Deals done since Scott Dixon wrapped up his fifth IndyCar championship last September include new title sponsorship from Japanese communications giant NTT, the transition to a single steady television partner in NBC Sports and a push toward expanding the grid that has made it easier for new teams to crack into the series. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, from left, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles, Tsuneshia Okuno, an executive vice president at NTT and 2018 series champion Scott Dixon shake hands during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Deals done since Scott Dixon wrapped up his fifth IndyCar championship last September include new title sponsorship from Japanese communications giant NTT, the transition to a single steady television partner in NBC Sports and a push toward expanding the grid that has made it easier for new teams to crack into the series. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Mar. 06, 2019 10:03 AM EST