Six INDYCAR drivers revved up Racing Day at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan. 17.

Two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske, David Malukas of AJ Foyt Racing and Kyffin Simpson of Chip Ganassi Racing represented the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at the show at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit, while Detroit-area native Nolan Allaer of HMD Motorsports, Callum Hedge of Abel Motorsports and Myles Rowe of Abel Motorsports with Force Indy attended on behalf of INDY NXT by Firestone.

Drivers signed autographs and participated in a panel discussion for fans at the show, along with Detroit Grand Prix President Bud Denker, Rod Reid of NXG Youth Motorsports and Todd Christensen of GM Motorsports.

Show visitors also saw Newgarden’s Indy 500-winning No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Team Penske Chevrolet and the Borg-Warner Trophy on display. The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear display at the show also featured an INDYCAR transpoter, Firestone tire wall and Scott McLaughlin’s No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet.

The drivers also gave rides in production vehicles on the indoor track that mirrors the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear street circuit, including in the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray that served as the pace car at the 2024 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and at the Detroit race.

"It's great to see so many people here at the Detroit Auto Show excited about racing here in January and looking forward to the Detroit GP at the end of May,” Newgarden said. “It was cool to give people rides in the Corvette E-Ray on the indoor track, and everyone was excited to meet some drivers and see some cool displays, including our Indy 500-winning car and, of course, the Borg-Warner Trophy.”

There also was Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear news unveiled during the show, as tickets went on sale Friday for this year’s race, May 30-June 1. Race organizers also announced a new element for the annual INDYCAR event weekend this year, the Detroit Grand Prix Cruise Night presented by the Detroit Auto Show.

On Friday night, May 30, after on-track activity is done, select classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars and more will drive on the race circuit and park for display. Fans can walk on the track and see the vehicles for free.

“Lots of people are all around the show,” Malukas said. “It was great for the fans to show up. I even got some friendship bracelets. Really, I got a lot of cool stuff and just an incredible event. I got to drive the E-Ray for the first time. Got to see the whole Chevy station, the Detroit Grand Prix INDYCAR display and I got to hang out with a lot of the youth coming up, and I hope I inspired. Overall, it was an incredible experience, my first time at the Detroit Auto Show, and it was a great success."

Said New Zealand native Hedge, entering his second season in the INDYCAR development series: “The Detroit Auto Show is pretty cool. We don't really have an auto show in New Zealand where people come out and sort of get on with the car manufacturers and stuff like that. We just don't really have that sort of scale at home, so it's cool to see so many people here and the manufacturers coming in and having displays and vehicles doing rock climbing and mountains and all that.

“So, yeah, it's been a really fun experience.”