Will IndyCar return to Texas Motor Speedway in 2019?

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage is optimistic that the track will continue hosting IndyCar races going forward.

TMS and the open-wheel series are still in negotiations for the 2019 season and beyond, but the sides don’t appear to be too far apart in striking a deal.

“Should be done soon,” Gossage said in a text message. “No big deal, just working on the deal. Typical stuff. They want more than we can pay, but that’s always the way it is with sanction agreements. We’ll work it out!”

Gossage said the two sides haven’t discussed the date of the race. He still has an interest in trying to get IndyCar to make TMS the race following the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Texas had usually been in that slot following an open date after the Indy 500, but that stopped in 2005.

It remains to be seen whether IndyCar would be open to a date change.

Either way, Gossage would like to reach a deal sooner than later as the track will start selling 2019 season-ticket packages in August. IndyCar has been a staple on Texas’ schedule since the track opened in 1997.

But it hasn't always been a harmonious marriage between the two sides and it's always a possibility the series could explore other possibilities within the region such as going to Austin's Circuit of the Americas track or developing a road course in downtown Oklahoma City.

As Gossage said last month, though, the series needs to have oval tracks on the schedule considering the series' Super Bowl, the Indy 500, is run on an oval.