OnlyBulls Grand Prix of Portland 2026

The history of Portland International Raceway is closely linked to one of Oregon’s most distinctive chapters. The site once hosted Vanport, a city built in 1942 by Henry Kaiser for workers in World War II shipyards, which was later destroyed by a flood. It wasn’t until 1960 that the City of Portland purchased the vacant land, and just a year later, in 1961, the first races took place there, initially on provisional track layouts using old city streets.

From these humble beginnings, a permanent racing circuit gradually developed. In 1971, the permanent track was completed, and it has since formed the backbone of motorsports in the Pacific Northwest. The facility received a decisive boost in 1984 when the CART series first visited Portland, firmly establishing the course in the top tier of open-wheel racing. Since then, the track—with extended periods hosting IMSA sports car racing as well as current IndyCar and NASCAR events—has become a fixture on the American racing calendar.

In terms of layout, Portland underwent its most important modernization in late 2007 and early 2008. The course was completely repaved, turns four through seven were widened, and the fence on the inside of turn six was relocated to improve sightlines. In its current form, the track measures 3.166 miles and features twelve turns, including a concrete-surfaced chicane that provides different traction characteristics compared to the surrounding asphalt when it rains, as it frequently does in the wet Pacific Northwest.

In recent race history, the lap time set by Carlos Muñoz stands out particularly—in 2018 he set the track record with a 0:58.740 that still stands today, marking the benchmark for the course. At the most recent running, Will Power emerged victorious in 2025, adding his name to the list of winners who have celebrated success on this historically significant venue in Oregon. This blend of changeable weather, technical layout, and long tradition makes Portland once again in 2026 one of the most compelling stops on the IndyCar calendar.