How IndyCar Restart Rules Regulate Push to Pass Boost

Activation Requirements on Road and Street Courses

In May 2026, IndyCar announced an update clarifying how overtake boost can be deployed when returning to green-flag racing. New fans often ask when can IndyCar drivers use push to pass on restarts without violating sporting regulations. Under the rule change applied to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT on road and street tracks, drivers gain access to the system only after the green flag has been displayed and their car has crossed the designated alternate start-finish line.

This permission expands when the temporary turbocharger boost can be called upon, offering around 60 extra horsepower during a race phase where it was previously prohibited. The update does not apply to ovals, nor does it allow drivers to trigger the system on the approach to the opening race start before satisfying both the flag and line requirements.

Passing Restrictions and Time Limits

Having access to extra engine boost at a restart does not alter the fundamental overtaking boundaries. IndyCar still enforces the restriction that forbids passing competitors prior to reaching the restart line. A driver who engages the boost early must still wait until crossing that line before completing an overtake.

The overall operational limits of Push to Pass also stay intact. The May 2026 rule revision did not add extra total boost time or increase the duration permitted for an individual activation. Instead, it simply integrates the existing time bank into restart situations, prompting drivers to decide whether to spend their limited allocation in routine traffic or reserve seconds to attack and defend when the field bunches back together.

Official reference: official announcement.