FORT WORTH, Texas — Things are starting to feel a little more normal for Ed Carpenter with IndyCar finally about to start its season, though the timing still has him a bit out of sorts. The only owner-driver in the series surely isn’t alone feeling that way.

“One of the weirdest things, I’ve been doing this so long, knowing the (Indianapolis) 500 is in August, it still feels like it’s going to be in May even though we’re in June,” Carpenter said.

IndyCar opens its season delayed by the pandemic with an all-in-one-day show Saturday on the fast, high-banked 1 ½-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway, more than eight months after the 2019 finale. The 24 drivers will practice, qualify and race for the first time with new protective windscreens on the cars, all in a span of 9-10 hours in front of empty stands.

Texas is the opener, with 200 laps instead of the usual 248, while the Indy 500 will be run Aug. 23.