Pato O'Ward has shown off his garbage truck driving skills in a new advertisement for the NTT IndyCar Series.
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The new TV spot, which will officially debut during the NFC championship game (6:30 p.m. ET on Fox), shows O'Ward ripping around a neighborhood in a garbage truck. He drives well above the speed limit while showing no regard for obstacles in his path.
O'Ward takes out mailboxes and garbage cans while the Dropkick Murphys song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" serves as the soundtrack. Although the Arrow McLaren driver takes some time to wink at some dedicated fans sitting on their lawns in Concord Acres.
He was born with his foot on the gas. @PatricioOWard and @INDYCAR return March 1 on FOX. pic.twitter.com/84GztQWrGO
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) January 25, 2026
This garbage truck spot hyping up the 2026 IndyCar season is the second released by Fox Sports, and it is the second to feature a high-profile driver in a surprising situation. O'Ward also took part in last season's campaign as IndyCar moved from NBC to Fox.
The first spot featured two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden hosting a garden party at his home. He worked the grill while the narrator hinted at a darker side that he hides from his neighbors.
Both of these spots, as well as the upcoming two in the series, feature drivers in wildly different situations than fans would expect. These drivers are not racing for wins or championships. They are going about their lives while performing "mundane" tasks.
Granted, sliding a garbage truck around a neighborhood could be described as anything but mundane.
Putting these drivers in these situations is a deliberate choice by Special US, the company that partnered with Fox Sports for these IndyCar advertisements the last two seasons.
"Each spot celebrates the on-track persona of the drivers to help introduce them to casual fans, while giving the hardcore fans rewarding easter eggs that nod to past seasons," said Dave Horton, chief creative officer & partner, Special US.
As testament to Horton's comments, the Newgarden spot had multiple easter eggs. This included the expiration date on some ground beef, which coincided with his second Indy 500 win.
The next two IndyCar advertisements from Fox Sports will debut as the 2026 season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg (March 1 at 12 p.m. ET on Fox) approaches.
One will feature Will Power, who moved to Andretti Global during the offseason. The other will see the return of Alex Palou, the reigning champion who starred in an advertisement last season.
