Marshall Pruett Apr 17, 2026, 10:17 AM ET IndyCar finds itself in the midst of a Gen Z takeover. Leading into Sunday's Grand Prix of Long Beach, a generational shift has become the standout storyline of the early season as the top four in the championship were all born between 1997 and 2001. Altogether, six of the top ten drivers were born in that new-century timeframe. For most of IndyCar's 100-plus years of existence, young drivers were expected to toil away for long periods at smaller teams and pay their dues -- undergo a significant degree of seasoning -- before being considered for prime opportunities at bigger teams. So far this decade, two of IndyCar's champions have been 40 or older; better to entrust a pair of well-worn hands to the intricate demands of multi-discipline racing on road courses, street courses and three different sizes of ovals, than to watch young prospects bounce off walls and destroy front-running cars. Or so the thinking went until these digital-age drivers arrived.…