When is Indy 500 2024 start time? What to know from schedule, TV blackout, race time, more
The 2024 Indianapolis 500 is coming soon. The drivers from the IndyCar Series will seek auto racing's greatest prize at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Here's what fans should know, including the race date and time, how to get tickets, who won last year's race, what's happening at the track throughout May, and much more. More details will be available as the race nears.
When is the Indy 500?
The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, 2024.
What is the Indy 500 start time?
The green flag is scheduled to drop at 12:45 p.m. ET on May 26. But there's a lot happening on the track before the race begins.
Indy 500 tickets
Here's what seats are available at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Officials report that just a few seats remain.
What is the Indy 500 race day schedule?
Tickets start at $50
Public gates open at 6 a.m., and there is a celebrity red carpet, prerace on-track activity and the infield Snake Pit concert.
When is Carb Day at IMS for the Indy 500?
Tickets start at $45
Friday, May 24: Gates open 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; practice is 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; pit stop contest is 2:30-4 p.m. George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Gin Blossoms and Kid Quill are playing the Carb Day concert starting at 4 p.m.
When is Legends Day at IMS for the Indy 500?
Tickets start at $20
Saturday, May 25: Gates open 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; full-field autograph session 9-10 a.m.; public drivers' meeting 10:30-11 a.m. Riley Green will headline a downtown concert at Everwise Amphitheater in White River State Park that evening.
Why is the Indy 500 so famous?
The Indy 500 quickly caught on after its inaugural race in 1911 as a way to test drivers, engineers and cars, which had been under mass productions for just a few years. French auto maker Peugeot joined several U.S. companies by entering cars starting in 1913, and members of the Chevrolet came from Switzerland, founded a car company and won the race in 1920. It has been a destination race since.
How many laps is the Indy 500?
200 laps on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. The track is flat on the straightaways, with gentle 9.2-degree banking in its four turns.
How much does it cost to enter the Indy 500?
In 2024, there are 27 full-time IndyCar Series cars that require up to $10 million to run for a full season. For cars competing only in the Indy 500, it's believed the cost to in the $1 million-$2 million range.
Is the Indy 500 sold out? How do I get Indy 500 tickets?
Indy 500 tickets for 2024 are available here. The Speedway doesn't reveal attendance figures, but in recent years the crowd has been estimated at 300,000, though a complete sellout is rare.
Indianapolis 500 winners
75 drivers from 12 nations, representing five continents, have claimed race wins. Josef Newgarden of the United States won in 2023. The full list of race winners is here.
Team breakdown: Get to know the IndyCar drivers and teams for the 2024 Indy 500
It's more than Kyle Larson: Indy 500 rookie class includes a 19-year-old
Indianapolis 500 milk
Indy 500 winners drink milk. Louis Meyer did so first in 1936, asking for buttermilk after crossing the finish line in steamy conditions. Drivers celebrated with milk intermittently until the mid 1950s, when milk producers became a race sponsor. A gulp from a bottle and a large pour over the winner's head have been a tradition since.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum
The museum, located inside the 2.5-mile oval, is closed for renovations. The plan is to reopen in April 2025.
Indy 500 vs. Formula 1
The cars that compete in the Indy 500 are part of the IndyCar Series, a North American open-wheel series. Formula 1 is a worldwide series. Cars competing in the Indy 500 exceed 240 mph on the straightaways at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. F1 cars don't reach such speeds because they race on road and street courses with frequent turns. Here's more on the differences between the series.
Is Indy faster than NASCAR?
Stock cars can top 200 mph, but they don't reach the speeds Indy cars reach. Joey Logano earned the pole position at the 2024 Daytona 500 with a lap of 181.947. Here's more on the differences between the series.
Kyle Larson is attempting the Indy 500-NASCAR 'Double'
The 2021 NASCAR Cup champion is willing to race almost anything with wheels, and this is his first chance in the IndyCar Series. He plans to race 500 miles in Indy, then travel to Charlotte, N.C., to race 600 miles in a Cup car. That's 1,100 miles total, if he completes the task. He qualified for the middle of Row 2 for Indy.
Here's his schedule between Indy 500 and NASCAR duties.
Indy 500 Snake Pit
This year's lineup of EDM stars includes Excision, Dom Dolla, Gryffin, Sullivan King and Timmy Trumpet.
But why the Snake Pit? It used to be more of an informal title of an infield area where almost anything – anything – could happen. Though Speedway officials made the facility more family friendly, the name lives on in the concert.
What is the Indy 500 pace car?
A Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, the 21st iteration of the famous Chevy sports car, will lead the field of 33 to green. It's Chevy's 35th 500 pace car overall (dating to 1948). Baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. will drive.
Celebrities at the Indy 500
∎ Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings is the 500 Festival Parade grand marshal on Saturday, May 25. Catchings has led child literacy efforts and opened businesses in Indianapolis.
∎ Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem for the second time. The "American Idol" winner and actress also sang the anthem in 2015.
∎ Actors Austin Butler and Jodie Comer will wave the green flag at the start of the race. They are in the upcoming movie "The Bikeriders."
∎ Singer Phillip Phillips, an "American Idol" winner who had the hit "Home," will sing "God Bless America."
How long does the Indy 500 take?
Helio Castroneves completed the 2021 race at 190.690 mph and in 2 hours, 37 minutes and 19.38 seconds, the fastest in race history. Four of the past six races have taken between 2:50 and 3 hours. The more caution-flag laps, or red-flag stops, the longer it takes.
Speed reading: Here are the fastest races in Indy 500 history
What channel is the Indy 500 on?
NBC broadcasts the race, but it's unlikely to air live in the Indianapolis area.
Viewing/listening options: NBC | Peacock | SiriusXM
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: When is the Indy 500 2024? Everything you need to know about the race
