Why Should You Watch the Indianapolis 500?

It’s difficult to answer this question fully. It’s one of the longest-held traditions in sports, having been founded in 1911, only eight years after the first World Series. The race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Memorial Day Weekend. The track is so large it has its zip code, along with a golf course and an interior road course that hosts GT racing and was a former host of an F1 Grand Prix in the 2000s. The track was formerly comprised entirely of bricks, leading to its iconic nickname: “The Brickyard”. While the track has been paved over the last century, the start-finish line still has the old bricks from the track’s founding, making it a tradition for the winner of the race to “kiss the bricks”. The race is hailed as the most historic member of the “Triple Crown of Motorsports”, comprising the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the Indy 500. I will be in attendance for this year’s edition of Le Mans, and I had the privilege to attend last year’s 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500. I’ve been watching this race carefully for over a decade now, so here are the 5 main things you need to know when you watch (or attend) the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500.

They Aren’t F1 Cars!

The most infuriating thing to explain as a motorsports fan is what exactly an “Indycar” is. It isn’t quite a Formula 1 car, but they are just as fast, if not faster, around the 2.5-mile track. They race on ovals, however, they are open-wheeled, unlike NASCARs. The series currently runs the Dallara DW12 chassis, named for the safety advancements brought on by the fatal accident that killed 2-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon in a 2011 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They run a 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 2 manufacturers in the field: Chevrolet and Honda. With the traditional monocoque styling and Firestone tires, the innovation for this edition of the 500 has been the hybrid system. While the cars can normally output 550-750 horsepower, the hybrid boost can add upwards of 60 horsepower when used. The addition of horsepower has been a large talking point, especially on the road courses in its maiden season, as technical limitations have led to some controversy, with veteran driver and series legend Ed Carpenter proclaiming, “I understand why we went hybrid…but it’s costing us a bunch of money and it’s making the product worse.” This year’s 500 will be the first true oval test for the system, and it’ll be another story to watch closely.

There is More to the Track Than 4 Left Turns

It sounds cliche, but it’s true. The four corners of this track are all distinctly different despite turning in the same direction. Turn 1 has the highest entry speed on the course, being at the end of the front straightaway. The turn also tends to get more and more shaded as the day fades into the afternoon at the speedway, providing a hindrance to drivers who have tinted visors to deal with the falling sun in the final two corners of the speedway. You exit Turn 1 into the sun in Turn 2, the first corner, you need to be off-throttle for as it is very slick and has led to many accidents over the years. Following the back straightaway, you enter the tricky “Tunnel Turn” of Turn 3, where the cars face a headwind on the lower banked corner, making it one of the easiest on the racetrack as the speeds drop drastically on corner entry. Then the drivers turn to face North into Turn 4 and re-enter the shade as they complete the lap. It all sounds easy, but driving the track at 233 miles per hour surrounded by 32 other cars makes it a complicated task.

Winners in the Field

One important factor in this race is always the veterans. Not only do they often pose a threat the win no matter their equipment, but they also tend to make the most daring moves around the racetrack as they are former race winners for a reason. There are 8 Indy 500 winning drivers in the field, responsible for 13 victories at the race. There is 2-time winner (2017 and 2020) and former F1 driver, Takuma Sato, rolling off from 2nd place, followed closely by 7-time series champion and 1-time winner (2008) Scott Dixon in 4th. Sato has had incredible speed and looks to join an electric list of 3-time champions, while Dixon is trying to overcome his demons, as many proclaim that he has been “cursed” in the event since his maiden victory at the track. They are joined by 1-time winners Marcus Ericsson (2022) and Alexander Rossi (who won the race as a rookie in 2016) in the 9th and 12th starting spots, respectively. The next two winners are track legends, with Helio Castroneves and fan favorite Ryan Hunter-Reay. Castroneves has won the race 4 times (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), tied with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears for the most of any driver in history. As he chases #5, just behind him is a driver who robbed him of a victory in 2014. At the first edition of the 500 I watched, Ryan Hunter-Reay dueled Castroneves for 7 laps, trading the lead several times before Hunter-Reay held on to beat Castroneves to the line in one of the closest finishes in the history of the 500. “Captain America” is a crowd favorite, and the two will be fun to watch as they start in 22nd (Castroneves) and 25th (Hunter-Reay). Lastly of the champions, there is the Penske duo of Josef Newgarden and Will Power. The Nashville native Newgarden is the incumbent champion of the 500, taking victory in 2023 and 2024, both times with last-lap passes. 2-time series champion Will Power finally won the race back in 2018. Despite both driving for the powerhouse Team Penske, they will be starting in the 32nd and 33rd starting positions for reasons we’ll touch on shortly.

The Dangers of the Race

I’d be remiss not to mention the dangers of the race, as they are a big draw for many casual fans. This May, we have already seen several big accidents with Kyffin Simpson’s Turn 4 near-flip, Colton Herta’s 2022 repeat crash, and Scott McLaughlin’s near flip just before qualifying, highlighting the buildup to the race. The 500 takes no prisoners, with the race having 11 retirees in 2024. While the IndyCar series has taken great lengths to produce safe racecars, they are not infallible. 2023 saw Stefan Wilson (whose brother’s death at a race at Pocono Raceway led the series to introduce the aeroscreen) withdraw from the race after a back injury in a crash during practice. Later that year, though not at the speedway, 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud would suffer a terrifying crash during practice for the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, and his post-concussion injuries have kept him from stepping foot in a racecar since 2023. There are always big wrecks at the speedway, but one can hope that this year’s race runs green throughout the event. 

This year’s drama

Probably most important to know is what has happened this year. The aforementioned wrecks were major talking points last weekend, along with NASCAR driver Kyle Larson, attempting the double (running the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day), crashing two cars as he attempts to become the first driver to win both races. Qualifying was full of drama, with Marco Andretti getting moved to Bump Day by 0.004 mph, just barely keeping Graham Rahal in the race. Bump Day saw Rinus Veekay just barely hold off his teammate Jacob Abel to secure a spot in the race as many criticised Dale Coyne Racing’s lack of speed throughout the weekend, with Veekay having a four-lap average of only 226.913 mph (Marcus Armstrong starting one position ahead had a four-lap average of 229.091 mph). In qualifying, following McLaughlin’s wreck, both Penske cars would fail technical inspection and withdraw from qualifying. Despite both still retaining their Top 12 starting positions, series leaders decided to move both cars to the tail of the field for the start of the race. In qualifying, the major story was rookie driver Robert Schwartzman, who took pole for Prema Racing in their first Indianapolis 500 effort. Schwartzman is the first rookie to take pole since 1983, and he is seeking to become the first rookie to win the race since Alexander Rossi in 2016.

The 500 is a mainstay in American culture, and this year’s edition looks like it will deliver yet another memorable edition of the race. I’m personally pulling for Takuma Sato or Chicago-native David Malukas to take victory, however, my pick for victory in this year’s race is Mexican driver Pato O’Ward. Race coverage will begin at 10:00 AM EST, with the race beginning at 12:45 PM EST on FOX, hosted by Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe, and Townsend Bell. I hope you tune in to one of motorsports’ greatest events.