INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be at 40% capacity for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 due to the coronavirus pandemic, IMS announced Wednesday.
Doug Boles, president of the speedway, said in a video news conference that multiple scenarios were considered for running the race. Health officials from the state and county helped in creating the capacity limits.
The speedway says face coverings will be required and temperature checks will be administered when people enter. Race fans also were encouraged to be vaccinated. On March 5, the speedway began hosting the first of several mass-vaccination clinics across the Indiana.
No race-day general admission tickets will be sold. The race is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. May 30.
In March, track and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said that 170,000 tickets had been sold for the 2021 race. Boles said Wednesday that attendance will be capped at 135,000.
Drivers’ practice will be the first public events at the track in advance of the race. Practices will start at 10 a.m. May 18 and at 11 a.m. May 19-21. That will be followed by practice and qualifying starting at 8 a.m. May 22 and 10 a.m. May 23.
No parking will be allowed in the infield, with some minor exceptions.
The public drivers’ meeting in advance of the race will be virtual at 10:30 a.m. on May 29. The autograph session that usually happens that morning is canceled. All concerts have also been canceled, including the popular race-day Snake Pit concert.
The Grand Prix — an IndyCar race on the twists and turns of the IMS road course — will happen May 15, with practice and qualifying on May 14. That race also will have the same capacity limits and coronavirus-prevention requirements.
The 2020 Grand Prix was moved from May to July 4, with no fans attending due to the pandemic.
The 2020 Indy 500 was moved from May 24 to Aug. 23 as a result of the pandemic. No fans attended the 2020 Indy 500.
IMS will allow more representatives of the news media to attend than in 2020, with limitations in the media center and in the garage area.
Anyone interested in attending can apply for tickets at ims.com. Fans who apply will be given the first opportunity to purchase any available tickets. Tickets could be sent out starting as early as next week. IMS warned that 2020 tickets are not valid for the 2021 race.
Tickets for all other on-track days also are available online.
- COVID-19 vaccinations in Indiana: Get details and sign up
- Indiana coronavirus resources and timeline of events
- More coronavirus coverage from WISH-TV
IMS will allow 40% capacity for Indy 500, cancels all concerts was originally published on radionowindy.com
