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The Indianapolis 500 is “the greatest spectacle in racing” and the 110th edition takes place this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
From Friday’s festivities to Sunday’s race, FOX will broadcast all the highlights of the event.
Here’s what to know about the 2026 Indy 500. It’ll come in handy if you’re new to racing or just need a refresher on how everything works.
If you’re looking for more racing details ahead of the Indy 500, we’ve got you covered there, too.
Indy 500 Basics
The Indy 500 will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Speedway suburbs just outside of Indianapolis. The green flag for 2026 is set for approximately 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 24.
One lap around this oval track is 2.5 miles long, meaning the 500-mile race consists of 200 laps. 2025 Indy 500 winner Alex Palou finished the race in two hours and 57 minutes. The average execution time is approximately three hours.
Who are the announcers for the Indy 500? How to watch
You can watch Indy 500 pre-race and race broadcasts on FOX and stream the broadcasts on FOX One, FOX Sports.com and the FOX Sports app.
Indy 500 coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 24 on FOX with the pre-race show. Veteran host Chris Myers will lead the pre-race coverage, with former INDYCAR drivers Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick joining him.
Danica Patrick and Townsend Bell at the 2025 Indy 500. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Will Buxton, Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe will be on call for live coverage of the race, while Jamie Little, Kevin Lee and Georgia Henneberry will report from the pits. FOX Sports’ Tom Rinaldi will be on hand with reports and interviews.
FOX Sports’ “First Things First” will make an appearance. Rob Gronkowski will be part of the all-day party at the Snake Pit (more on that later) on Sunday.
Who are the top oddsmakers favored to win the Indy 500?
- Alex Palou: 5/2 (bet $10 to win $35 in total)
- Pato O’Ward: 13/2 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
- David Malukas: 8/1 (bet $10 to win $90 in total)
Who won the Indy 500 pole?
Alex Palou, the reigning Indy 500 champion, took the pole position for this year’s Indy 500 during qualifying at IMS on Sunday, May 17. Alexander Rossi will join Palou on the front row and David Malukas will start behind Palou in third place. Palou also took pole position at the 2023 Indy 500, but finished the race in fourth place.
[Read More: 4 Takeways From Alex Palou Snagging Indy 500 Pole]
This time around, however, Palou became the first reigning Indy 500 champion to win the pole the following year since Hélio Castroneves did so in 2010.
What is the Indy 500 Trophy?
The Indy 500 trophy is known as the Borg-Warner Trophy, named after the creator and sponsor of the BorgWarner automotive supplies company. He is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 110 pounds and is valued at approximately $3.5 million. The trophy features a carved face and engraved name of each winner, dating back to Ray Harroun in 1911.
Former Indy 500-winning drivers in the 2026 Indy 500 field (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
What do the flags mean at the Indy 500?
The flags of the Indy 500, and motorsports in general, resemble traffic lights.
Green: Go
YELLOW: Be careful, when all drivers must slow down
Red: All drivers must stop
Black: A driver must stop and go to the pits
Black and white checkerboard: End of the race
Former Indy 500 winners in the 2026 field
The Indy 500 field is always packed, and this year is no exception. There are nine former Indy 500 winners in the field – including three multiple-time winners – and five former INDYCAR champions.
Here are the past Indy 500 champions and the years they won, competing for the 2026 crown:
Alex Palou (2025), Josef Newgarden (2023, 2024), Marcus Ericsson (2022), Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), Will Power (2018), Alexander Rossi (2016), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014) and Scott Dixon (2008).
Helio Castroneves is trying to become the first driver to score five wins at the Indianapolis 500. He is one of four drivers to have won the race four times. (Photo by Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images)
Who are the 2026 Indy 500 rookies?
There are four rookie drivers in the Indy 500, including Jacob Abel, Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher. Collet initially did his best in qualifying, 10th, but was relegated to the back of the pack after a technical violation on his car. Schumacher (27th), Hauger (29th) and Abel (30th) will all start at the back of the pack.
What is Carb Day?
Carb Day is the last day of hype before the weekend. Friday, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host numerous festivities. The day begins at 11 a.m. ET with final practice for the Indy 500.
At 2 p.m. ET there is the famous Oscar Mayer Wienie 500.
And after the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge, there will be performances from Switchfoot and Counting Crows.
Why is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway nicknamed The Brickyard?
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is nicknamed the Brickyard because in 1909 it was completely repaved with bricks.
It was originally an asphalt circuit, but this led to dangerous and fatal accidents. After more than 25 years of racing on bricks, the IMS returns to an asphalt track. The track remains mostly asphalt, except for a middle portion of the straightaway at the start and finish of the race – a brick line that the winner and team kiss to honor tradition after completing the Indy 500.
What are the traditions of the Indy 500?
Josef Newgarden celebrates after winning the 2024 Indy 500. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
“Back Home Again in Indiana” is not the official state anthem, but given the song’s popularity, some might argue that it could be. It’s a 75-year-old tradition at the Indy 500 that was first performed in 1946 by James Melton to celebrate soldiers returning home after World War II.
The winners of the Indy 500 wash down a bottle of milk. This tradition began in 1936, when winner Louis Meyer received a bottle of buttermilk after the race. A dairy industry executive insisted that it become an annual custom, but it didn’t persist until the Indy 500 returned from World War II’s hiatus in 1946. Now, each year, two Indiana dairy farmers are present at Winner’s Circle. One executes the delivery of iced milk to the winning driver, while the other delivers bottles of milk to the chief mechanic and owner of the winning team. Before the race, each runner submits their preference for milk type, choosing between whole, 2 percent and skim.
[INDY 500: 7 Things To Know About The Indy 500 Milk Tradition]
Similar to drowning in milk, as mentioned above, winners kiss the bricks. After a race, winning drivers and their teams kneel at the start and finish line to kiss the track’s 3-foot-wide, century-old exposed strip of original brick paving. This tradition began 30 years ago, in 1996, when crew chief Todd Parrott and driver Dale Jarrett kissed the bricks after winning the race. Ricky Rudd followed suit in 1997 and the tradition has remained.
Who is performing at the Indy 500?
The Indy 500 isn’t just a race, it’s a community experience filled with festivities and musical performances. As for artists, Grammy winner Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem before Sunday’s race. Then there’s Jim Cornelison, who will sing “Back Home Again in Indiana.”
In addition to Friday night concerts with Switchfoot and Counting Crows, there will be Sunday performances at the Snake Pit with famous DJ Zedd.
What is the snake pit?
The Snake Pit is an all-day concert taking place Sunday on the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Grammy Award-winning DJ Zedd headlines. Crankdat, Wooli, it’s murph and Wax Motif will also perform at the concert on race day of the 110th Indy 500.
Who are the Indy 500 dignitaries?
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti will drive the pace car, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. Actor Brendan Fraser will start the race by waving the green flag as honorary starter. WNBA and Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been named grand marshal.
