Here are the 33 Drivers competing in today’s Indianapolis 500 It’s time once again for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing! Thirty-three drivers will line up this afternoon to try to win the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and a place in racing immortality. The field includes nine former Indy 500 winners, including Hélio Castroneves, who is trying to win his record-setting fifth 500, and Josef Newgarden and Takuma Sato, who are looking for a third Borg-Warner Trophy. Six other drivers, including defending champion Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power and Alexander Rossi are looking for a second win in the race. Here are the drivers who will race to the checkered flag:
Row 1- Alex Palou -The defending Indy 500 champion and four-time IndyCar champ is trying to become the second straight driver to win consecutive 500s. The Spaniard is making his seventh Indy 500 start.
Alexander Rossi -The American won the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016 and finished second in 2019. He plans to race on Sunday after a hard crash during practice the day after qualifying.
David Malukas- Making his fourth start in the 500, Malukas crossed the finish line third in the 2025 race, but he was elevated to second place when runner-up Marcus Ericsson’s car failed post-race inspection.
Row 2-Felix Rosenqvist-The Swede is making his eighth start in the 500, where he’s finished fourth twice, including last year, after Ericsson’s disqualification. He started third in the 2023 race, leading 33 laps before a crash ended his day on Lap 184.
Santino Ferrucci-Also starting his eighth 500, Ferrucci has completed every lap of his first seven starts, finishing in the top 10 each year, including a third-place finish in the 2023 Indianapolis 500.
Pato O’Ward-The Mexican driver has finished in the top six in five of his six starts at Indianapolis, including three top three finishes in the past four 500s. O’Ward has led laps in each of the past five 500s and has been running at the end of each of his starts in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Row 3-Kyffin Simpson -A native of the Cayman Islands, Simpson will be making his third start in the 500 from his best starting position. He led three laps while completing all 200 laps of the 2024 race before finishing 21st.
Conor Daly-The Noblesville native is starting his 13th Indy 500 and is also making his best start in the race, having started 11th twice before. He’s led laps in four of the last five races, including a career-high 40 laps led in 2021. Daly has completed all 200 laps in the last five 500s and in six of the last seven.
Scott McLaughlin-McLaughlin is looking to rebound from a disaster in the 2025 Indy 500, when he crashed while warming his tires on the pace lap. The New Zealander won the pole in 2024 and finished a career-best sixth in that race after leading 66 laps. This is his sixth Indy 500 start.
Row 4-Scott Dixon-The 2008 Indy 500 winner is starting his 24th race this Sunday, seeking his second win. He’s won five poles for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, finished in the top 10 14 times and has led more laps in the race than any driver in history.
Rinus Veekay-Starting 11th, Veekay has only started outside the first three rows twice in his seven Indy 500 starts. His best finish came in 2021 when he led 32 laps and finished eighth.
Takuma Sato-Part of an elite group of drivers with their face on the Borg-Warner Trophy more than once, the 2017 and 2020 champion is making his 17th Indy 500 start this year. Last year, he led 51 laps after starting second in the race en route to a ninth-place finish. He’s completed all but one lap in his past seven 500s.
Row 5-Ed Carpenter-The owner/driver of Ed Carpenter Racing has started as many races as any driver in history (22) without a win. The three-time pole sitter finished second in 2018 and is closing in on 4,000 laps (10,000 miles) completed in his Indy 500 career.
Hélio Castroneves-One of four four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500, the Brazilian is taking another shot at history, trying to become both the first five-time winner of the 500, but also the oldest driver to win the race.
Christian Rasmussen-The Dane led eight laps in the 2025 Indianapolis 500 and finished sixth in his second career 500. He’s completed all 200 laps in each of his first two races.
Row 6-Marcus Armstrong-The third New Zealander in the field, Armstrong finished 18th in last year’s 500, a year after mechanical issues forced him out of the race after just six laps.
Marcus Ericsson-The 2022 Indy 500 champ crossed the line second in last year’s race, but he was dropped to 31st in the final standings after failing post-race inspection. That disappointment came a year after Ericsson qualified 32nd and finished 33rd after a crash on the opening lap. Prior to that, the Swede was poised to become a back-to-back winner before Josef Newgarden passed him with less than a half lap to go in the 2023 race.
Christian Lundgaard-Making his fifth start this year, the Dane finished a career-best seventh last year in his first year driving for Arrow McLaren. The previous year, Lundgaard led five laps on his way to a 13th-place finish.
Row 7-Will Power-The 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner has been running at the end of the last eight 500s, but he has only been on the lead lap for four of those. He followed up his win with a fifth-place finish in 2019, but he hasn’t placed higher than 14th since. This year marks his first Indy 500 for Andretti Global after driving for Team Penske the last 17 years.
Nolan Siegel-One of the youngest drivers in the field, the 21-year-old Siegel would become the youngest driver to win the Indy 500 if he finds his way to Victory Lane this year. He finished 13th in his first Indianapolis 500 last year.
Louis Foster-The Englishman finished 12th in his first Indy 500 in 2025, the highest-placing rookie in the race, while completing all 200 laps.
Row 8-Ryan Hunter-Reay-The 2014 Indy 500 champion joins Arrow McLaren for his 18th start in the race. He led 48 laps in 2025, but he retired due to mechanical issues after completing 171 of 200 laps. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native finished third in 2013 and fifth in 2018.
Josef Newgarden-The American driver won back-to-back 500s in 2023 and 2024, but a penalty after qualifying pushed him to the last row to start last year’s race. Newgarden ran as high as sixth before fuel pressure issues forced him out after 135 laps and a 22nd place finish.
Romain Grosjean-Grosjean returns to the Indy 500 after a year away to make his fourth start in the race. He completed all 200 laps in 2024, finishing a career-best 19th. He started ninth in his rookie year, his best start in the race.
Row 9-Kyle Kirkwood-The American driver is starting his fifth 500, having led two laps in each of the past two races, including a career-best seventh-place finish in 2024. He crossed the line in 23rd place and on the lead lap last year, but he was dropped to 32nd after a post-race penalty.
Katherine Legge -A four-time starter in the Indianapolis 500, Legge returns to IMS for her fifth start after a year away in 2025. The 500 will just be the first part of her day on May 24, as the Englishwoman will attempt to complete “The Double” — also racing in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte Sunday night.
Mick Schumacher-The son of seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, the 27-year-old is one of four rookies in this year’s race.
Row 10-Graham Rahal-This year will be Rahal’s 19th start in the Indianapolis 500 in a career that features two third-place finishes (2011 and 2020) and a fifth-place finish in 2015. The son of 1986 Indy 500 winner and current team owner Bobby Rahal, Graham has completed more than 3,000 laps in the 500.
Dennis Hauger-The Norwegian driver is competing in his first Indianapolis 500 a year after winning the INDY NXT by Firestone championship in 2025.
Jacob Abel-The Butler University alum from Louisville is competing in his first Indianapolis 500 after failing to qualify for the race in his first season as an IndyCar driver in 2025.
Row 11-Sting Ray Robb-The Idaho native is making his fourth start in the Indianapolis 500 last year, two years after he led 23 laps and completed all 200 laps of the 2024 race, finishing a career-best 16th.
Caio Collet-The Brazilian rookie initially qualified 10th for his first Indianapolis 500, but he was sent to the back of the grid for technical violations found after qualifying on May 17. He finished second in the INDY NXT standings in 2025, a year after a third-place finish in the series.
Jack Harvey-The English driver is making his ninth start in the Indy 500 this year, a year after leading three laps in the 2025 race — the first time he led laps at Indianapolis in his career. His ninth-place finish in 2020 is the best of his career.
Indiana University Football Head Coach Curt Cignetti to Drive the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 Indiana University football head coach Curt Cignetti has had a memorable year already. In January, he coached the Hoosiers to their first national championship in program history. Earlier this month, he, along with members of that championship-winning team, visited the White House to be recognized for their accomplishment. And now, he’s getting ready for another unique moment. Cignetti will serve as the honorary pace car driver for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500. He’s been practicing for it, having already driven the pace car around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. “I got to be focused because, you know, you’re not going super, super fast, but at the end you’re going at a pretty good clip,” Cignetti said. “We did have one funsie after about 15 or 16 laps out there. I gunned it and got it going a little bit.”
The pace car for the Indy 500 this year is a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. It can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in under two seconds. It also can reach 233 miles per hour. Cignetti was asked if it will be tempting to stay out on the track once the pace laps end. “I don’t think so,” Cignetti said. Cignetti referenced just how fast the IndyCars race around the track as a reason why it won’t be difficult to pull off the track ahead of the green flag. “The fastest lap around there, if I Googled it… You know I like to Google… I believe it was 239 miles an hour, okay?” Cignetti said. “And I didn’t come close to that. And I can’t imagine taking the turns and doing a lap at that speed.”
Cignetti has been learning from former IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher as he prepares to drive the pace car. “She knows when to start the turn and when to come out of the turn and how the car will function and the trust you got to have in the car,” Cignetti said. “And she knows the program.” Fisher raced in the Indy 500 nine times in her career. She now serves as the official pace car driver of the Indy 500 and will take over driving duties following Sunday’s pace laps. “Most importantly… she wanted to make sure I could get my (butt) out of that car real fast because she is the official pace car driver when the race starts,” Cignetti said. “And I got to get out real quick so she can get in.” The green flag for Today’s Indy 500 is set for 12:45 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts Wide Receiver Alec Pierce to ride in Fastest Seat in Sports at Indy 500 Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce showcases his speed on the gridiron every Sunday during the football season. But he’ll experience an entirely different level of quickness this afternoon. Pierce will ride in the Fastest in Seat in Sports ahead of the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pierce is no stranger to riding in the IndyCar two-seater. Pierce took a ride in the two-seater ahead of the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix on the IMS Road Course. Pierce just wrapped up his fourth season in the NFL. This past year was arguably the best year of his career. He finished with 47 receptions for 1,003 yards. Pierce also hauled in six touchdowns. He signed a new, four-year contract with the Colts back in March. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Jimmie Johnson will drive the two-seater that Pierce will experience this weekend. The green flag for the Indianapolis 500 is set to wave this afternoon at 12:45 pm.
Alexander Rossi is Cleared to Race in Today’s Indianapolis 500 ECR’s Alexander Rossi has been cleared to race following Monday’s Indy 500 practice crash. Rossi announced the news on Thursday during Indy 500 Media Day. Rossi was part of a crash during Monday’s practice session. He walked away from the incident, but “underwent successful outpatient procedures” on Monday evening “to repair minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle.” Rossi will have to be on crutches until race day, though, because it’s a weight-bearing injury. “I am cleared to race, I will have to be on crutches because it’s a non-weight-bearing injury,” Rossi said. “Fortunately, to drive a race car, you do not need to bear weight. Range of motion is good, pain is minimal, swelling, as you can see, I fit into my race boot. Good to go.”
Rossi talked more about what Monday’s crash felt like. “The speedway is a punishing place; it minimizes margins,” Rossi said. “We just were a little bit too far out of that window. That’s the way it goes around here sometimes, and unfortunately, obviously, to have that happen, in some ways incredibly fortunate that it happened on a Monday after qualifying, where the ultimate true car speed isn’t as important. Very fortunate it didn’t happen on Carb Day, so the team has had quite a bit of time.”
Rossi will need to drive his backup car for Sunday’s race, and he talked if there will be any new adjustments with driving a different car. “This is the car we’ve used here at the speedway many times before, all through this month,” Rossi said. “If this was all new components and a different chassis and all that sort of thing, then maybe you’d start to question it a little bit, but this was truly going to be our race car until some other things shifted. This was built all offseason in preparation for this month to be my race car anyway.” Rossi, the 2016 Indy 500 champion, will start 2nd in today’s race.
Josef Newgarden Leads the Speed Chart on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Drivers had one last chance to get on the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Carb Day on Friday ahead of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Josef Newgarden, the 2023 and 2024 Indy 500 winner, topped the speed chart on Carb Day. Here is the full leaderboard from practice:
1. Josef Newgarden – 228.342 mph. 2. Christian Rasmussen – 227.474 mph. 3. David Malukas – 226.565 mph. 4. Conor Daly – 226.341 mph. 5. Takuma Sato – 226.244 mph. 6. Alex Palou – 225.986 mph. 7. Kyle Kirkwood – 225.917 mph. 8. Scott McLaughlin – 225.642 mph. 9. Marcus Armstrong – 225.322 mph. 10. Dennis Hauger – 225.187 mph. 11. Romain Grosjean – 225.151 mph. 12. Graham Rahal – 225.058 mph. 13. Jack Harvey – 225.003 mph. 14. Scott Dixon – 224.917 mph. 15. Marcus Ericsson – 224.896 mph. 16. Rinus VeeKay – 224.706 mph. 17. Santino Ferrucci – 224.415 mph. 18. Louis Foster – 224.334 mph. 19. Helio Castroneves – 224.293 mph. 20. Pato O’Ward – 224.202 mph. 21. Caio Collet – 224.126 mph. 22. Felix Rosenqvist – 223.890 mph. 23. Kyffin Simpson – 223.577 mph. 24. Ed Carpenter – 223.571 mph. 25. Ryan Hunter-Reay – 223.101 mph. 26. Will Power – 222.946 mph. 27. Nolan Siegel – 222.922 mph. 28. Jacob Abel – 222.922 mph. 29. Mick Schumacher – 222.723 mph. 30. Christian Lundgaard – 222.455 mph. 31. Alexander Rossi – 222.291 mph. 32. Sting Ray Robb – 222.094 mph. 33. Katherine Legge – 222.018 mph.
33 Things to Know about Today’s Indianapolis 500 Here are 33 things to know ahead of the 2026 Indianapolis 500: 1. The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for today, May 24, 2026. The race consists of 200 laps around the 2 1/2-mile track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a total of 500 miles. The first “500” was held May 30, 1911, and was won by Ray Harroun. The race has been held on or near Memorial Day every year, with three exceptions: No races were held in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I and from 1942 through 1945 during World War II, and the 2020 race took place on Aug. 23, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gates open at 6 a.m. on race day, with the green flag flying at 12:45 p.m.
2. Four-time IndyCar series champion Alex Palou will defend his first Indianapolis 500 victory, which he won last May by holding off Marcus Ericsson as a crash brought out a caution flag late in the final lap. Palou will start from the pole position in the race.
3. A second straight Indy 500 win for Palou would earn the Spaniard a $40,000 bonus from BorgWarner. The company offers a rolling jackpot for repeat winners, increasing by $20,000 each year. Josef Newgarden claimed $440,000 for his back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024. Six drivers have won the 500 in back-to-back years — Wilbur Shaw (1939-40), Mauri Rose (1947-48), Bill Vukovich (1953-54), Al Unser Sr. (1970-71), Hélio Castroneves (2001-02) and Josef Newgarden (2023-24) — but there have never been consecutive back-to-back winners.
4. In addition to Newgarden, Takuma Sato will have a chance to become the 11th driver to win the race at least three times. Sato claimed victory at Indy in 2017 and 2020. Dario Franchitti is the most recent driver to join the three-time winners group with his win in the 2012 race.
5. While those drivers try to join the “Three-Timers Club,” Hélio Castroneves returns to Indianapolis with his eye on a record-breaking fifth Indianapolis 500 title. In addition to back-to-back wins in 2001 and 2002, Castroneves finished first in 2009, then set off a wild celebration in 2021 when he became the fourth four-time winner in race history. A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and the late Al Unser Sr. sit alongside Castroneves in that exclusive club.
6. Six drivers — Palou, Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power and Alexander Rossi — will be making a run at their second Indianapolis 500 victory. In addition to the 10 drivers who have won three or more 500s, 10 others have won the race twice.
7. Fifty-two American drivers have won a total of 76 Indianapolis 500s, including Newgarden, a Tennessee native. The number of American winners is slightly skewed by history, however, as U.S.-born drivers won all but nine Indy 500s from 1911 through 1988. Twelve Americans will start in this year’s race.
8. The key to winning the Indianapolis 500 starts during qualifying — and not just by winning the pole position. No driver has ever won the 500 after starting in the last five spots in the 33-car grid. In addition to the cars starting 29th through 33rd never winning the race, cars that started 23rd, 24th or 26th have also never won. The highest starting position to never have won the Indy 500? 18th — the spot occupied by Christian Lundgaard in this year’s race.
9. Winning the pole position isn’t necessarily a precursor to race success at Indianapolis. Simon Pagenaud is the last driver to win from the pole, when he claimed victory in 2019. That said, the driver who has started from the pole has won the Indy 500 21 times, more than any other starting position. The front row has combined to win 45 races, with the second-place qualifier winning 11 times and third place 14.
10. Despite the pride the Indianapolis 500 brings to Hoosiers from all corners of the state, it’s been more than 80 years since a driver born in Indiana has won the race. Shelbyville’s Wilbur Shaw won the race in 1937, 1939 and 1940, the last time an Indiana native stood atop the victory podium at IMS. Noblesville native Conor Daly again carries the Hoosier flag into this year’s Indy 500, as the lone Indiana-born driver in the race. He’ll be driving the No. 23 car for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, starting eighth. Owner/driver Ed Carpenter was born in Illinois, but the Butler University grad lists Indianapolis as his hometown and would no doubt bring the house down with a victory on May 24. Carpenter will start the race from the 13th position, inside of Row 5.
11. Even with an 86-year drought, Indiana still holds a share of the record for most winning drivers and race wins. Seven different Hoosiers have won the Indianapolis 500 a total of nine times, tying Indiana with California (seven drivers) and Kansas (nine race wins).
12. Ten rookies have won the Indianapolis 500, including Castroneves and Rossi — the most recent rookie winner in 2016. Before Juan Pablo Montoya’s win in 2000, it had been 34 years since Graham Hill won his debut in 1966 and 38 years before that when Louis Meyer won in his first Indy 500. Four rookies are in the field for this year’s race — Jacob Abel, Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher.
13. Scott Dixon, the all-time lap leader at the Indy 500 with 677 laps led, has led at least one lap in 16 of the 23 races he has entered, also the most in history. He led 12 laps in the 2024 race, breaking a tie with 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, who led at least a lap in 15 races during his Indy 500 career. According to the account @Indy500Trivia on X, Dixon has led each lap of the race except for Laps 157 and 162 of the Indy 500 at some point in his career, close to joining six drivers who have led each lap of the 500 during their career. Castroneves has led at least one lap in 14 of his 24 races at Indianapolis. Castroneves and Dixon are among eight drivers who have finished second in the race a record eight times, another mark that could fall in this year’s race.
14. Katherine Legge is back for her fifth Indianapolis 500. One of nine women to have driven in the race, Legge qualified for her first Indy 500 in 2012 and also raced in 2013, 2023 and 2024. The five starts rank her sixth among women who have driven in the race.
15. Legge is also taking a shot at history by attempting “The Double” — trying to complete both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte in the same day. Just five other drivers have attempted the feat a total of 11 times, including Kyle Larson, who gave it a shot each of the past two years. Rain put a damper on his attempt in 2024, and crashes in both races cut Larson’s day short in 2025. Robby Gordon drove in both races in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Indiana native Tony Stewart first did “The Double” in 1999, then again in 2001, when he became the only driver in history to complete all 1,100 miles in the day. The late John Andretti (1994) and Kurt Busch (2014) also competed in both races in one day.
16. Two drivers have a chance to make history as the youngest driver to ever win the 500. Troy Ruttman was 22 years and 80 days old when he won the 1952 race. This year, Nolan Siegel and Kyffin Simpson, who will each turn 22 this fall, have a chance to break Ruttman’s mark.
17. As for the old guys, a Castroneves win would not only make history as his fifth victory in the 500, but he would also become the oldest winner in race history. The Brazilian turned 51 on May 10 and in 2025 became the first driver over the age of 50 to start the race since Lyn St. James in 2000. Sato, 49, would also break Al Unser Sr.’s mark, should he claim his third Indy 500 win. “Big Al” was 47 years, 360 days old when he won his fourth Indy 500 in 1987.
18. Castroneves has completed 4,798 race laps in his career in the Indianapolis 500, totaling 11,995 miles. Only fellow four-time winner A.J. Foyt has driven further in the Indianapolis 500 (4,909 laps for 12,272 1/2 miles). Castroneves will surpass Foyt atop the list if he is able to complete 112 laps in this year’s race. In addition to those two drivers and four-time winner Al Unser Sr., Dixon is the only other driver to complete more than 10,000 miles in the Indianapolis 500. Through the 2025 race, “The Iceman” has driven 10,665 miles in the Indy 500. Ed Carpenter (9,975 miles through 2025) can join the 10,000-mile club with 12 completed laps in this year’s race. Will Power (3,397 laps for 8,492 1/2 miles) is the only other active driver in the top 10 for miles completed at the 500.
19. Carpenter will be entering his 23rd Indianapolis 500 but is still looking for his first win, the most entries of any driver without a victory. George Snider (22 starts) currently shares the top spot on that list. Carpenter has led in nine of his 22 starts for a total of 150 laps and has finished in the top 10 six times, including three top-five finishes. He finished second to Will Power in the 2018 race. He has started from the pole position three times.
20. From Ruttman at 22 to Unser at 47, a driver of each age in between has won the Indy 500 — except for 44. There are no 44-year-old drivers in this year’s field. The most common age for winners of the 500 is 29 or 32 years old — each has seen nine winners. Next up is the eight drivers who have won the Indy 500 at age 27. This year’s race includes 32-year-old Scott McLaughlin and 29-year-old Alex Palou, as well as four 27-year-old drivers — Santino Ferrucci, Kyle Kirkwood, Pato O’Ward and Mick Schumacher.
21. If Dixon were to win his second Indy 500, it would mark the longest span between wins in the history of the race. He won his first 18 years ago, in 2008. Juan Pablo Montoya went 15 years between victories, winning his first in 2000 and his second in 2015.
22. Castroneves and Collet will extend a remarkable streak for Brazil in this year’s race. A Brazilian has competed in the Indy 500 for 42 consecutive years, dating back to Emerson Fittipaldi’s start in 1984 and carried on to Castroneves’ first start in 2000 by Raul Boesel. Collet was born in 2002, right between Castroneves’ first two Indianapolis 500 victories.
23. No matter the winner, we know the day will end with the champion drinking (and probably wearing) a cold bottle of milk on the Victory Podium. The tradition dates back to Louis Meyer, who drank buttermilk after his wins in 1933 and 1936. According to the Indiana Dairy Association, 25 drivers in this year’s field have opted for whole milk should they win, with seven drivers — Hélio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Christian Lundgaard, Pato O’Ward, Graham Rahal, Takuma Sato and Nolan Siegel — choosing 2%. Romain Grosjean will swig skim milk if he reaches the Victory Podium.
24. The Coors Light Snake Pit will again be bumping inside Turn 3 at IMS. This year’s list of performers is headlined by world-famous producer Zedd and will be joined by Crankdat, Wooli, it’s murph and Wax Motif on race day. Zedd also played the Snake Pit in 2017.
25. Carb Day, the final tune-up for Race Day, again has a full schedule of activities on Friday, May 22, including the last two hours of practice before the 500 and the pit stop challenge, plus the second running of Oscar Mayer’s “Wienie 500.” To cap off the afternoon, Counting Crows and Switchfoot take the infield stage for a concert following the on-track festivities.
26. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will serve as grand marshal for the race, giving the traditional command for drivers to report to their cars during pre-race ceremonies. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem before Sunday’s race, the third time she’s sung “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Indy 500, previously performing before the 2015 and 2024 races. Sparks’ performance will be followed moments later by Jim Cornelison’s rendition of “(Back Home Again in) Indiana,” a role he has filled since 2017. Ephraim Owens, a contestant on NBC’s “The Voice,” will once again sing “America the Beautiful” before the race. The Indianapolis native performed the song before last year’s race and also performed the national anthem ahead of the IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 2, and will sing the national anthem at the 2026 Lucas Oil 500 Festival Parade on Saturday, May 23. The field will be led to the green flag by the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, with Indiana University head football coach Curt Cignetti behind the wheel. Actor Brendan Fraser, an Indianapolis native, will wave the green flag to signal the start of the race.
27. Race weekend continues away from the track with the AES 500 Festival Parade on the streets of downtown Saturday, May 23. Thirteen marching bands will join the parade through the streets of downtown, which will also include a pair of grand marshals from the Indiana Pacers — Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard — state and city leaders and the 33 drivers who will race in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Fans will also be able to watch the parade live on Channel 13 and WTHR’s streaming app, which you can watch for free on your TV and phone.
28. While you’re downtown for the parade, you’ll notice several streets may have new names. Thirty-three street signs were posted in recent weeks honoring the drivers in the field for this year’s race. Here’s where you can find your favorite driver’s sign:
29. A note for the numerologists looking to pick a winner in this year’s race: Cars sporting No. 2 or No. 3 have won the Indianapolis 500 11 times each, more than any other number in race history. Josef Newgarden’s 2024 win in the No. 2 was the 11th win by a car with that number. The No. 1 car has the third-most wins of any number with seven victories but hasn’t been driven to victory since Al Unser’s third of four wins in the 1971 race. There is no No. 1 car entered in this year’s race. Josef Newgarden drives the No. 2, and Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin will race the No. 3. Outside of “unlucky 13,” the smallest car number without an Indy 500 win is No. 18. Romain Grosjean is driving the No. 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing in this year’s Indy 500.
30. Still looking for a number angle? Consider this: The last 12 Indianapolis 500 winners have driven a car with an even number. 2025: No. 10 Alex Palou
2024: No. 2 Josef Newgarden 2023: No. 2 Josef Newgarden 2022: No. 8 Marcus Ericsson 2021: No. 06 Hélio Castroneves 2020: No. 30 Takuma Sato
2019: No. 22 Simon Pagenaud 2018: No. 12 Will Power 2017: No. 26 Takuma Sato 2016: No. 98 Alexander Rossi 2015: No. 2 Juan Pablo Montoya 2014: No. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay This year’s field includes 16 even-numbered cars and 17 odd-numbered cars, though the five fastest qualifiers all feature even numbers.
31. Eyes will be on the sky long before the flyover roars over the front stretch at the beginning of the race. While the goal is to complete 200 laps for 500 miles, the race becomes “official” after 101 laps (252 1/2 miles) — just past the halfway point. That’s almost exactly what happened in 1976, when Johnny Rutherford took the checkered flag after just 102 laps due to rain. A total of seven races, including that 1976 500, have been shortened due to rain: 1926: 160 laps 1950: 138 laps 1973: 133 laps 1975: 174 laps 1976: 102 laps 2004: 180 laps 2007: 166 laps
32. The hottest Indy 500 on record took place in 1937, when the temperature reached 92 degrees. More recently, the races in 2012 and 2018 were run in 91-degree heat. The coldest high temperature on race day came in 1992, when the high got to just 58 degrees in Indianapolis.
These Classic Indy 500 are Marking Milestones in 2026 The Indianapolis 500 will crown its 110th champion today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Over more than a century, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing has had its share of memorable moments and drivers. Several of those historic races are marking milestones in 2026:
5 Years Ago-Fans returned to IMS in May 2021 for the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500, nine months after Takuma Sato won his second 500 in front of empty grandstands in August 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Still, only about 135,000 fans were in the crowd to witness the history that unfolded in 2021. Hélio Castroneves, who had been on the brink of joining the exclusive four-time winners club since winning his third Indy 500 in 2009, started eighth in the race and was in the mix throughout the day. Castroneves led several times in the race, taking the lead from Takuma Sato on Lap 194. He relinquished the lead to Alex Palou for three laps, but he sped past the Spaniard on the front stretch with two laps to go, holding on for his record-tying fourth victory. The win set off a memorable celebration, as Castroneves exited his car near the start-finish line and once again executed his famous fence climb to the delight of the fans along the front stretch. The party continued on the track as Castroneves walked along the front stretch, being congratulated by his crew members and fellow drivers, then kissing the Yard of Bricks before taking part in the traditional celebration on the victory podium.
10 Years Ago- IMS celebrated the 100th running of the 500 in 2016 in front of a sell-out crowd. The historic race featured an equally historic ending, as American Alexander Rossi gambled on fuel and became the first rookie to win the 500 since Castroneves in 2001. Rossi started 11th in the race, but at one point dropped into last place before climbing up the scoring pylon. He took his first lead on 122 — one of 54 lead changes in the race among 13 different drivers — then later passed Carlos Muñoz with four laps to go as he stretched his fuel mileage, but he cruised to a 4 1/2-second victory. Rossi had plenty of time to soak in the cheers on his victory lap, as he slowly coasted around the 2 1/2-mile oval. coming to a stop as his car ran out of fuel in Turn 4.
20 Years Ago-The 2006 race featured only 14 lead changes, but the last one made it an instant classic. Pole-sitter Sam Hornish Jr., who didn’t lead a lap in the race until Lap 35, lurked late while father and son Michael and Marco Andretti swapped the lead in the last four laps. Michael Andretti, who led more laps in his career that any other driver without a 500 win, was passed by his son on the front stretch with three laps to go. Hornish got by the elder Andretti with a little over two laps to go and closed onto Marco Andretti’s tail. He had to pull up after trying a pass in Turn 3 on Lap 199, but he pulled back within reach a lap later. Hornish continued to close the gap heading into Turn 4, then sped inside Andretti just a few hundred feet before the finish to take the checkered flag. The .0635-second margin of victory was, at the time, the second-closest finish in the history of the 500, only trailing Al Unser Jr.’s .043-second win over Scott Goodyear in 1992.
25 Years Ago-Little did anyone know the 85th Running of the Indianapolis 500 would spark a historic career at the Brickyard. Pole-sitter Scott Sharp crashed on the opening lap, ending his day early. The other front-row qualifiers, Robby Gordon and Greg Ray, led the first 45 laps of the race after Sharp’s crash before the race lead began to cycle between five other drivers. Brazilian rookie Hélio Castroneves, who started 11th, took the lead from Indiana native Tony Stewart during a yellow-flag pit stop on Lap 149 and just before a rain delay. Castroneves didn’t trail the rest of the way, leading a race-high 52 laps and taking his first of four victories in the 500.
50 Years Ago-The 1976 race featured a podium full of Indy 500 legends, but it also set a record that stands today as the shortest race in history. Johnny Rutherford, who won the 1974 race and finished second when rain stopped the 1975 race with Bobby Unser in the lead, started on the pole for the 60th running of the race. Rutherford led the first three laps of the race before an A.J. Foyt pass on Lap 4. Rutherford led for a second time from Lap 39-60, when he was again passed by Foyt. Rutherford regained the lead on Lap 80 and held it until Lap 102, when the race — which had just barely gone “official” — was called due to rain. The 102-lap race is the shortest in Indy 500 history. Rutherford, who was joined on the podium by former winners Foyt and Gordon Johncock, went on to win his third Indy 500 four years later in the 1980 race.
75 Years Ago-Lee Wallard dominated the 35th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 1951. Starting second in the race, Wallard took the lead from pole-sitter Duke Nalon on the opening lap and took turns in front with three other drivers in the early part of the race. Wallard regained the lead on Lap 81 and did not trail the rest of the way, leading a total of 159 of 200 laps in the race. Wallard drove the No. 99 car, the highest car number to ever win the Indy 500.
100 Years Ago-A century ago, 23-year-old rookie Frank Lockhart climbed from 20th to claim victory in the 14th Indianapolis 500. Lockhart took the lead on Lap 60, leading the field for 40 laps before eventual runner-up Harry Hartz took over. Lockhart regained the top spot on Lap 107 and led until rain put an end to the day. For the first time in Indy 500 history, a race was stopped twice due to rain in the same day. The first delay came after 71 laps, then rain again halted the race at the 400-mile mark. Lockhart was declared the winner after 160 laps, the fourth-shortest Indianapolis 500 to date. His final margin of victory was more than two laps over Hartz. Lockhart’s victory, at the time, made him the second-youngest winner of the 500. To this day, he is still the third youngest driver to win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.