It’s time for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500! This weekend will be the busiest of the year for motorsports fans with the Indy 500, Canadian Grand Prix, and Coca-Cola 600 all racing on the same day. But the Indy 500, often called the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” will likely dominate headlines and TVs across the country.
Ahead of the big race, the Indy 500 qualifying was chaotic to say the least — despite the fact that exactly 33 cars entered, meaning drivers were competing for pole positions, but not a literal spot. But heavy rain complicated the qualifying, and two drivers, Caio Collet (A.J. Foyt Enterprises) and Jack Harvey (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) were penalized after the fact for unapproved modifications, sending them to the back row of the starting grid.
Alex Palou is aiming for Indy 500 greatness with the hope of back-to-back wins. He’ll start the race in the pole position. Caitlin Clark will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. Are you ready to see what happens down at The Brickyard this year? Here’s everything you need to know to tune in to the Indy 500 in 2026.
Where to watch the 2026 Indy 500:
Date: Sunday, May 24
Race time: 12:45 p.m. ET/9:45 a.m. PT
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
TV channel: FOX, Fox Deportes, FS1
Streaming:DirecTV, YouTube TV and more
When is the Indy 500?
The Indy 500 is this Sunday, May 24. Coverage will begin on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET, and the green flag will drop on the race track at 12:45 p.m.
What channel is the Indy 500 on?
FOX is once again this year’s network home for the 2026 Indy 500. FS1 will air Friday’s practice. FOX will air the Weenie 500 and Pit Stop Challenge. FOX Deportes will cover this year’s race in Spanish.
Don’t have access to FOX through a cable provider? A live TV streaming service like DirecTV or YouTube TV is an easy way to tune into this weekend’s race.
How to watch the Indy 500 without cable:
Indy 500 weekend schedule:
All times Eastern
Friday, May 22 — Carb Day
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11:00 AM–1:00 PM — Indianapolis 500 Practice (FS1)
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2:00 PM — Wienie 500 (FOX)
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2:30–4:00 PM — Oscar Mayer Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge (FOX)
Sunday, May 24 — Indianapolis 500 Race Day (F0X)
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11:47 AM — Driver Introductions
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12:24 PM — National Anthem
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12:29 PM — “Drivers, to your cars”
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12:36 PM — “Back Home Again in Indiana”
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12:38 PM — Command to Start Engines
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12:45 PM — Green Flag
How long is the Indy 500?
The track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, AKA The Brickyard, is a 2.5-mile rectangular oval. The aptly named Indy 500 race laps the track 200 times, adding up to 500 miles.
2026 Indy 500 starting grid:
Row 1
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Alex Palou
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Alexander Rossi
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David Malukas
Row 2
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Felix Rosenqvist
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Santino Ferrucci
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Pato O’Ward
Row 3
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Kyffin Simpson
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Conor Daly
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Scott McLaughlin
Row 4
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Scott Dixon
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Rinus VeeKay
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Takuma Sato
Row 5
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Ed Carpenter
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Helio Castroneves
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Christian Rasmussen
Row 6
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Marcus Armstrong
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Marcus Ericsson
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Christian Lundgaard
Row 7
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Will Power
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Nolan Siegel
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Louis Foster
Row 8
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Ryan Hunter-Reay
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Josef Newgarden
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Romain Grosjean
Row 9
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Kyle Kirkwood
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Katherine Legge
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Mick Schumacher
Row 10
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Graham Rahal
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Dennis Hauger
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Jacob Abel
Row 11
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Sting Ray Robb
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Caio Collet
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Jack Harvey
