Why A Sold-Out Indianapolis 500 Is So Important

One of the most beautiful scenes in all of sports, the Pace Lap before the start of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The biggest celebration on Memorial Day Weekend takes place in the Crossroads of America – Indianapolis, Indiana. It’s a celebration that began on Memorial Day in 1911 and with the exception of World War I, World War II, a week later in 1986 because of rain and the COVID Pandemic of 2020 has been held on Memorial Day, or Memorial Day Weekend ever since.

It’s the Indianapolis 500, where fans arrive from all over the United States and around the world to be part of a truly amazing American spectacle. It’s not unusual to see license plates from fans who have driven from states like Washington, Idaho and California to continue this incredible tradition.

Before there was an infield road course installed in time for the 2000 United States Grand Prix, the infield crowd combined with the massive grandstands of the world’s largest sporting stadium approached 400,000 spectators.

On Sunday, it’s time for the 110^th Indianapolis 500 and for the second year in a row, and the third time since 2016, the race is a complete sellout.

That means 350,000 spectators will be in their seats, or in the infield to witness one of the most thrilling spectacles in all of sport, and a celebration of humanity as the cold days of winter are over and summer is about to begin.

They arrive with coolers stocked with fried chicken, ham sandwiches and enough beer to clean out a brewery. Don’t forget the miles of hot dogs that will either be cooked on the grill or sold at the concession stands.

Over in Turn 3, the “Snake Pit” will crank up the music at 8 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday morning and with the exception of a one-hour break between pre-race and the start of the race, will play until 2:15 p.m. That creates a music festival with the sounds of racing as the soundtrack in the background.

One out of every 1,000 people in the United States will attend the Indy 500 on Sunday.

Roger Penske’s Vision For A Glorious Future For the Indianapolis 500

When Roger Penske purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar from the Hulman-George Family on November 4, 2019, he wanted to return it to its past glory, while building a foundation for a more glorious future.

By selling out the Indianapolis 500 for two years in a row, that goal has become Penske’s reality.

“I want to thank our fans for helping make the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 another grandstand sellout,” Penske told me. “The passion and loyalty our fans continue to show for this event is truly remarkable and reinforces why the Indianapolis 500 remains one of the world’s greatest sporting events.

“I’m incredibly proud of the entire IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) team for the outstanding job they have done preparing for this year’s race. Their dedication and commitment have created an unforgettable experience for our fans, partners, teams and drivers. We look forward to welcoming a tremendous crowd to the Speedway this weekend and celebrating another historic Indianapolis 500 together.”

At 89, the Indianapolis 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be his lasting legacy. He is already a giant in industry as Founder and Chairman of the Penske Corporation, but he is also the greatest team owner in racing history.

He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 20 times as a team owner. He hopes to extend that to 21 on May 24 with two-time winner Josef Newgarden, veteran Scott McLaughlin and newcomer to the team, David Malukas as his drivers.

Penske has turned over the reins of his IndyCar Series team to Jonathan Diuguid as Team President because of his role at IndyCar owner. Penske also has entrusted Mark Miles as CEO of Penske Entertainment, the owners of IMS, the Indy 500 and IndyCar, to Mark Miles, who had the same capacity under the Hulman-George Family.

Doug Boles The Dynamo Of The Indianapolis Motor Speedway And IndyCar

The dynamo that is in charge of both IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is J. Douglas Boles, who serves as president for both organizations. Boles is an aggressive promoter who, like most Hoosiers, realized the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a national treasure and the Indianapolis 500 is more than a race, it’s celebration unlike any other.

Interest in the Indianapolis 500 is on the upswing. Last year’s race was the first on FOX and it was the most viewed motorsports telecast of the season in all forms of racing in the United States as 7.01 million viewers watched the race with a peak audience of 8.4 million viewers from 4:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

I had an exclusive interview with Boles when the 110^th Indianapolis 500 was announced as a sellout on May 13. Boles revealed the Speedway had an additional 2,000 seats on sale this year that had not been released for sale since the 100^th Indianapolis 500 in 2016.

“To sell it out a week ahead of where we were last year is pretty exciting, and that’s a testament to our fans,” Boles told me. “Our fans love this so much. They bring new people back; they continue to come. This race is really about the fans. And this is a way that they thank us and we thank them when we get a chance to sell this out.”

It’s the third time since Boles has been Indianapolis Motor Speedway President that the Indy 500 has sold out. The first was for a major moment – the 100^th Indianapolis 500. Centennials are moments to celebrate.

But the past two years, the sellouts are because fans want to experience Race Day at the Indy 500 in person.

“When I get a chance to talk to fans, the race is so important to them, but it's really all the other things that happen around it,” Boles said. “It’s the people you go with, the memories you have of your first time here and all those things are what make the Indy 500 special.

“It's a race but it's really an event and that's really what people have embraced. And the other thing I think we've seen over the last few years just first-time people who are coming and continuing to come back and people bringing family members is really where we've seen the biggest piece of our growth.”

The Indianapolis 500 Is Attracting A Younger Crowd

The key point in the resurgence of the Indianapolis 500 is a younger audience has discovered it’s the cool place to be. That has been a theme throughout the history of this great event as fathers bring their sons and daughters, who are wowed by the spectacle and when they become adults, the bring their sons and daughters.

Twenty years ago, and even five years ago, the fans that came to the Indianapolis 500 were mostly an older crowd. Many of the fans that will be at Sunday’s race have been coming for 20, 30, 40, even 50 years and more.

But more and more Generation Z fans are at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, many wearing team shirts for their favorite drivers.

“That's the reason the Indy 500 is going to be here decades from now, is that next generation that's coming in,” Boles said. “It can't be the older generation that keeps it going, it really is becoming that younger generation. We have some great young superstars. Pato O’Ward, some young folks that our fans are really able to embrace and get excited about. I think that's part of what's bringing that young generation around.

“And even things like our Carb Day, where we're switching the music up to be more of a late 1990s, early 2000s, to cater to some of those younger folks who will be the ones that soon will be more predominantly seen here than folks my age, for example.

“It's really important to start thinking about that next generation.”

Pato O’Ward Moves The Needle At The Indy 500

Probably the most popular driver among the younger crowd is personable Pato O’Ward of Monterrey, Mexico. He is easily the most popular IndyCar driver to the fans, and he has opened the Indy 500 to a Hispanic audience.

“Yeah, man, people want to be here,” O’Ward told me. “People want to watch the greatest motorsport event in the world, which is the Indy 500. This is my favorite time of the year. I love it. I love driving around here. I love the event. I love everything that goes into it. I consider myself a huge Indy 500 fan.”

O’Ward’s personality is engaging and his racing style is aggressive and that has allowed him to help move the needle in a positive direction for IndyCar.

“Have I helped the needle? I sure hope so,” O’Ward said. “I mean, I don't really focus on what have I done to help or whatever. I just try and do what's best and also give opportunities to maybe people that don't, don't always have that opportunity comes and, and just get the word out there.”

David Malukas – The Face Of Generation Z At Indianapolis 500

At 24, David Malukas of Team Penske is solidly in Generation Z, and he will start on the outside of Row 1 alongside Alexander Rossi in the middle and pole winner Alex Palou.

“It’s so important to get this Gen Z audience,” Malukas told me. “I saw that when I first joined IndyCar. I saw that it was slowly starting to get there but It still was a very much of an older crowd.

“I said, this needs to change. We need to get the word out there. IndyCar is so special and people need to see it. Now you’re seeing these younger audiences coming in. It seems like a sold out feel that the Indy 500 has now is turning into a normal. It's something so special and so cool to see.

“And it makes me really happy to say that the future for IndyCar, at least for the next, 20 years seems to be solidified with this younger audience coming in and I am very excited to keep pushing forward.

“We are getting the word out there, ‘Hey, this is IndyCar’ and people see it and say, ‘Wow, that's really cool.’”

FOX Has Played A Huge Role In Indianapolis 500 Resurgence

A key part in the resurgence of IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 is FOX. The network has taken the IndyCar Series to great heights with its creative promotion and marketing and that has been reflected with an impressive boost in ratings.

By selling out this year’s Indianapolis 500 for the second year in a row, it will be the second straight year the blackout has been lifted in Central Indiana. That allows FOX59 in Indianapolis to air the Indy 500 live.

It’s actually the third year in a row the local blackout was lifted. In 2024, heavy rain delayed the start of the Indy 500 by four hours so in fairness to fans that had purchased tickets and many not have been able to return, IMS lifted the blackout for the final Indy 500 televised by NBC.

“I think it's really important,” Boles said of airing the race live in Central Indiana. “One of the traditions in this market is for people to come to the race and then go home and watch it in the in the delayed broadcast that happens in the afternoon. I was one that did that as a fan, it was it was really important to do.

“Fortunately, our local FOX folks will have it live and do that as well for folks that are used to that. But I think it's important in this marketplace, and as we continue to sell out, I think it's also a great tool for us to just continue to get fans and community residents to just be proud that this event's here, whether or not they are part of it.

“If you can get a good TV number in this market, that definitely helps in the overall national rankings.”

Alex Palou Attempts To Win Second Straight Indianapolis 500

Alex Palou is the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner from 2025 and will start on the pole for the second Indy 500 in his career on May 24.

He is also a four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion and has become the face of IndyCar.

“It's incredible to see that and to be part of it now when there's so much momentum,” Palou said. “I feel like we've been seeing that in every single race, but obviously the 500, everything is like five times or 10 times bigger. So, yeah, it's super special as a driver.

“I think the series, folks, everybody is doing a great job. We have great personalities, different drivers from different countries that I guess it helps as well.

“It’s just a great moment now in IndyCar.”

And there is nothing greater in IndyCar, than the Indianapolis 500, which has returned as the biggest single-day sporting event on Earth.

More importantly, the Indianapolis 500 has become cool again. A sold-out Indy 500 for the second straight year proves that.