2019 Indy 500: What would happen if it were to rain?

If rain were to prevent the 500 scheduled miles of the Indy 500 from being completed this Sunday, what procedures would go into effect?

Every year — I repeat, every year — after Indianapolis 500 qualifications take place on the Sunday before the race’s scheduled date on Memorial Day Sunday, the forecast for Speedway, Indiana calls for at least a 75% of rain on race day for the crown jewel on the IndyCar schedule.

It’s pretty much a guarantee.

Yet every year, at least over the last decade, the race has been held on Memorial Day Sunday, typically with no rain interference of any kind.

But at this moment, the chances of rain this Sunday, May 26 are still 90%.

What would happen if rain were to soak the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval to the point where the scheduled 200 laps (500 miles) of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” could not be completed this Sunday?

More from IndyCar

There are a few things to consider.

First of all, if the race is halted after it has been more than halfway completed, it would be deemed official. So an “Indy 252.5” coming to fruition after 101 laps is not a complete impossibility; we already had the “Indy 255” in the race’s 62nd running back in 1976 after only 102 of its scheduled laps were completed.

Most recently, the 91st running of the race back in 2007 was shortened to 166 laps as a result of rain. This race was the seventh rain-shortened race in Indy 500 history.

Secondly, if the race cannot get underway on Sunday, it will be postponed until Monday. It will continue to be postponed to the next dry day until it is either (a) completed or (b) rained out again and has been more than halfway completed.

Finally, if the race has started but it has not been more than halfway completed by the time it is rained out, it will be postponed until Monday. Once again, it will continue to be postponed to the next dry day until it is either (a) completed or (b) rained out again and it has been more than halfway completed.

Most recently, the 81st running of the race back in 1997 was postponed from Sunday, May 25 to Monday, May 26. It ended up being suspended until Tuesday, May 27 after only its first 15 laps were completed on Monday.

Additionally, after the 57th running of the race got underway on Monday, May 28, it was suspended to Wednesday, May 30 as a result of rain. When rain once again prevented the race from being completed on Wednesday, it was then deemed official and ended after 133 laps (332.5 miles) had been completed.

Next. Top 10 Indianapolis 500 drivers of all-time. dark

Let’s just hope that on Memorial Day Sunday, May 26, this article proves to be completely irrelevant. As of now, expect the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 to get underway at roughly 12:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, and be sure to tune in to NBC’s live broadcast of the race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET that morning.