IndyCar schedule overhauled; Indy 500, three other races moved

By Asher Fair | Mar 26, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 26: Simon Pagenaud of France, driver of the #22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet leads a pack of cars during the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

The 2020 IndyCar schedule has been overhauled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and several races, including the Indy 500, have been moved.

The 2020 IndyCar schedule now looks hardly anything like it did upon release early last September. After the first four races of the season were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was mounting speculation that the month of May festivities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway would no longer take place during the month of May.

They won’t.

The GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course was moved from its date on Saturday, May 9 to Saturday, July 4, just one day prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race at the oval to create an IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader.

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The 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the track’s oval was moved to Sunday, August 23, nearly three months after its initially scheduled and traditional date of Memorial Day Sunday on May 24.

“The Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite time of year, and like our fans, I am disappointed that we have had to reschedule the Indianapolis 500,” stated IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske in a press release.

“However, the health and safety of our event participants and spectators is our top priority, and we believe that postponing the event is the responsible decision with the conditions and restrictions we are facing. We will continue to focus on ways we can enhance the customer experience in the months ahead, and I’m confident we will welcome fans with a transformed facility and a global spectacle when we run the world’s greatest race.”

Moving festivities at the Brickyard outside of the month of May makes the doubleheader at the Raceway on Belle Isle Park the new scheduled season opener. These two races are scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, although that remains subject to change.

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“Memorial Day weekend has always provided Indianapolis 500 fans an opportunity to honor the men and women who have fought and sacrificed for our nation’s freedom,” stated Penske Entertainment Corporation President and CEO Mark Miles.

“This August, we’ll also have a unique and powerful opportunity to honor the contributions and heroism of the doctors, nurses, first responders and National Guard members serving on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. We’re grateful for the patience of our fans as we’ve navigated this situation, and we extend our thanks to NBC for its terrific partnership and diligent work to maximize broadcast coverage with this new schedule.”

These schedule changes also caused two other races that were initially scheduled to take place in August to be moved to other dates, still in August. The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was moved up by one week from Sunday, August 16 to Sunday, August 9, to make room for a traditional two-week schedule leading up to the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.

The race that was initially scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 22, the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, was moved back to Sunday, August 30.

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There are still 13 races on the 2020 IndyCar schedule. Indy 500 practice is scheduled to get underway on Wednesday, August 12, leading up to qualifying on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16.

Aside of the six years in which it didn’t happen due to the two World Wars, the Indy 500 has never been held outside of the month of May since its first running back in 1911. It hasn’t been held during a weekend other than Memorial Day Weekend since 1946.