Indy 500: Updated attendance plan announced by IMS

After initial plans to allow up to 50% capacity, Indianapolis Motor Speedway revealed an updated attendance plan for the 104th running of the Indy 500 in August.

Last month, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that fans would be allowed to attend the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, the eighth of 14 races on the updated 2020 IndyCar schedule, at the track on Sunday, August 23, but that attendance would be limited to 50% capacity.

Now, due to the policies and procedures that the track has put into effect amid the coronavirus pandemic, that has effectively been reduced to 25% capacity at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) oval in Speedway, Indiana.

The track regularly welcomes over 300,000 for for this 200-lap race.

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“In June, we announced the race was on and that attendance would be limited to no more than 50 percent of capacity,” said Penske Entertainment Corp. President & CEO Mark Miles.

“We also made clear we intended to do things differently this year. By offering credits to fans who had previously purchased tickets, encouraging those over 65 to stay at home, limiting attendance in the infield, reducing tickets in our suites and promising fans their decision to not attend would not impact their seniority or right to renew tickets for 2021, we now anticipate attendance at approximately 25 percent of capacity. We will welcome fans back, and we have an aggressive plan in place, which has been developed through collaboration with national, state and local health experts.”

Over 175,000 tickets have already been sold, but fans have been given multiple options should they decide that they do not wish to or are unable to attend. There will be no more ticket sales following Friday, July 24, and seats will be reassigned so that parties are more spaced out.

There are a number of other changes that the track is slated to make for this year’s running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. Among them are the fact that all fans must wear face coverings in order to be allowed to attend. Hand sanitizer will also be distributed to all fans who attend, and all fans will be subject to temperature checks upon entry.

“We look forward to welcoming fans back to the 500 in person. Our outdoor facility is mammoth, and with attendance of about 25 percent, it will certainly look different this year,” continued Miles. “We want to demonstrate that even under current circumstances, people can gather with carefully planned procedures in place so we don’t have to go back to shutting down our country and our community.”

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NBC is set to broadcast the 104th running of the Indy 500 live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET, with the green flag set to fly shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET.