Indy 500 won’t have fans, but Mountain Dew has you covered
By Asher Fair
Fans won’t be allowed to attend the 104th running of the Indy 500, but Mountain Dew is offering fans several virtual activation opportunities this weekend.
For the first time in race history, the Indy 500 will be run without fans in the stands at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 104th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” was initially scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 24, but the pandemic caused it to be postponed to Sunday, August 23.
There were plans for the race to be run this Sunday with 50% capacity and then with 25% capacity at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) oval in Speedway, Indiana, but the track ended up pulling the plug on those plans in favor of simply being able to have the race at all.
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While this will certainly be a different experience for many, given the fact that the nearly 350,000 people who usually attend the race would make the Brickyard the 56th largest city in the United States and many fans have been there every year for decades, Mountain Dew is offering fans several virtual activation opportunities for the race this weekend.
MTN DEW is giving DEW Nation and IndyCar fans a front row seat to experience the race virtually around Indianapolis this weekend.
The DEW Pace Car is set to be located around Indianapolis this weekend and will be handing out free prizes to those who participate and can track it down. Those prizes include but aren’t limited to koozies, branded sunglasses, enamel pins and bandanas.
.@MountainDew is giving @IndyCar fans several opportunities to get in on the action this weekend, despite no fans being allowed at the #Indy500, and you can win several prizes by participating in their virtual activations around Indianapolis. Keep an eye out for the DEW Pace Car! pic.twitter.com/gCZWzKwIbN
— Beyond the Flag (@Beyond_The_Flag) August 21, 2020
Fans will also have the opportunity to access AR/VR filters throughout the weekend from any location. They can celebrate in the DEW Winner’s Circle and snap photos with the winning car and wreath, and they can experience what it’s like to be inside the cockpit of the DEW-branded car while wearing the legendary DEW race helmet.
The filters can be found (by using a mobile device) here.
If you do decide to participate around Indianapolis in person, keep in mind that you should abide by local COVID-19 regulations and protocols.
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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 this Sunday.