Because of the global health crisis, one of the most famous racing events in the United States has had to move its dates. This follows a wave of postponements for international sports across the country. The Indianapolis 500, which usually transforms the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana into a hub of excitement every May, has been forced to shift its traditional timing.
One of the legendary motor races in the United States of America had postponed the date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, America had dropped many schedules to begin any international sports events followed by the highly favored calendared motorsport Indianapolis 500. The motorsport event falls in May of every year and gathers a good amount of crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at Indiana, United States.
The Indy 500 stands alongside legendary races like the Monaco GP and Le Mans as a premier motorsport event in the U.S. The upcoming 104th iteration of the race is now scheduled for August 2020, challenging drivers to complete 200 laps over 805 kilometers. The schedule begins on August 12th with practice runs, leading up to the main spectacle on Friday, August 14th.
The qualifying phase, known as the Crown Royal Armed Forces events, will take place on August 15th and 16th to set the official times. After another round of practice on the 20th and subsequent events on the 21st and 22nd, the Gainbridge Indianapolis 500 will officially start on August 23rd with 33 drivers fighting for the checkered flag. Regarding the original tickets, the IMS has stated that fans can either receive a full refund for the cancelled dates or apply the credit toward future events, with booking confirmations to follow.
Looking back at the May 26, 2019 race, Simon Pagenaud took the victory, followed by Alexander Rossi in second and Takuma Sato in third. Earlier this year, industry giant Roger Penske acquired both the Indy Car series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, implementing surface upgrades to the track for the 2020 season. Penske emphasized that prioritizing public health and safety made the move to August the only responsible choice. His team added that the August date serves as a tribute to the frontline heroes—doctors, nurses, and security personnel—battling the pandemic. Even former racer Bobby Unser shared his optimism, noting that while the Indy 500 is always the highlight of the year, the August 2020 event will be particularly special.