Penske Entertainment said today that the upcoming broadcast of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will not have the usual broadcast delay for the first ever airing of the race on Fox Sports. Right now it appears that all reserved seating for Race Day will be sold out for the first time since the 100th edition of the race in 2016. Right now, a few tickets remain in the IMS grandstands, with a full reserved seating sellout likely to occur by the checkered flag for Monday’s practice and possibly before the end of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend, which starts tomorrow. Expanded coverage of the inaugural Indy 500 on FOX starts on Sunday 25 May at 10 a.m. ET across the country, with the green flag drop at ~12:45 p.m. ET.
“This year, the greatest race on Earth will host one of its biggest and most memorable crowds in many decades,” said Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles. “This is a terrific showcase for the NTT IndyCar Series and a great milestone to supercharge our relationship with FOX Sports. It is also absolutely a fitting tribute to the continued leadership and investment of Roger Penske.”
“While general admission tickets will still be available in the IMS infield through Race Day, the grandstands around the 116-year-old 2.5-mile oval, and all hospitality suites, will be completely filled. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world’s largest spectator sporting facility, and the Indy 500 is annually the largest spectator sporting event on the planet, hosting a crowd of approximately 350,000 people,” Penske Entertainment said.
“The very best fans in sports have delivered in historic and fitting fashion for the incredible stars of the IndyCar Series,” IndyCar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “The sheer size and scale of this crowd is going to be massive and will offer an epic backdrop for the very first Indy 500 on FOX. The 109th Running will be a full-scale, nonstop spectacle that draws the eyes of the world to Speedway, Indiana.”
Beyond the grandstands, the Hulman Terrace Club is also sold out, and every IMS suite is full. Coors Light Snake Pit wristbands remain available to pair with a General Admission ticket. “Fans are encouraged to visit IMS.com and check IMS social media feeds for updates on all ticketing-related information. Remaining Race Weekend experiences are selling fast, and everyone is encouraged to purchase remaining inventory as soon as possible.”
“FOX Sports is all in on IndyCar, and this is an incredible accomplishment to celebrate with our first Indy 500 broadcast,” FOX Sports Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer Eric Shanks said. “As a lifelong fan, I am also personally thrilled to see the grandstands filled on Race Day and look forward to broadcasting the race live in Central Indiana.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Indy 500 Broadcast Local Delay Lifted for Fox
Penske Entertainment said today that the upcoming broadcast of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will not have the usual broadcast delay for the first ever airing of the race on Fox Sports. Right now it appears that all reserved seating for Race Day will be sold out for the first time since the 100th edition of the race in 2016. Right now, a few tickets remain in the IMS grandstands, with a full reserved seating sellout likely to occur by the checkered flag for Monday’s practice and possibly before the end of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend, which starts tomorrow. Expanded coverage of the inaugural Indy 500 on FOX starts on Sunday 25 May at 10 a.m. ET across the country, with the green flag drop at ~12:45 p.m. ET.
“This year, the greatest race on Earth will host one of its biggest and most memorable crowds in many decades,” said Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles. “This is a terrific showcase for the NTT IndyCar Series and a great milestone to supercharge our relationship with FOX Sports. It is also absolutely a fitting tribute to the continued leadership and investment of Roger Penske.”
“While general admission tickets will still be available in the IMS infield through Race Day, the grandstands around the 116-year-old 2.5-mile oval, and all hospitality suites, will be completely filled. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world’s largest spectator sporting facility, and the Indy 500 is annually the largest spectator sporting event on the planet, hosting a crowd of approximately 350,000 people,” Penske Entertainment said.
“The very best fans in sports have delivered in historic and fitting fashion for the incredible stars of the IndyCar Series,” IndyCar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “The sheer size and scale of this crowd is going to be massive and will offer an epic backdrop for the very first Indy 500 on FOX. The 109th Running will be a full-scale, nonstop spectacle that draws the eyes of the world to Speedway, Indiana.”
Beyond the grandstands, the Hulman Terrace Club is also sold out, and every IMS suite is full. Coors Light Snake Pit wristbands remain available to pair with a General Admission ticket. “Fans are encouraged to visit IMS.com and check IMS social media feeds for updates on all ticketing-related information. Remaining Race Weekend experiences are selling fast, and everyone is encouraged to purchase remaining inventory as soon as possible.”
“FOX Sports is all in on IndyCar, and this is an incredible accomplishment to celebrate with our first Indy 500 broadcast,” FOX Sports Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer Eric Shanks said. “As a lifelong fan, I am also personally thrilled to see the grandstands filled on Race Day and look forward to broadcasting the race live in Central Indiana.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.