The Indianapolis 500 is happening on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. The call for drivers to start their engines will be at 11:38 am Central Time, and the green flag will be at 11:45 am. [1]
History
The first year the Indy 500 happened was in 1911. Forty cars qualified for the first race. [2] Nowadays, there are thirty-three qualifying spots. Back in 1911, the five hundred miles took 6 hours and 42 minutes. [3] During modern times, the race takes around three hours to complete. [4]
Trivia
Every Indy 500 needs a pace car. Over the 114 years of the race, a Chevrolet Corvette has been the pace car nineteen times. [5] Weather is a key component to racing. The most miles that had to be cut off due to rain was 167.5 miles in 1973. [6] After the Indy 500 is over and the winner is at the winner celebration, he drinks a bottle of milk. Before the race, every driver is asked what kind of milk he would like to drink if he wins: whole, two-percent, or fat-free. In 2024, twenty-six drivers chose whole milk. The tradition started in 1936 when Louis Meyer celebrated his victory by drinking buttermilk. [7] Another fun trivia fact is that, at the start/finish line, there is a one-yard set of the original track’s surface. [8]
Notes:
- ^Indy 500 start time, 2025 race day schedule, TV channel, stream, radio (go back ↩)
- ^The First Indianapolis 500, 1911 (go back ↩)
- ^The First Indy 500: A Spectacular Start in 1911 (go back ↩)
- ^When is the Indy 500? That answer and more in this primer on the world’s biggest race (go back ↩)
- ^Pace Car Drivers (go back ↩)
- ^Rain Postponements (go back ↩)
- ^2024 Indy 500 weather forecast: will it rain on Sunday? (go back ↩)
- ^115 Years of Brick and Pavement: How the Famed Indy 500 Track Surface Has Survived the Test of Time (go back ↩)
