INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) - The Indianapolis 500 has been postponed to Aug. 23 due to the coronavirus spread, the NTT IndyCar series announced Thursday.
According to a news release, the GMR Grand Prix will transition to Saturday, July 4 on the IMS road course as part of a double-header featuring IndyCar and NASCAR.
The 104th Indianapolis 500 was scheduled for Sunday, May 24. The GMR Grand Prix was scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 9.
"The Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite time of year, and like our fans, I am disappointed that we have had to reschedule the Indianapolis 500,” Roger Penske said. “However, the health and safety of our event participants and spectators is our top priority, and we believe that postponing the event is the responsible decision with the conditions and restrictions we are facing. We will continue to focus on ways we can enhance the customer experience in the months ahead, and I’m confident we will welcome fans with a transformed facility and a global spectacle when we run the world’s greatest race.”
On-track action will begin with practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 12-13, followed by Fast Friday on Aug. 14 and Indianapolis 500 Qualifications on Saturday and Sunday Aug. 15-16.
All concerts scheduled for the original race weekend have been canceled, including REO Speedwagon and Styx on Friday, May 22, Luke Bryan on Saturday, May 23 and Martin Garrix on Sunday, May 24.
This decision was made to provide the maximum flexibility possible to complete the Indianapolis 500 by Sunday, Aug. 23 and provide room for any contingency plans necessary. IMS appreciates the understanding of fans and regrets that the COVID-19 situation has caused the cancellation of these events.
Fans who made concert-specific purchases will be able to access a credit for any IMS event, including the Indy 500, or choose to receive a refund. IMS concert customers will receive further communication on how to exercise their ticketing options.
