About Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500 is the most famous motor race in the world, run each year on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Drivers complete 200 laps of the 2.5-mile oval for a total of 500 miles, racing before a crowd of around 300,000 — the largest single-day attendance of any sporting event on Earth. Nicknamed "the Greatest Spectacle in Racing," it forms part of motorsport's Triple Crown alongside Monaco and Le Mans. This live countdown shows exactly how many days remain until race day in your timezone.
The first Indy 500 was run on May 30, 1911 and won by Ray Harroun, who famously fitted his car with one of the earliest rear-view mirrors. The track is nicknamed the "Brickyard" after the bricks that first paved it in 1909, a strip of which still marks the start-finish line. Winners traditionally swig a bottle of milk in Victory Lane and have their faces sculpted onto the Borg-Warner Trophy, while the field of 33 cars and the command "Drivers, start your engines" are cherished rituals.
The race always falls on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend — the last Sunday of May in the United States — so the date shifts slightly each year. This countdown targets the next running and rolls over once the checkered flag drops. Whether you follow IndyCar all season or tune in just for the 500, bookmark the live Indy 500 countdown or add it to your own page.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Sunday, May 30, 2027next |
| 2028 | Sunday, May 28, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, May 27, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, May 26, 2030 |
| 2031 | Sunday, May 25, 2031 |
FAQ
When is the Indy 500?
The Indianapolis 500 is run on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, the last Sunday of May. The countdown above shows the days, hours and minutes until the next race in your timezone.
Why is the Indy 500 important?
It is the world's most famous and best-attended motor race, a century-old American institution and one leg of motorsport's Triple Crown alongside Monaco and Le Mans.
How is the Indy 500 run?
A field of 33 cars races 200 laps — 500 miles — around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, with the winner traditionally drinking milk in Victory Lane.
Why do Indy 500 winners drink milk?
The tradition dates to 1936 when winner Louis Meyer drank buttermilk in Victory Lane; it became an official custom and an iconic image of the race.