Each year on the Sunday before Memorial Day, over 300,000 people flock to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to spectate the iconic Indy 500. With a history dating back over a century and an exceptional amount of tradition packed into the event, it can be a little intimidating to head off for your first race. Don’t be caught out — these are the unbreakable rules of attending the Indy 500.
There are two general dress codes to consider when planning your Indy 500 outfit: You wear checkered-flag everything, or you wear American-flag everything. You can obviously wear whatever you want, but if you want to blend in, choose one of those two extremely conspicuous patterns.
Gates open for the Indy 500 at 6 a.m. EST, and honestly, you’ll probably want to get there right around then. Traffic will continue to get worse throughout the day, parking spaces will fill up fast, and the lines at the gate will grow longer. You don’t want to miss anything just because you tried to squeeze in at the last second.
Plus, there’s really something magical about watching the Speedway wake up on race day morning. I like to park myself in the Pagoda Plaza with a group of friends and a phone streaming the Monaco Grand Prix. As the sun rises higher in the sky, the track will grow ever more packed, and you’ll be able to enjoy some of the fun pre-race ceremonies, like the watching Gordon Pipers marching through the track, seeing the Borg Warner trophy wheeled over to the podium, laying eyes on celebrities, and, if you’re lucky, watching the race-winning milk get delivered by a man with a cooler full of milk handcuffed to himself.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway allows fans to bring in their own coolers packed to the brim with just about everything — aside from glass bottles. Load up on waters, sodas, sandwiches, snacks, and alcohol so you don’t have to wait in any long lines or pay any ridiculous prices inside the track. If you can, stick a neck towel or two in your cooler as well; it’ll come in handy when you’re roasting in the grandstand.
If you’re driving to the track and parking somewhere, pack a cooler to leave in your car. The post-race congestion can be brutal, and you might be sitting around for a while. You’ll thank yourself for having water, Gatorade, or, if you’re just a passenger, a few beers on hand.
One of the best tricks to make yourself the hero of the race track anywhere you go is to bring some local booze, or some fun specialty cocktail, that you can share with the denizens of the race track. My friend Jay hails from Wisconsin, and ever year, he brings a box of Spotted Cow to the track; he doesn’t even drink, but the fact that he’ll hand out cans of coveted beers to anyone who asks for one makes him a legend.
Another great example: during Carb Day in 2016, a woman in the grandstand in front of me cracked open her cooler to reveal what must have been thousands of Jello shots. She scooped up the individual plastic containers by the handful and just tossed them into the crowd. She was the hit of the grandstand, and I saw several people hand her unopened drinks or some snacks in exchange for her services.
However, if you’re waiting until you arrive in Indianapolis to buy your alcohol, do it on Saturday at the very latest. In Indiana, you can only buy alcohol on Sundays after noon. Yes, the race starts at 12:45, but I can guarantee you’ll miss the start if you try to cut it that close.
IMS rules are pretty lax about what you can and can’t bring, but there are some essentials that every race fan should consider:
No matter how much toilet paper the Speedway provides to us foul masses, it’s never enough. Near the end of the race, the TP situation can get pretty dire, and I can confidently say I’ve never met anyone who enjoys using the toilet and discovering there’s nothing to, y’know, clean up with. Pack a roll of toilet paper. Just, be prepared. Even if you don’t need it in the bathrooms, it’s great for wiping sweat off your face or cleaning your hands after an unexpectedly messy pork tenderloin sandwich.
And for the folks out there using the men’s bathroom: I hope you like piss troughs. There are no urinals in most facilities. Just a big, long trough where you can stand arm-to-arm with a drunk stranger to relieve yourself.
For the folks that come to the Indy 500 by car, you have a handful of parking options at the Speedway. If you’re a thinking man who plans in advance, you might have purchased parking tickets for the infield, or for one of the official parking lots across from the track. These are fine if you’re most interested in a nearby parking spot, but you’ll also need to commit yourself to loitering for a while after the race — unless you’re keen on sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
If you didn’t think ahead, you can also cruise through the suburban streets of Speedway, Indiana; tons of homeowners in the region will let you park in their yard for a small (cash) fee. The closer you want to park to the Speedway, the more expensive that parking becomes. If you’re willing to park further away, you can grab cheaper spots and could possibly have an easier time getting out of Speedway.
If you don’t have a car available, you can purchase tickets for any one of the handful of official IMS shuttles that run from various locations around the area to the track. You might still end up stuck in traffic after the race, but you won’t be the one behind the wheel.
You can also Uber to and from the track — though I don’t really recommend it as a quick option when you want to leave. I’ve had some really great success grabbing a rideshare to the track; once the traffic got congested, I just hopped out of the vehicle and walked the final mile to the track. After the race, I hung out in a bar until traffic died down, and I was able to call an Uber pretty quickly. If you go this route, though, I’d definitely recommend scheduling your ride.
The best methods of arrival and departure, though, involve a bicycle or your feet. If you can bike to the track, you’ll be able to lock it up outside the gates and take advantage of the bike’s small size to weave though tight traffic after the race. Depending on where you’re staying, I’ve also heard stories of folks walking to and from the track — but again, scope out that path beforehand. There are some sketchy areas in Speedway that you’ll want to avoid.
If you arrive at the track early, you can actually gain access to the front stretch for a while! It took me a few years to figure this out, but now I make sure it’s part of my pre-race routine. Walk past the front-stretch garages toward Turn 1; you’ll find an opening onto the track. It can get a little crowded, but it’s still a great place to grab photos or soak up the race day morning vibe.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself is a cashless facility, so if you’re purchasing anything directly associated with the track itself, you’ll need a credit card. But I’d caution you to pack cash, just in case.
Cash is king outside IMS. If you decide to park in someone’s yard, you’ll need to pay cash for the pleasure. If you stumble across a cool collectible at an unsanctioned merch tent on your walk to the track, you’ll probably need cash for that. If you make a terrible mistake and wait until the very last moment before the green flag to go pee, and there’s a massive line that will take an hour to clear, I’ve heard many success stories from folks who slipped someone a couple bucks to take their place in line.
Their official title is Safety Patrol, but you’ll only ever hear them being called Yellow Shirts. These paid volunteers take pride in the fact that they’re bringing order to the drunken chaos of the Indianapolis 500, and you’ll have a much better track experience if you listen to their instructions and say “thank you.” You’ll see Yellow Shirts just about everywhere, directing traffic, helping people to their seats, or answering questions for confused first-timers. Treat them well, and they’ll make sure you have the best day of your life.
Different racing events generally feature varying levels of friendliness. Formula 1 races, for example, can come with a lot of exclusivity or comparison about who’s a better fan. You’re not going to find that at the Indianapolis 500. Somehow, all 300,000+ people crammed into the confines of the 2.5-mile race track are all incredible, and they all want you to have a great time. If you see someone wearing a shirt of your favorite driver, pay them a compliment. If you have a question, someone will answer it for you. If you’re in dire need of water, someone will provide you with a chilled bottle. Folks at the track just want to tell you the story of how their grandad first bought the tickets for the seats they’re currently sitting in, or ask you about your thoughts.
Of course, there will inevitably be some bad apples — which is kind of inevitable when you pack that many drunk people into a small area like sardines. The good news is that there are so many Yellow Shirts and so many general Good Samaritans that, if you feel uncomfortable, someone will help you make that situation right.
Once you’re inside the track, there’s so much to do — and if you arrive early enough, you’ll have a chance to explore. My first year, I walked the entire perimeter of IMS, then wound into the infield to scoop up merch and check out activations. It was a hefty hike, but it was worth the trip just to see all the creatures and characters that turn out for the race.
You might be tempted to bolt out of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the moment the checkered flag flies, thinking you’ll be able to take advantage of less-congested roads to fly back to your hotel or Airbnb. You won’t. Even if you think you’ve made good time, you’ll inevitably end up stuck in the most horrifying traffic you’ve ever seen, exhausted and sweaty and wondering if this whole excursion was even worth it.
Believe me, the worst Indy 500-related experiences I’ve had have come after the race, when I’ve been stuck in a car or a shuttle bus for hours on end. When the race wraps up, linger in your seats. Watch the post-race celebrations. Take your time soaking up the atmosphere. If you’ve parked somewhere nearby, bring some chairs or a blanket and hang out for a while. Or, walk to Main Street just outside the track and find an empty table at a restaurant or bar; by the time you’ve enjoyed a meal, you’ll have a much easier time leaving the vicinity.
If you happen to find yourself in the winner’s circle for the Indianapolis 500, drink the milk. Do it. Just do it. If you try to consume any other beverage while you wear your laurels, the people of Indianapolis will despise you forever. Just ask Emerson Fittipaldi.