SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Race fans are gearing up for the first Indy 500 in front of a full capacity crowd at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2019.
IMS owner Roger Penske purchased IMS in early 2020. The coronavirus pandemic a few months later pushed the historic race back to August — with no fans in the stands. The race went on in 2021 during its usual Memorial Day weekend but with limited fan capacity.
Ahead of the race, Penske wrote a letter to fans, welcoming them to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, and honoring the Memorial Day traditions.
Here's the full text of the letter:
Dear Indy 500 fans,
Welcome to one of the greatest days of the year - Indianapolis 500 Race day. We are so excited to open our doors wide at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and welcome all of our fans back to experience "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
For the first time since 2019, there will be a full capacity crowd in attendance to watch the Indianapolis 500, and I know our NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers will put on a great show. With more than 325,000 fans joining us today at IMS, we are proud to once again host the world's largest single-day sporting event.
There is nothing like the excitement, pageantry and tradition of Indy 500 Race Day. On Memorial day weekend, there is no greater Indianapolis 500 tradition than honoring our nation's heroes as we salute the men and women of our armed forces.
Our IMS team has been working hard to make sure that everything is ready, and we look forward to providing a world-class experience at the Speedway as we welcome all of our guests back with open arms.
Thank you for your passion and your dedication to our sport and the Indianapolis 500. We are so happy and grateful to welcome you all Back Home Again.
Sincerely,
Roger Penske
The green flag is expected to drop at 12:45 p.m. Tune into NBC's primetime coverage of the race at 7 p.m.