SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Race fans will be able to return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR on the first weekend of October.
The track announced Friday that up to 10,000 spectators can be in the grandstands each day of racing between Oct. 1-4 after approval from the Marion County Public Health Department.
Tickets are available now via IMS.com and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
The limited attendance will be funneled to two spectator zones of up to 5,000 fans in each. The zones will be located in Turns 1 and 4 of the oval which offer the best view of the road course.
Strict health and safety rules will be in place, including the following:
- Face coverings must be worn throughout the property at all times
- All fans will receive temperature screenings before gate entry
- Grandstand seats will be marked for distancing
- Attendees must use pre-assigned gates and remain in their designated zones.
“We can’t wait to see fans come through our gates for the first time in 2020,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said in Friday's announcement. “They’ll be greeted by a vastly improved facility, featuring significant upgrades to the spectator experience. We’re also extremely grateful to have a presenting sponsor with the expertise and resources of GMR as we look to implement our detailed and comprehensive health and safety plan.”
Each attendee will be receiving a mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer upon entering the track as part of the safety plan, which was developed in consultation with state and local health officials.
The weekend features an IndyCar doubleheader with races Friday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 3. It will be the penultimate event of the series’ season as the field pursues the champion’s prestigious Astor Challenge Cup to be awarded Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The INDYCAR Harvest GP pays tribute to another IMS event, the Harvest Classic in September 1916. That was the only racing event held outside of May at IMS from 1911 through the first NASCAR Brickyard 400 in 1993.
Facility improvements that fans will be able to see firsthand for the first time include more than 30 new LED video boards, refreshed concession stands and restrooms, and 5G wireless connectivity throughout the facility.
The first race will air at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 on the USA Network. NBC will broadcast the second race at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, with WTHR airing the action live in Central Indiana.
Also racing that weekend will be the first pairing of two major sports car series -- the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli and its North American counterpart, GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS.
Former Indianapolis 500 pole winner Ryan Briscoe is among the drivers in the Indianapolis 8 Hour event held Sunday, Oct. 4. That event event also will showcase drivers in SRO America’s Pirelli GT4 America, GT Sports Club America and the TC America series.