Everything to know for the Indy 500: How to watch, start time, favorites, weather
From the TV schedule to predicting who might win and if weather will cause a delay, here's a full preview of the 2024 Indianapolis 500.
www.nbcsportschicago.comThe Indy 500 start time is 12:45 p.m. ET on race day, with pre-race coverage beginning earlier in the morning (driver introductions around 11:47 a.m. ET). For the 2026 event, Indianapolis Motor Speedway typically follows a similar schedule, but start times can be adjusted by organizers due to weather or other delays, so it’s wise to check a current local listing on race day.[1][2][7]
Key points to verify today
- Start time: Green flag scheduled around 12:45 p.m. ET; pre-race programming may begin as early as 10:00 a.m. ET depending on the year’s schedule.[2][1]
- Television and streaming: Most years have NBC (and Peacock) for the race weekend in recent seasons; some years used FOX, so confirm the exact broadcaster for 2026 on a trusted sports network listing.[5][1]
If you want, I can pull the latest official IMS schedule or a current broadcast guide for 2026 and provide a precise, up-to-date start time and pre-race timeline.