SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Fans huddled in tunnels and under canopies during a rain delay at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Spectators hoping to watch the Indianapolis 500 were ushered out of the grandstands just after 11:15 a.m. because lightning was detected near IMS. Officials emphasized that patrons did not have to exit the track, they just needed to seek shelter and avoid the grandstands and the Snake Pit.
To get out of the rain, fans packed into tunnels, ducked under canopies and hopped inside cars in IMS parking lots.
Check out the scene at the track during the rain delay:
Photo from IMS concourse / Credit: David Gay 
Photo from Tunnel 6 at IMS / Credit David Gay 
Photo from inside Tunnel 6 at IMS / Credit: David Gay 
Photo of an IMS exit during Sunday’s rain delay / Credit: David Gay 
Fans exit the grandstands after a serve thunderstorm warning was issued for the area around the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) 
Fans seek shelter as storm clouds move in over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway forcing a delay for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 
Fans wait out a thunderstorm delay before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) 
A weather advisory is posted and fans have been asked to clear the stands as storm clouds move in over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway forcing a delay for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 
Fans walk in the rain during a thunderstorm delay before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) 
Thunderstorms cause a delay before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) 
Fans gather under the grandstands as heavy rain and lighting delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 
Fans walk in the rain during a thunderstorm delay before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) 
Fans gather under the grandstands as heavy rain and lighting delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 
Fans gather under the grandstands as heavy rain and lighting delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 
A security guard huddles under an umbrella as heavy rain and lighting delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Race officials announced that lightning had cleared through the area just after 2 p.m. Gates into the track were then re-opened, allowing fans who had left to seek shelter to re-enter the facility.
The 108th Indianapolis 500 is now slated to start at approximately 4:44p.m. Below is the new lineup of pre-race events:
- 3:48 p.m. — Driver introductions
- 4:10 p.m. — “America the Beautiful”
- 4:19 p.m. — Taps
- 4:23 p.m. — National Anthem
- 4:28 p.m. — “Drivers, to your cars” command
- 4:35 p.m. — “Back Home Again in Indiana”
- 4:37 p.m. — Command to start engines
- 4:44 p.m. — Indianapolis 500 Green Flag
Around 2:30 p.m., dryers were spotted on the track. In an earlier media briefing, IMS President Doug Boles said crews could dry off the track in as little as an hour and a half.
Gates to the Snake Pit re-opened at 2:30 p.m. Musical performances resumed at 3:15 p.m.
The TV blackout for this year’s Indy 500 has also been lifted because of the inclement weather. According to Front Office Sports, the last time the Indy 500 was shown live on TV in central Indiana was in 2021, when the race was hampered by COVID-19.
The race is usually blacked out annually in the area, barring extenuating circumstances like adverse weather or a ticket sellout. Central Indiana residents will be able to watch this year’s race on NBC.
“Thank you to those fans who waited out the rain with us,” IMS officials wrote in a statement. “We hope to see racing action soon and track drying is underway.
