The 2026 version of the Indianapolis 500 averaged 6.635 million viewers, down from the 7.050 million that watched one 12 months in the past.
The pre-race buildup this 12 months wasn’t as dramatic because the 12 months prior, with no bumping and the truth that the Penske scandal dominated headlines. That is additionally the primary time since 2023 that NASCAR star Kyle Larson wasn’t making an attempt the Indy-Charlotte ‘Double.’ Katherine Legge grew to become the sixth driver in historical past to start out each races on the identical day, however she is not full-time in both sequence.
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Regardless of the dip from 2025, this 12 months’s Indy 500 is now the second-most-watched Indy 500 since 2012, and viewership peaked at 8.349 million round 4:00-4:15pm on the finish of the race.
There was no blackout this 12 months, and Indianapolis, Indiana was the highest market, adopted by Dayton, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky.
Regardless of a slight mid-race delay for rain, the occasion went as scheduled for probably the most half. Felix Rosenqvist received the a hundred and tenth operating of the Indy 500 for Meyer Shank Racing, charging from third to first in a one-lap shootout. He handed Crew Penske’s David Malukas within the closing seconds of the race, beating Malukas within the closest end ever within the historical past of the Indy 500 — 0.0233s. The earlier report was 0.043, which stood since 1992.
General, that is one of the best begin to an IndyCar season since 2008, when the break up formally ended and IndyCar/Champ Automotive merged. The 2026 season is averaging 2.383 million viewers, which is a ten% bump from final 12 months.
Images from Indianapolis RaceFelix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Gasoline Alley
Gasoline Alley
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Josef Newgarden, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Josef Newgarden, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Fireworks at day begin
Fireworks at day begin
Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
Fireworks at day begin
Fireworks at day begin
Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
Followers
Followers
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Penske Leisure
Bobby Rahal
Bobby Rahal
Penske Leisure
Borg-Warner Trophy
Borg-Warner Trophy
Penske Leisure
Followers
Followers
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
A.J. Foyt
A.J. Foyt
Penske Leisure
Pre-race Environment
Pre-race Environment
Penske Leisure
Indy 500 area
Indy 500 area
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Normal view
Normal view
Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photos by way of Getty Photos
Pre-race ambiance
Pre-race ambiance
Penske Leisure
Normal view
Normal view
Penske Leisure
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Tribute to Kyle Busch throughout Indy 500 race
Tribute to Kyle Busch throughout Indy 500 race
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Caio Collet, AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet, Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Caio Collet, AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet, Romain Grosjean, Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Race begin
Race begin
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Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photos by way of Getty Photos
Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet
Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Will Energy, Andretti International Honda
Will Energy, Andretti International Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Michael L. Levitt / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Normal view
Normal view
Penske Leisure
Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Phillip G. Abbott / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Scott McLaughlin, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Scott McLaughlin, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Michael L. Levitt / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda, David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda, David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Scott McLaughlin, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Scott McLaughlin, Crew Penske Chevrolet
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David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
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David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
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David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
David Malukas, Crew Penske Chevrolet
Penske Leisure
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Penske Leisure
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Penske Leisure
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Penske Leisure
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Michael L. Levitt / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Justin Casterline / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Honda
Penske Leisure
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Learn Additionally:
Winners and losers from the a hundred and tenth operating of the Indianapolis 500
Mick Schumacher named Indy 500 Rookie of the Yr
Felix Rosenqvist wins 2026 Indy 500 in closest-ever end
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