Indy 500 announces first grandstand sellout since 2016 with 350,000 expected for the race on Sunday

The Indianapolis 500 has sold out its grandstands for the first time in nearly a decade, and the local TV blackout that has been in place since 1951 has been lifted so fans in central Indiana will be able to watch the race live.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said Monday that while its roughly 230,000 grandstand seats had sold out, general admission infield tickets were still available. He expects a crowd of about 350,000 race fans - or about 1 for every 1,000 people living in the U.S. - will be at the track Sunday for the 109th running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

"From our longest-tenured ticket-holders who have been coming to the Racing Capital of the World for generations to new fans who've recently fallen in love with this iconic event, everyone has contributed to this exciting and historic moment," Boles wrote in a letter to fans. "I am grateful for the support and passion you have for this race and this place."

The lifting of the local TV blackout is good news for Fox, which will be broadcasting the race for the first time, as well as NBA fans in central Indiana. Normally, the race would be aired locally after its conclusion Sunday evening, creating a conflict with the Pacers set to host the Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference final the same night.

Robert Shwartzman (83) looks out from his pit box on Monday.

"Fox Sports is all in on IndyCar, and this is an incredible accomplishment to celebrate with our first Indy 500 broadcast," Fox Sports chief executive Eric Shanks said. "As a lifelong fan, I am also personally thrilled to see the grandstands filled on race day and look forward to broadcasting the race live in central Indiana."

The first sellout since the 100th running in 2016 had been imminent with Boles telling fans late last week that few grandstand tickets were still available. And the biggest reason for such fevered anticipation is that storylines abound.

Josef Newgarden will be going for a record third consecutive Indy 500 victory, but now will do it from the rear of the field after his car and that of Team Penske teammate Will Power were found to have an illegally altered piece, resulting in a disqualification from the final rounds of qualifying. Power also will start from the rear of the field.

Their other teammate, Scott McLaughlin, will be running a backup car after a hard crash in practice last Sunday.

Robert Shwartzman drives through the third turn. AP

Two-time defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who finished second in 2021 and fifth last year, will be going for his first Indy 500 win. The 28-year-old Spaniard has been dominant in the series this season, winning four of the first five races.

Indy 500 rookie Robert Shwartzman, who has dual Israeli and Russian nationality, will start on the pole after a stunning showing by Prema Racing, which likewise is making its 500 debut. The last rookie to qualify on the pole was Teo Fabi in 1983.

Meanwhile, NASCAR star Kyle Larson will be trying for the second time to complete "the Double" by running all 1,100 laps of the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on the same day. Tony Stewart in 2001 is the only driver to have accomplished it.

"This really is about the fans," Boles said of the sellout. "This event has been here for 108 runnings up to this point - the 109th coming up - because of the way fans have embraced it. It is a race, but it's so much more than that. It's an event."

Associated Press