The 2021 Indy 500 Will Be the Biggest Sporting Event Since the Pandemic Began

Back in February, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed that fans would return to the Indy 500 for 2021, after last year's race which was held without an audience due to the pandemic. Today, the Associated Press reports that the Speedway has decided it will allow 135,000 fans to attend the 2021 running of the race. That figure represents roughly 40 percent of IMS's full 400,000-person capacity, and would make this year's Indy 500 the largest sporting event by audience size since the pandemic began.

Speedway organizers said they worked with public health officials to come up with a safe number of fans to allow at the 2021 race. Those in attendance will be spread out across the Speedway's 250,000-plus grandstand seats, with a limited amount of seats available in the infield pagoda. The track will be open to fans every day that cars are testing from May 15th to race day on the 30th. Unlike most years, there won't be any concerts at the 2021 Indy 500, and sadly, no Snakepit. Sorry, party people.