It’s May in Indianapolis, and that means it’s time to start preparing for your trip to racing’s most-famed venue: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gates will be open to fans 12 days throughout the action-packed and exhilarating Month of May for practice, qualifying, concerts, race days and more.
“The Month of May at the Racing Capital of the World is full of can’t-miss track activity featuring the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the many time-honored traditions and pageantry our fans love,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Ticket sales are strong, and we’re expecting large crowds again this year as we show the world what it truly means when we say, “This is May.””
As always Race fans are encouraged to “Plan Ahead” through IMS.com/PlanAhead, an interactive web page that serves as a home base for fans headed to the track. The “Plan Ahead” page features detailed information about the entire fan experience at IMS, including directions, parking, schedule, gate regulations, digital ticket guide, ADA accessibility and much more.
Race fans are encouraged to download the IMS App on iOS or Android and use the technology from NTT INDYCAR SERIES title sponsor NTT and its Smart Solutions platform, which will update the IMS App every 30 seconds with wait time information at each gate to allow race fans smoother entry into the facility.
Fans will notice one addition to the safety and security measures in place this year. New security screening detection devices have been added to all pedestrian gates.
“With hundreds of thousands of fans walking through the gates of IMS throughout the Month of May, our goal is to continue to provide a secure, safe and very welcoming environment at IMS, while doing our best to ensure a smooth entry with minimal impact to our fans,” Boles said. “As always, our fans help make this possible by planning ahead and arriving early so they don’t miss any of the pre-race action that takes place long before the green flag waves.”
As fans pass through one of the pedestrian entrances, they will walk through a CEIA OPENGATE® security device. Fans won’t need to empty their pockets or remove items of clothing, simply walking through the gate and enter the facility. Since its introduction in 2021, the CEIA-manufactured OPENGATE system has become the choice for pedestrian entry screening at hundreds of facilities, including professional and collegiate sports facilities and theme parks.
IMS has retained GXC Inc. to place this innovative technology and pair it with an entry process designed for least-encumbered pedestrian movement.
Certain items remain prohibited at IMS, including weapons. In addition, glass containers, bikes, golf carts and illegal drugs also are not allowed. Coolers and bags will be checked for both size and contents at each pedestrian gate. All coolers must be no larger than 18 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches in size. Additional gate regulation information is available at ims.com/gate-regulations.
While the additional screening is a simple process, fans are encouraged to arrive as early as possible to allow time to park and patiently make their way in through the gates. Gates will open at 7:30 a.m. for the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 13 and at 6 a.m. for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28. To check the gate hours for other days in May, visit IMS.com.
IMS PR
