The Indianapolis 500 is the major U.S. auto race traditionally held on Memorial Day weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The race, often called the Indy 500, is one of the best-known events associated with the holiday weekend. It is contested on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana, near Indianapolis.
The inaugural Indianapolis 500 took place in 1911. The event is part of the IndyCar Series and is widely described as one of the world’s most prestigious automobile races. Its traditional Sunday scheduling has made it a fixture of Memorial Day weekend sports coverage.
The race is not itself a Memorial Day ceremony, and its date can be affected by scheduling decisions or weather. Another famous race, NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, is also traditionally held during the same holiday weekend, but it takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway.