Indy 500 COVID-19 fan procedures and protocols at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

By May 17, 2021, 6:00 AM EDT
Indy 500 COVID-19 fan protocols
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Indianapolis Motor Speedway has clarified its COVID-19 fan procedures and protocols for the Indy 500.

The track is encouraging fans to plan ahead by monitoring its website (IMS.com/PlanAhead) for updates on those attending the May 30 race (which will be broadcast by NBC). The track has been approved for a grandstand crowd of 135,000.

Face coverings are required per a Marion County mask mandate, but there no longer will be temperature screenings for entry (a policy change implemented May 14-15 before the GMR Grand Prix, which drew the crowd seen in the photo above).

Fans will be spaced in groups through the venue, and hand sanitizer, washing stations and masks will be available.

All IMS concession stands and merchandise locations are cashless this year. Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located throughout the facility.

Parking and gate locations will take cash.

The 105th Indy 500 likely will have the biggest crowd of the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has a grandstand seating capacity of 230,000 according to IndyCar and IMS owner Roger Penske (noted in an episode of “Coffee With Kyle” last year), will be allowed up to 40 percent of venue capacity, the track announced April 21.

Between the infield, track suites and team personnel, Indy 500 attendance usually is estimated at 300,000.

Last year’s race was run Aug. 23 without fans. There will be no general admission admittance this year, so the track has canceled its annual concerts (including Carb Day, Legends Day and the Snake Pit) for May as part of its Indy 500 COVID-19 fan protocols.

Penske said he offered up the track as a mass vaccination site in a goodwill gesture toward having as many fans as possible for the Indy 500.

The track held multiple mass vaccination events in April and was offering free vaccinations during the May 14-15 race weekend for the GMR Grand Prix. Vaccinations for IMS spectators will be available throughout May at first aid stations located inside Gates 1 and 6. Vaccinations are also available at Gate 9 on weekends only as part of Indy 500 COVID-19 fan protocols.

Penske Entertainment President & CEO Mark Miles recently said 90 percent of the IndyCar paddock had been vaccinated and is aiming for 100 percent by the Indy 500.

Miles said IndyCar expects at least 60 percent of fans at the Indy 500 likely will be vaccinated.

Ford Mustang GT3 test has Austin Cindric dreaming of Daytona: ‘I want to drive that car’

By Mar 22, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Cindric Ford GT3 test
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Austin Cindric wasn’t the “mystery” test driver behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, but the Team Penske driver desperately wanted to be.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, an amateur sports car driver himself, made the big reveal via a Tuesday tweet that provided the first video evidence of the GT3 Mustang on track.

“I’ve watched the video in question about a million times,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Ford Performance Zoom news conference to promote NASCAR’s first road course weekend of the season at Circuit of the Americas. “Definitely exciting times for sure. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships that I have.”

Ford will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next season with its GT3 Mustang, entering a two-car factory effort (that will be managed by Multimatic) in GTD Pro and making customer cars available in the GT Daytona category.

That increases the likelihood of seeing more NASCAR drivers crossing over to IMSA. Cindric has been the only full-time Cup driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona the past two years, but Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has said the GT3 Mustang will provide more opportunities.

Ford has used its GT4 Mustang as a NASCAR driver development tool in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Harrison Burton and Zane Smith combining to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“We’re excited about the Next Gen car and the new architecture there and the similarities between that car and GT3 and even GT4 cars,” Rushbrook said at the announcement of the Ford GT3 program in January 2022 at Daytona. “We think it’s a great opportunity and to do be able to do that in a 24-hour race and get NASCAR drivers even more time is something we need to consider taking advantage of that opportunity.”

Given his sports car background, Cindric probably still would be in the Rolex 24 regardless. He has eight IMSA starts since the 2017 season opener at Daytona, racing a Lexus RCF GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT category. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner made his second LMP2 start this year with Rick Ware Racing.

But Cindric’s preference naturally would be in a Ford, particularly with sports car racing enjoying convergence and crossovers in both GT and prototype racing.

“It’s an exciting time in GT racing, just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars,” he said. “And also the opportunity with WEC (the World Endurance Championship) and Le Mans and how that all lines up for that category of car. It’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible.”

Though those odds seemingly will increase with multiple Ford entries in the Rolex 24 field next year, Cindric said NASCAR drivers still have to put in the networking to land rides as he has in recent years.

“Now how (the GT3 Mustang) relates to specifically NASCAR drivers and how often they want to be in the Rolex, could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer,” Cindric said. “But the challenge and the drive and the logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to find your one-off ride for the race. At least from my experience, that’s what I still anticipate.”

It turned out the “mystery” test driver wasn’t from NASCAR (Farley revealed the driver to be 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand after a fan asked whether it was Joey Logano).

But Cindric believes there could be more Cup drivers — and perhaps himself — behind the wheel of Mustang GT3s in the future.

“There’s definitely more of a pathway than I think there would be before as far as Ford drivers are concerned,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. That’s the first box you’ve got to check. And it’s cool (to have) a guy like Jim Farley, no doubt he’s a racer just as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”