IndyCar Grand Prix start times: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is open for business this weekend, but it’s the track’s 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course that officially will kick off the Month of May at the Brickyard.
Rinus VeeKay is the defending winner of the race, which marked his first NTT IndyCar Series victory last year.
Josef Newgarden, who won on the IMS road course in 2020, is eligible to capture the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge -- a $500,000 bonus and matching $500,000 donation to his charities (Wags and Walk Nashville and SeriousFun Children’s Network). The award goes to a driver who wins on an oval, street course and road course (Newgarden has the first two with victories at Texas and Long Beach).
There are 27 entries for Saturday’s race with Juan Pablo Montoya making his first start this season in a third Dallara-Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren SP.
This will be the 12th IndyCar race on the IMS road course. Will Power has a series-high five victories on the IMS road course, and Simon Pagenaud (three wins) and Scott Dixon (one) also are past winners on the layout.
Power won the pole position Friday, marking the sixth time he has qualified first on the IMS road course.
Inclement weather has affected Saturday’s schedule. After moving the green flag up to 3:07 p.m. ET, lightning holds forced IndyCar to push the start back to 3:46 p.m.
IndyCar has declared a wet start, which means the following conditions apply:
--The race will conclude at 120 mins or 85 laps, whichever comes first;
--On restarts within 20 minutes or 15 laps to go, cars not on the lead lap will be moved to the rear;
--During a full-course yellow until 20 minutes or 15 laps to go, cars’ positions will be determined by the last green timeline. Within 20 minutes or 15 laps to go, positions will be determined by their actual position on track at the yellow.
--IndyCar also will permit changes for driver cooling, helmet duct (may be removed and/or disconnected); nose holes (may be completely blocked); dash shock cover/dash cooling (may be completely blocked); aeroscreen wicker.
--Drivers won’t be required to complete at least two laps on each primary and alternate compound.
Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the 2022 IndyCar GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race weekend (all times are ET):
INDYCAR GMR GRAND PRIX AT INDIANAPOLIS START TIMES
TV: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock, the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. Leigh Diffey is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider, Kevin Lee and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters. Click here for the full NBC Sports schedule for IndyCar in 2022.
Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying.
COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:40 p.m. ET
GREEN FLAG: 3:46 p.m. ET
POSTRACE SHOW ON PEACOCK: After the race’s conclusion, an exclusive postrace show will air on Peacock with driver interviews, postrace analysis and the podium presentation. To watch the extended postrace show, click over to the special stream on Peacock after Saturday’s race ends.
Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying Saturday. The race also will be streamed on Peacock (in addition to the NBC Sports App/NBCSports.com streams and the NBC broadcast).
PRACTICE: Friday, 9:30 a.m. (Peacock Premium), 12:45 p.m. (Peacock Premium); Saturday, 10:30 a.m. (Peacock Premium)
PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II l Warmup l Combined
QUALIFYING: Friday, 4 p.m. (Peacock Premium)
STARTING LINEUP: Click here for how the 27-car field will take the green flag
RACE DISTANCE: The race is 85 laps (207.3 miles) on a 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Six sets primary, four sets alternate, one additional set available for rookies.
PUSH TO PASS: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 81 degrees with a 46% chance of rain at the green flag.
ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 27 drivers racing Saturday at the GMR Grand Prix
INDY LIGHTS RACES: Friday, 5:35 p.m., 35 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium); Saturday, 1:05 p.m., 35 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium
INDY LIGHTS ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 14 drivers entered
GMR GRAND PRIX WEEKEND START TIMES
Friday, May 13
(All times are Eastern)
8-8:30 a.m.: USF2000 qualifying
8:45-9:15 a.m.: Indy Pro 2000 qualifying
9:30-10:30 a.m.: NTT IndyCar Series practice (Peacock Premium)
10:45-11:30 a.m.: Indy Lights practice
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: USF2000 Race 1
12:45-1:45 p.m.: NTT IndyCar Series practice, (Peacock Premium)
2-2:30 p.m.: Indy Lights qualifying
2:45-3:35 p.m.: Indy Pro 2000 Race 1
4 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying, three rounds (Peacock Premium)
5:35 p.m.: Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium
Saturday, May 14
8:05-8:50 a.m.: USF2000 Race 2
9:10-10 a.m.: Indy Pro 2000 Race 2
10:30-11 a.m.: IndyCar warmup (Peacock Premium)
11:15-11:55 a.m.: USF2000 Race 3
12:10-1 p.m.: Indy Pro 2000 Race 3
1:05 p.m.: Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 2 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium
3:39 p.m.: Command to start engines for the GMR Grand Prix
3:45 p.m.: Green flag for the GMR Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC, Peacock
COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM
ROUND 1: Scott McLaughlin opens season with breakthrough victory at St. Petersburg
ROUND 2: Josef Newgarden nips McLaughlin in last corner for 1-2 Penske finish at Texas
ROUND 3: Josef Newgarden keeps Penske unbeaten in 2022 with first Long Beach win
ROUND 4: Pato O’Ward rebounds from rough start in 2022 to win at Barber
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For purchasing tickets to the Indy 500, click here to reserve a seat.