Indy 500 sold out; TV broadcast delay suspended
Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials have announced the first sellout in the history of the Indianapolis 500, and have thus suspended the traditional delay on local TV.
Race start
Jay Alley
This is only the third time the race will be broadcast live on Central Indiana television and the first time since the early 1950s.
Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles declared: "There's no event in the world like the Indy 500. This sellout is a testament to the enduring legacy of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the thrilling racing of the Verizon IndyCar Series and the bright future for both."
"The Indy 500 is a uniquely Hoosier event," added Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles. "The community support for the this race has fueled excitement for the 100th Running and paves the way for the next century for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500."
Reserved seating for this race have been sold out since May 6; these include grandstands, suites and newly-constructed temporary suites in both the first and second infield turns. With the knowledge that reserved seats are unavailable, demand for general admission soared, leading to the announcement that every last ticket has been sold.
The Indy 500 Snake Pit has sold out as well, although access for Carb Day and Legends Day, this coming Friday and Saturday remain available.
While the Speedway and its parent firm, Hulman and Co. did consider opening up further opportunities for fans to attend, the necessary security and concession capabilities were simply not attainable, according to Miles.
Boles declared: “As demand continued to increase following the reserved seating announcement (May 6), we reached a point where it became necessary to stop selling general admission tickets, to preserve the infield experience.”
IMS officials have been urging fans to make plans well in advance. They also advised customers that already have Snake Pit or IMS parking passes, but haven’t purchased general admission passes, that they can still obtain access. IMS suggests that fans in this situation obtain their tickets in person prior to the start of the weekend.
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