The 2020 Indy 500 Will Be Run With No Fans In Attendance

Initially, Roger Penske said that Indy would absolutely not be running without fans because of the pandemic. However, then Indy stepped in and said actually it would run with only 50% capacity before reducing that to 25% capacity. The latest is that Penske has announced it would be run without fans.

This will be the 104th running of “The Great American Race” and will be the first without spectators. That’s right, even during the Great Depression spectators showed up.

Penske has been upgrading and improving the track since he purchased it back in January. IMS released a statement on the decision saying:

“It is with great regret that we announce the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Aug. 23 without fans. This tough decision was made following careful consideration and extensive consultation with state and city leadership.

“As dedicated as we were to running the race this year with 25 percent attendance at our large outdoor facility, even with meaningful and careful precautions implemented by the city and state, the COVID-19 trends in Marion County and Indiana have worsened. Since our June 26 announcement, the number of cases in Marion County has tripled while the positivity rate has doubled. We said from the beginning of the pandemic we would put the health and safety of our community first, and while hosting spectators at limited capacity with our robust plan in place was appropriate in late June, it is not the right path forward based on the current environment.

We encourage Hoosiers to continue making smart decisions and following the advice of our public health officials so we can help get Indiana back on track.”

People with tickets for this year’s race will be credited for the 2021 Indianapolis 500. Tickets will retain their seniority and originally assigned seats.