Advertisement
Indy 500 qualifying shifts to Sunday due to rain

Mike Young/IMS

By Marshall Pruett - May 16, 2026, 3:54 PM ET

Indy 500 qualifying shifts to Sunday due to rain

For the first time since 2008, a full day of running was abandoned on Qualifying Weekend for the Indianapolis 500 after persistent rain prevented any laps of practice or official time trials from taking place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sunday's activities, which are expected to be run without the threat of rain, will get under way with a pair of 30-minute practice sessions with the field split in half from 9:30-10:30am. Qualifying starts at 12pm where all 33 drivers will get a single attempt and those from 13th through 33rd will be done and locked into place.

At 4:30pm, the Top 12 run and get single attempts; those from seventh through 12th are done and locked into their positions.

At 6pm, the Fast 6 will run and get a single attempt where their speeds will set their positions and pole with be awarded to the fastest driver.

According to IndyCar, "All tickets and paid parking from Saturday will be honored Sunday. Suite and hospitality tickets from Saturday will grant general admission access, not access to their suite or hospitality space. Suite and hospitality parking from Saturday is not valid Sunday."

POLL: Who will win the pole for the Indianapolis 500?
Marshall Pruett
Marshall Pruett

The 2026 season marks Marshall Pruett's 40th year working in the sport. In his role today for RACER, Pruett covers open-wheel and sports car racing as a writer, reporter, photographer, and filmmaker. In his previous career, he served as a mechanic, engineer, and team manager in a variety of series, including IndyCar, IMSA, and World Challenge.

Read Marshall Pruett's articles

Comments

Comments are disabled until you accept Social Networking Cookies. Update cookie preferences

If the dialog doesn't appear, ad-blockers are often the cause; try disabling yours or see our Social Features Support.