Rain-truncated Indy 500 qualifying gets a ratings bump

The rainout for the first half of the Indianapolis 500 qualifying weekend broadcast left a single day of time trials to air on Sunday, and with the compressed schedule that led to the duel for pole position that fell in Alex Palou’s favor, FOX reports an average of 987,000 viewers tuned in to watch the Fast Six reckoning take place.

The 987,000 represented a seven-percent increase from last year’s run for pole which delivered 924,000 viewers, and the broadcast peaked at 1,207,000 from 5:15-5:30pm ET.

Thanks to a second consecutive sellout for the race, the local TV blackout has been lifted for Sunday’s 500-mile contest that has a morning filled with offerings across FOX and a green flag set to wave at 12:45pm.