2025 Indy 500 full schedule: When is practice, qualifying, Carb Day, and the race?

The 2025 Indy 500 weekend is on the horizon, with drivers and teams showing up at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Sonsio Grand Prix at the IMS Road Course this weekend. After the road course race, the whole month of May will be dedicated to the greatest spectacle in racing, i.e., the Indy 500.

The Indy 500 is the most iconic race in the US and has over a century's worth of history. The 2.5-mile-long circuit was built in 1909, with the first-ever Indianapolis 500 taking place a couple of years after the inauguration in 1911.

The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

The main race will be held on May 25, 2025, as the drivers will drive their respective cars at 230+ mph for 200 laps around the iconic speedway. Over the years, the Indy 500 schedule has changed a lot. As per the current format, the third and fourth weekends in May are dedicated to the Indianapolis 500.

Let's have a look at the schedule.

Full Schedule for the 2025 Indy 500

The Indy 500 weekend starts on Tuesday, May 13, with the first few days dedicated to practice. After the qualifying on May 17 & 18, the next week will be dedicated to the run-up of the greatest spectacle in racing.

Here's a detailed timing breakdown of the sessions (Eastern Time).

Tuesday, May 13: Practice Day

12:15 PM - 2:15 PM - The first couple of hours will be dedicated to the rookie orientation program and the refresher program

2:15 PM - 6:00 PM - Open practice

Wednesday, May 14: Practice Day

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Open practice

Thursday, May 15: Practice Day

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Open practice

Friday, May 16: Fast Friday

The Friday session will be dedicated to drivers practicing the qualifying runs around the 2.5-mile oval. The driver and team will be allowed to run higher boost pressure in the run-up to the qualifying days to simulate similar conditions.

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Open practice (with boosted turbo pressure)

6:15 PM - 7:00 PM - Qualification Draw

Saturday, May 17: Qualifying Day 1

The day will start with a one-hour practice session to warm up the cars and drivers, followed by the qualifying sessions to decide the grid from P12 to P30.

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM- Practice (Full Field)

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Firestone Pin Distribution

11:00 AM - 5:50 PM - Indianapolis 500 Qualifying

Sunday, May 18: Qualifying Day 2

The day begins with practice for the Top 12 and the last chance qualifiers, followed by qualifying sessions toward the end of the day.

10:45 AM - 11:30 AM - Enlistment Ceremony

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM - American Dairy Association of Indiana Pin Distribution

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Practice: Top 12

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Practice: Last Chance Qualifiers

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - IXO Pin Distribution

4:05 PM - 5:05 PM - Indy 500 Top 12 Qualifying

5:15 PM - 6:15 PM - Last Chance Qualifying (deciding P31 to P33)

6:25 PM - 6:55 PM - Firestone Fast Six

Monday, May 19: Practice Day

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Indianapolis 500 Practice

Friday, May 23: Carb Day

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Indy 500 Practice

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM - Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Miller Lite Carb Day Concert

Saturday, May 24: Legends Day

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Full-Field Autograph Session

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Public Drivers Meeting

Sunday, May 25: Race Day

9:00 AM - 9:20 AM - Cars to Pit Lane

10:30 AM - Cars To Grid On Frontstretch

11:47 AM - Driver Introductions

12:20 PM - National Anthem

12:38 PM - Command to Start Engines

12:45 PM - 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500