Miller Lite Carb Day is getting a full-on alt-rock blast in 2026. Counting Crows will headline the Indianapolis Motor Speedway concert on Friday, May 22, with Switchfoot opening, turning the track’s signature pre-race party into a ’90s-and-2000s sing-along. The announcement dropped today, adding a marquee music draw to Indy’s 110th running weekend.
According to The Indianapolis Star, Counting Crows top the Miller Lite Carb Day bill, with Switchfoot slotted as the opener, and it will be the first time either band has played Carb Day. Both acts are booked for the Friday afternoon and evening concert that helps kick off the final stretch of racing festivities.
Tickets and wristbands
Per IMS.com, general admission for Miller Lite Carb Day starts at $50. Fans who want to get closer can add a Concert Pit wristband upgrade for $40, or choose a Carb Day admission plus Concert Pit package starting at $90.
The IMS ticket information notes that a pit wristband by itself does not get you through the gate, and that VIP and ADA viewing areas are available for fans who need reserved or accessible platforms. The track also flags that quantities and prices can shift as May gets closer, so waiting too long could mean paying more or standing farther back.
Weekend lineup and other shows
Carb Day serves as the traditional final practice day ahead of the 110th Indianapolis 500, with the Pit Stop Challenge and other on-track activities filling the afternoon. As outlined by The Indianapolis Star, the Legends Day concert will take place Saturday, May 23, at the Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park.
Race Day partiers get their own soundtrack on Sunday. An electronic lineup will take over the Snake Pit, with DJ-producer Zedd set as the Race Day headliner, as reported by the Indianapolis Business Journal.
What to expect from the music
Counting Crows broke out in the early 1990s with their debut album August and Everything After and hits like "Mr. Jones," then reached another wave of mainstream listeners with "Accidentally in Love" from the Shrek 2 soundtrack, per Counting Crows. Switchfoot’s big leap came with 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, which spun off the singles "Meant to Live" and a re-recorded "Dare You to Move," per Switchfoot.
Both bands have long reputations for stretching out arrangements on stage, so Carb Day should lean less greatest-hits jukebox and more live reinterpretation. Expect the radio staples, sure, but also some deeper cuts and sing-alongs that run a little looser than the studio versions.
Whether you are mainly there for the final practice laps, the Pit Stop Challenge, or to shout along to the choruses, Carb Day now doubles as an afternoon of racing and an evening concert built around familiar anthems. If you are plotting your trip, the safe move is to lock in tickets early and decide whether that Concert Pit wristband is worth getting a whole lot closer to the stage.
