The Month of May wasted no time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, as IndyCar drivers finally got their first official crack at the oval ahead of the 110th Indianapolis 500. Teams used the opening practice windows to shake down setups and collect fresh data on the Brickyard’s notoriously finicky surface, while a handful of fans and photographers tracked the action from the frontstretch and Gasoline Alley. It was an early gauge of who looked settled and who clearly still has homework due before qualifying later this week.
A photo gallery from The Indianapolis Star zeroed in on the quieter moments around the speedway. Photographer Mykal McEldowney captured Scott McLaughlin stopping to sign an autograph for a Carmel elementary student and Katherine Legge pulling on her helmet amid the usual paddock chaos.
According to INDYCAR, Tuesday’s opening practice window began at 12:00 p.m. ET and kicks off a string of sessions through the week as teams gear up for qualifying. The track’s official schedule at Indianapolis Motor Speedway also lays out Carb Day and a full slate of pre-race festivities leading into the 110th running on Sunday, May 24.
Photos Highlight Prep And Personality
McEldowney’s images lean into both the machinery and the people behind it. Josef Newgarden is shown settling into his cockpit, Rinus VeeKay is out logging laps on the oval, and Conor Daly’s crew is pictured muscling his car through Gasoline Alley. As featured by The Indianapolis Star, the gallery underscores how much methodical setup work still stands between a smooth opening practice and a clean qualifying run.
What To Watch This Week
PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying is set for May 16–17, with Fast Friday slotted for May 15, giving teams a pretty tight window to dial in single-lap speed and race trim before the grid is locked in. As INDYCAR notes, multiple practice sessions along with Carb Day should provide repeated chances to see which cars might actually factor when the green flag flies.
For anyone in town, the Month of May stacks concerts, fan events and infield attractions on top of the on-track action as race day approaches. Local guides are already mapping out how practice and qualifying fit into the wider party. Axios Indianapolis offers a concise rundown of the weekend happenings and where those practice days slot into the broader festival.
