Your guide to iRacing’s Indy 500 2025 Special Event

It’s the month of May, and that can mean only one thing to iRacers: it’s Indy 500 time!

Known as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ (barring a night at Cowdenbeath Racewall, surely?), the Indy 500 is the world’s most famous oval race. 

It has been held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1911, and counts the likes of Jim Clark, A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti among its winners, all of whom had to endure the gruelling task of driving a single-seater at 200 mph+ for 500 miles.

What is the iRacing Indy 500 Special Event?

The iRacing Indy 500 Special Event mimics the real-world event and kicks off in 2025 with qualifying taking place from the 6th of May, with racing kicking off from the 9th of May.

The event uses iRacing’s IR-18, as driven in the real-world IndyCar Series by the likes of Álex Palou, Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden, who is looking to make it a hat-trick of Indy 500 wins this year.

Running over 200 laps, iRacers can’t rely solely on their iRating to form grids in the Indy 500, with grids being determined by qualifying sessions. 

Just like the real-world race, your qualifying position is determined by driving four flying laps. Completing the four-lap run with the highest average speed will secure pole position for Split 1.

Qualifying for the iRacing Indy 500 (Fixed setup) opens tonight!

Where will your four-lap average put you on the grid? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/CHdcdQ1dzy

— iRacing (@iRacing) May 5, 2025

iRacing Road America 500 entry requirements

To be eligible for the iRacing Indy 500 Special Event, players must own the Dallara IR-18 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, and are required to hold a D-class Oval licence with a Safety Rating of 4.0 or above. An iRacing subscription is also mandatory.

• Dallara IR-18, $11.95 (excluding taxes)
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway, $14.95 (excluding taxes)
• At least a one-month iRacing subscription, $13 (excluding taxes). Discounts are available for new players, and longer subscription periods are generally more cost-effective.

iRacing Indy 500 Special Event 2025 qualifying sessions and times

For Fixed Setup drivers, Indy 500 qualifying sessions will take place between the 6th and 9th of May. These can be found via the main Series page via the iRacing UI.

For Open Setup drivers, Indy 500 qualifying sessions will take place between the 13th and 16th of May. Again, these can be found via the main Series page via the iRacing UI.

Drivers can take advantage of ‘boosted powertains’ for qualifying, simulating qualifying engines in the real world, and can change anti-roll bar, weight jacker and fuel map settings on the fly, even in Fixed Setup qualifying sessions.

Those who do not qualify will be filtered onto grids based on iRating, but will remain behind anyone who has completed a valid four-lap average run.

iRacing Indy 500 Special Event 2025 race sessions and times

For Fixed Setup drivers, the Indy 500 Special Event has four race sessions that will take place between the 9th and 11th of May (depending on your time zone). The start times for these sessions are:

• Saturday 10th May 2025, 01:00 GMT (Friday 9th May 2025, at 9:00 pm ET)
• Saturday 10th May 2025, 13:00 GMT (Saturday 10th May 2025, at 9:00 am ET)
• Saturday 10th May 2025, 17:00 GMT (Saturday 10th May 2025,  at 1:00 pm ET)
• Sunday 11th May 2025, 13:00 GMT (Sunday 11th May 2025, at 9:00 am ET)

For Open Setup drivers, Indy 500 race sessions will take place between the 13th and 16th of May (depending on your time zone). Again, these sessions are scheduled for:

• Saturday 17th May 2025, 01:00 GMT (Friday 16th May 2025, at 9:00 pm ET)
• Saturday 17th May 2025, 13:00 GMT (Saturday 17th May 2025, at 9:00 am ET)
• Saturday 17th May 2025, 17:00 GMT (Saturday 17th May 2025,  at 1:00 pm ET)
• Sunday 18th May 2025, 13:00 GMT (Sunday 18th May 2025, at 9:00 am ET)

iRacing Indy 500 Special Event broadcast

Split 1 of iRacing’s Indy 500 Special Event will be broadcast live on Saturday, 10th May 2025 at 17:00 GMT / 1:00 pm ET (Fixed) and Saturda,y 17th May at 17:00 GMT / 1:00 pm ET (Open) on iRacing’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.

Are you looking forward to participating in iRacing’s Indy 500 Special Event? Let us know in the comments below.

Images courtesy of iRacing