Roger Penske has reversed course and decided not to allow fans at the Indianapolis 500 later this month. The 104th running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" will be the first without spectators, who showed up at Indianapolis Motor Speedway every year even during the Great Depression. It was a flip for Penske, who initially said he wouldn't run the 500 without fans. But as the pandemic continued to spread through the nation, the decision was made to limit capacity to 50%. The speedway then lowered that number to 25% and now has decided on no fans at all.
Last month, organizers released a comprehensive health plan for race attendees including temperature checks, required face masks and hand sanitizer.
Governor Eric Holcomb released a statement in response to the I-M-S decision applauding track owner Roger Penske and other officials for, “prioritizing the safety of fans.”
While no fans will be able to be at the August 23rd race, IMS says it does plan to have fans back for the 2021 race.
