Rain Delays Indy 500 Start as Excitement Builds Among Fans

Indianapolis, IN — Rain has delayed the start of the 2025 Indy 500 as drivers await the green light. Raindrops started falling just after the playing of ‘Taps,’ and as the national anthem was sung, the shower intensified. IndyCar officials decided not to fire the engines after ‘Back Home Again in Indiana’ due to the wet conditions.

The rain threatens to impact driver Kyle Larson’s attempt at completing ‘The Double,’ a grueling challenge of racing in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR‘s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Larson prioritized NASCAR and may have to leave if the rain delays continue.

As the rain fell, teams took precautions, raising umbrellas over their drivers seated in their cars. Fans are eager to see how long the delay will last and when racing will resume.

The event is extra significant this year, as celebrity athletes including Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, and Michael Strahan are in attendance. The grand marshals for the race, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, engaged the crowd, urging, ‘Drivers, to your cars!’ as excitement filled the air.

The Indy 500 has become a part of an unofficial holiday for locals, coinciding with the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals. This year marks only the fourth time these major events have coincided. Brad Astbury, a local pilot, shared his enthusiasm for the day, stating, ‘For me, this is probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I gotta do it.’

In a historic qualifying performance, rookie Robert Shwartzman captured the pole position for today’s race with an impressive four-lap average of 232.790 mph, shocking many by outpacing seasoned drivers, including two-time winner Takuma Sato.

Weather forecasts predict that conditions will improve as the day progresses, with temperatures reaching the mid-60s and a negligible chance of rain by early afternoon. Fans and teams alike hope for a quick end to the delay and the thrill of racing to begin. ‘Oh, absolutely,’ Larson said when asked about racing to victory.

As motorsports enthusiasts anxiously wait, the countdown continues to the resumption of the Indy 500.