2027 Indy 500 guided weekend: questions and answers
What is the guided 2027 Indy 500 weekend?
It's a small group guided by Robert Earl through Carb Day, Legends Day and race morning, May 28 to 30, 2027, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Robert has been to every Indy 500 since 2000. It costs $1,200 per guest, or $400 holds your place. You bring your own race tickets and hotel, and you watch the race from your own seat.
See the guided weekendAnswers by Robert Earl. Last updated .
Is the guided weekend right for you?
Do you need a tour to enjoy the Indy 500?
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No, you can enjoy the Indy 500 without a tour. But a lot goes on at the track during race week, on Carb Day, Legends Day, race morning and after the race. A guide shows you where to go and what to look for.
In Robert's words
Do you need to pay for a tour to enjoy the Indianapolis 500? Well, the answer is no. That being said, there are a lot of things that go on here at the track during the race week, Carb Day, Legends Day, the race morning, after the race, and what to look for during the race. And you having the opportunity and the guidance to know where to go, where to look, what to look out for, and that's the opportunity to make the memories of a lifetime.
Why go to the Indy 500 in 2027?
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Go in 2027 because it should be the last Indy 500 for the current Dallara chassis, a car the teams have worked with since 2012 and have dialed in. A new car arrives in 2028, and teams may need time to get up to speed with it.
In Robert's words
Another reason to attend in 2027 is this is the last year of the current model of the Dallara chassis that they are using. These race teams have been working with this car since 2012, and they have it dialed in. As you see from the finish, the photo finish that occurred. Now, am I going to guarantee a photo finish? No. But I do know that the teams have a notebook and volumes of information about this particular car. How to set it up, how to maximize performance for this car. And the racing package is very, very competitive. In 2028, we'll have a brand new car, and it may be that it takes the teams a little while to get up to speed with the new chassis. But in 2027, we're dealing with a proven product, and they'll have the opportunity to really dial that in and put on a great race. That's what I'm looking forward to.
Who else will be on the tour?
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You will be with other people who want to get the most out of the race. Robert Earl has also sat all around the Speedway over the years, from Turn 1 to the start-finish line to Turn 4, and he shares what each view taught him.
In Robert's words
I see individuals that come to the race that are given tickets because their family has had them for years and they're really just not interested in racing. One of the benefits of attending our tour is you will be with other individuals, like-minded individuals, that want to get the most out of the race. Now, in all the years that I've attended, I've never sat in the same seat. I've sat all the way in the turns, between Turns 3 and 4, in Turn 4, at the start-finish line, all the way down in Turn 1. So all of these different views have given me a different perspective over the years and I'll share those perspectives with you.
Is it worth it, whether it's your first Indy 500 or your fifteenth?
Yes, for different reasons. If you've never been, a guide turns a three-hundred-thousand-person day into a race you can actually follow. If you've been before, you see the pits and the Museum with someone who knows them, and go into race day knowing what to watch for.
Will a spouse or partner enjoy it if they're not a race fan?
Usually more than they expect. The 500 is as much a spectacle as a race: the pageantry, the anthem, the scale of the place. Knowing what they're looking at is what pulls in someone who came for the atmosphere.
What happens each day
What is Carb Day at the Indy 500?
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Carb Day is the last practice session for the IndyCars before the race, held the Friday before. In 2027 it's May 28. The stands aren't full, so it's a chance to sit somewhere other than your race seat. No seat at Indianapolis shows the whole track, so it helps to have someone explain what's happening.
In Robert's words
When you attend Carb Day, Carb Day is the last practice session that the IndyCars have before the race itself. While there's a lot of things that are set up for the TV audience, including the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile races, there's also a lot of things that are going on behind the scenes. During Carb Day, the stands will not be completely full, so this is an opportunity for you to sit in a different location than your seat going to the race. I know that there are special places that you can sit during Carb Day. Unlike certain NASCAR tracks where you can see the entire track from your seats, you're not able to do that at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So there could be something going on in Turn 3, Turn 2, that you're not going to know about. And being with someone that's able to point out and explain what is going on, why is there a yellow flag, why is there a stoppage, this is what's included in the tour.
What is Legends Day at the Indy 500?
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Legends Day is the Saturday before the race, May 29 in 2027, with the final Drivers Meeting. The crowds are down, so you can see parts of the Speedway that are hard to reach on race day, and watch the teams make their final preparations.
In Robert's words
On Saturday is Legends Day. And on Legends Day, this is the final Drivers Meeting. So you have an opportunity to attend and hear the final instructions for the drivers. Get to hear from the drivers themselves as they're on the eve of the Indianapolis 500 before they go to the parade. Part I love about Legends Day is the crowds are down. So it gives us an opportunity to look around and take in some of the tradition and some more areas that you normally don't get to on race day. You don't get to because imagine the track being filled with 300,000 plus people. And also you get to see the teams in their final preparations as they tear down and rebuild the car after Carb Day and prepare for the greatest spectacle in racing.
What happens on race morning at the Indy 500?
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The track comes alive as early as 8 a.m. On the guided weekend the group meets up, and Robert walks you through what to look for, from the starting procedures to Back Home Again in Indiana and the flyover. During the race, Robert texts you tips on what's happening.
In Robert's words
On race morning, the track comes alive. And as early as 8 a.m. in the morning, festivities start to begin. So we'll have a schedule where, again, we will meet and then you'll get a guide as to what to look out for all the way through the starting procedures to Back Home Again in Indiana to the flyover, even knowing where to look for the flyover so it doesn't sneak up on you so that you can get the best pictures that you need. Take in the race with tips that are coming through to you so that if there's a pit stop, if there are different strategies going on, you right at your fingertips will know what's going on, why there's a yellow flag, what are the different aspects and different things of why did a driver pit versus not pitting. I could go on and on as to what you get on race day itself.
Why did one team pit and the other stay out?
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Fuel, tires, track position and yellow flags all shape that call, and it's one of the questions people ask most when they watch a race with Robert. Robert explains the reasons behind each call, so you aren't left guessing.
In Robert's words
Why did one team pit and the other not pit? Why did they take on a particular amount of fuel? Why are they running where they are running in the location? Why did they qualify where they qualified? Individuals that watch races with me have these types of questions. After attending and watching the number of races that I've watched, I'm able to give you some answers to those questions so that you're not left guessing. Knowing the stories behind the racing is what really truly brings the race to life.
Is the IMS Museum part of the guided weekend?
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Yes. The group takes a guided tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, with its past race champions, their cars, their uniforms and the history of the Speedway.
In Robert's words
Behind me in the distance is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, and the history within that building is second to none. It's past race champions, their cars, the uniforms, the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We take an opportunity to also tour that and have a guided tour of the museum itself. We're starting to put in quite a few miles here in this tour.
Does the guide sit with you during the race?
No. During the race you watch from your own seat. Robert guides you on Carb Day, Legends Day and race morning, and you'll have his race-day guide in hand. He texts you tips as the race unfolds, and after the checkered flag the group gets together to talk the race through.
Dates, tickets, cost and packing
When is the 2027 Indy 500?
The 111th Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, May 30, 2027. Carb Day is Friday, May 28, and Legends Day is Saturday, May 29.
Are 2027 Indy 500 tickets on sale?
Yes. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has tickets on sale at ims.com and by phone at 317-492-6700 for Carb Day, Legends Day and the race. The Speedway says prices go up in 2027, and it waives the $5 per-ticket service fee on purchases before January 4. Source: INDYCAR
Does the guided weekend include race tickets and a hotel?
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No. Race tickets and a hotel are separate from the guided weekend. If you'd rather not arrange them yourself, there's one ready-made Indy 500 package through Early and Away Travel: downtown lodging, covered frontstretch seating and a race-day transfer with a police escort, offered as is.
In Robert's words
Now, our tour does not include the lodging, does not include transportation. Those are items that you can get on your own. But through our company, Racing Passport, we do have race packages with hotel, with transportation to the track so that you'll get shuttles to the track on race day and have a place to be able to stay. And if needed, then we can also get the ticket packages included. These are all in addition to the hosted tour that I am inviting you to.
How much does the guided Indy 500 weekend cost?
The guided weekend costs $1,200 per guest paid in full, or $1,300 total with a $400 deposit and three automatic $300 payments on your saved card, the last by April 15, 2027. Race tickets and your hotel are separate.
How big is the group?
It's kept small on purpose, so the walks and the time together stay personal. Robert is six foot five, so he's not hard to find in a crowd.
Do you have to come all three days?
No. The price is the same whether you join for all three days or only some of them. Carb Day and Legends Day are where a lot of the guiding happens, so the whole weekend is worth it if you can make it.
What weather should you expect at the Indy 500?
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It can be cold, hot or wet, and it can change fast. Robert has been at the second coldest and second warmest Indy 500 on record. Watch the 10 day forecast, pick a stand with shade on the front stretch if heat bothers you, and bring a good pair of walking shoes.
In Robert's words
So what should you expect for weather? Well, it's blue skies right now here in Indiana as I record this, but that could change in about 15 minutes. Race day, over my years of attending, I've attended the second coldest and second warmest Indianapolis 500 on record. So when you prepare to pack, your 10 day forecast is going to be very, very important. It can also be very, very warm. So for some people, this is very important for them to pick out a stand that has shade with it, which is on the front stretch. But you need to be prepared. The biggest, most important part, if you're preparing for a tour or you're preparing to take advantage of the Indy 500, is to get a good pair of walking shoes.