At A Glance
WHAT
2021 Open-Wheels 500 Mile Race
WHEN
Sunday, November 7 to Sunday, November 21, 2021
WHERE
Indianapolis Motor Speedway on iRacing.
Facility was constructed in 1909, with a 2.5-mile oval circuit. A 13-turn 2.605-mile road course was added between 1999 and 2000 and redesigned to a 2.621-mile (Grand Prix) configuration in 2008. The course
was reconfigured to a 14-turn, 2.439-mile layout, which produces more competitive racing, before the inaugural INDYCAR Grand Prix NTT IndyCar Series race on May 10, 2014. The Indianapolis 500 in real life has taken place annually on the oval track since 1911, except during world wars in 1917-18 and 1942-45.
On iRacing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was introduced in late 2009. On the sim, drivers from around the world have raced at IMS in a variety of events including the iRacing Indianapolis 500, NASCAR stock car races featuring the Brickyard 400, Formula One and more.
DISTANCE
200 Laps, 500 Miles
STREAMING
Streaming coverage of the 2021 Open-Wheels 500 will be split between RaceSpot TV and Open-Wheels TV. Select practice and qualifications coverage will be available at Open-Wheels TV while sessions by RaceSpot TV will be shown below at their respective dates and times.
Opening Day Coverage: Sunday, November 7 at 8:00 PM ET
Practice Day Two Coverage: Tuesday, November 9 at 8:00 PM ET
Qualifications Draw Livestream: Thursday, November 11 at 8:00 PM ET
Pole Day Final Hour Coverage: Saturday, November 13 at 5:00 PM ET
Bump Day Final Hour Coverage: Sunday, November 14 at 5:00 PM ET
Race Week Practice: Wednesday, November 17 at 8:00 PM ET
Final Practice: Saturday, November 20 at 12:30 PM ET
Veterans 100 and Pit Stop Competition: Saturday, November 14 at 2:00 PM ET*
RACE DAY BROADCAST: Sunday, November 15 at 11:30 AM ET
TRACK
Total Track Length: 2.5 miles
Front Straight: 0.625 mile
Back Straight: 0.625 mile
Short Chutes: 0.125 mile
Turns: 0.250 mile
Total Turns: Four
Turn Banking: 9 degrees, 12 minutes
Straightaway Banking: 0 degrees
Straightaway Width: 50 feet
Turn Width: 60 feet
OTHER KEY DATES
Opening Day of Practice | Sunday, November 7
Practice | Tuesday, November 9
Practice | Thursday, November 11
Fast Friday Practice | Friday, November 12
Qualifications Weekend | November 13-14
Practice | Wednesday, November 17
Media Day | Friday, November 19
Day Before the 500 | Saturday, November 20
Race Day | Sunday, November 21
2020 WINNER
Hugo Olsson, Powerslide Motorsports
No. 66 Apex Racing Team/SDK Gamign/VRS Dallara IR-18 Honda
Average Speed: 205.641 MPH
Starting Position: Fourth
Laps Led: 63
2019 POLE SITTER
Yang Ou, Snake Pit
No. 23 Logitech/Peak Antifreeze Dallara IR-18 Chevrolet
Four-Lap Average Speed: 229.925 mph
Four-Lap Average Time: 39.143s
LAST YEAR
Michele Costantini won the inaugural Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions under caution when Jeff Drake and Adam Blocker collided with four laps remaining in the race. Costantini, a driver from Italy, was strong all day and led the field with 63 laps completed as the race leader.
While English drivers Liam Quinn (P2 for Team Talent) and Henry Bennett (P3 for Powerslide Motorsports) were racing hard to catch Costantini at the finish, it appeared they would not have caught the Apex Racing Team/Indy 500 Group driver for the win even if that caution did not fly. Costantini was on an alternate fuel strategy that allowed him a sizable lead in the race’s closing laps, aided by teammates at the tail end of the lead lap offering fuel save assistance.
SERIES
The Open-Wheels 500 is governed wholly by Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning, a branch of the Watkins Motorsports Group. Scoring data is provided by iRacing Motorsports Simulations and live timing and scoring is publicly accessible thanks to Joel Real Timing and Google Sheets.