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Indy 500 Pole Position:
Winners of the Pole position for the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. The pole
position is the first starting position,
and is held in high prestige at Indianapolis.
Due to the nature of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, the polesitter is
normally determined 15 days before the
day of the race. Therefore, he/she
receives considerable pre-race attention
and accolades in the two weeks leading
up to the race.
Peak motor oil currently sponsors a
$100,000 award given to the pole winner. |
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2008 Indy 500 News, Notes and Schedule
Anatomy of an Indycar | Indycar Inspection Procedure | Flags
The 92nd Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to be run on Sunday, May 25, 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be the thirteenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and will serve as the showcase event of the 2008 IndyCar Series in DIRECTV HD season.IndyCar Series practice begins Sunday May 4. Time trials will take place over the two weekends prior to the race (May 10-11 and 17-18). The final practice, as well as the Firestone Freedom 100, will be held Friday May 23.
Schedule
| Date(s) |
Day(s) |
Event |
| May 3 |
Saturday |
OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon |
| May 4-5 |
Sunday - Monday |
IRL IndyCar Series Rookie Orientation |
| May 6-9 |
Tuesday - Friday |
IRL IndyCar Series practice |
| May 10 |
Saturday |
Pole Day Time Trials |
| May 11 |
Sunday |
Second Day Time Trials |
| May 12-13 |
Monday - Tuesday |
No track activity |
| May 14-16 |
Wednesday - Friday |
IRL IndyCar Series practice |
| May 17 |
Saturday |
Third Day Time Trials |
| May 18 |
Sunday |
Bump Day Time Trials |
| May 19-20 |
Monday - Tuesday |
No track activity |
| May 21 |
Wednesday |
500 Festival Community Day |
| May 22 |
Thursday |
Firestone Indy Lights Series practice and qualifying |
| May 23 |
Friday |
Miller Lite Carb Day
IndyCar Series final practice
Pit Stop Challenge
Firestone Freedom 100
Stone Temple Pilots Concert |
| May 24 |
Saturday |
Public Drivers' Meeting
IPL 500 Festival Parade |
| May 25 |
Sunday |
92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race |
- The purse for this year's Indy 500 will be increased substaintially from previous records. Under a new league revenue sharing program, the winner of the 2008
Indy 500 will receive an estimated $2.5 million, while the entire race purse will total at least $13.4 million.
- Two-time Indianapolis 500 and Formula One champion Emerson Fittipaldi will drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car.
- 2007 IndyCar rookie of the year Ryan Hunter-Reay will be eligible to compete for the Rookie of the Year award, under race rules. Even though he is an established IndyCar driver, he has not yet made a start at Indianapolis. Several other former Champ Car drivers will be individually evaluated and may be eligible to require
only a "refresher" level test in lieu of the traditional four-phase rookie test.
- This will be the last Indy 500 broadcast in the United States on the analog
television format as the DTV transition takes place on February 17, 2009.
- With the IRL/CC merger, the 2008 running is expected to one of the most competitive in many years.
- Peak motor oil will sponsor the $100,000 pole position award.
- Julianne Hough, who won partnered with two-time Indy 500 winner Hélio Castroneves to win Dancing with the Stars, will sing the national anthem. Jim Nabors will return to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" after an illness prevented
him from doing so in 2007. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will serve as the honorary
starter and wave the green flag.
- The official entry list was released April 11. The initial list features 39 cars and 32 drivers. Additional drivers will be announced during practice and qualifying.
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