What Time is the Indy 500 On?

To capture this year’s 101st Indianapolis 500, ESPN will be introducing several new video technologies, deploying more than 80 cameras to capture the famous IndyCar race.

The race will air on ABC, with the green flag set to drop at 12:12 p.m. EST on Sunday, May 27. Ryan Briscoe will lead the pole at the start of the race, his 11th pole of his career. But Briscoe will have a tough task ahead of him if he intends to finish at the top of the podium at this year’s Indy 500. Marco Andretti, Will Power, and Helio Castrovenes won’t be far behind in the second row once the race starts.

Joining Briscoe in the front row will be stiff competition as well, with Ryan Hunter-Reay with three top-six finishes this season, and James Hinchcliffe who has had four top-six finishes this season. This race also marks the return of Chevy to the series and so far, so good with Briscoe at pole.

ESPN will have four onboard HD cameras in at least nine of the 33 competing race cars and will use dual-path technology for the first time in an IndyCar Series telecast. We’ll also be able to see a different look to the race with the use of ultra high-motion cameras that shoot at an astounding 1000 fps. They will be located at the short chutes at each end of the track in addition to the fourth turn and exit.

And with all those cameras out and about, we’ll also have a choice to see live streaming video from the onboard cameras on ESPN3, allowing us to choose which driver’s onboard cameras we want to watch.

“On the new DW12 chassis, we’ve been able to work with Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IZOD IndyCar Series and the chassis developers to install four cameras on every car,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports production. “If we achieve our goal of 12 cars, that would be 48 onboard cameras, which is a first in terms of volume for us. Additionally, for the first time, all the cars that have systems will offer our viewers driver shots which we’ve not been able to do in many, many years.”