Indy 500 Schedule: Where and How to Catch 500-Mile Race

The weather at the Indianapolis 500 may just be as hot as the action on the track. Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-90s by race time.

Fans will need to be prepared to brave the elements to watch the action, and the heat could translate to 140 degrees on the track. Curt Cavin of USA Today spoke of the danger of melting tires, and he quoted rookie driver Josef Newgarden with this concern for today's race:

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"There's a lot of rubber down, and it's hot," rookie driver Josef Newgarden said. "It's difficult to know what the car wants, what it doesn't want and what it wants for 500 miles on Sunday." 

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I can only imagine what it will feel like for drivers on a day like this. These conditions are part of what makes it so tough to do this for a living. Even if you're not a fan of the sport, almost anyone can respect the dedication and poise it takes to perform in these conditions.

Team Penske has been just as hot as the temperatures. They are 4-0 this season, and team member Ryan Briscoe is the pole-sitter today. My prediction is that owner Roger Penske will improve to 5-0, and that Briscoe will become his 16th winner at Indy, but there will surely be formidable challengers.

The 25-year-old Marco Andretti will try to duplicate some of the success of his legendary grandfather Mario Andretti, who won the race in 1969. But Marco's father, Michael, never did win the Indy 500.

No matter how it unfolds, it should be an exciting race. 

If you're like me, and would just as soon catch the race in the comfort of your own central air conditioner, ABC has all the coverage you'll need to make your race day an enjoyable one.

Here is a breakdown of the TV coverage for the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500.

(Info from LA Times.)

What: 96th running of the Indianapolis 500

When: Sunday, May 27, 9 a.m. PT

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (200 laps, 2.5-mile rectangular oval)

TV: ABC, 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Pole-sitter: Ryan Briscoe

2011 winner: Dan Wheldon

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