Indy 500 Qualifying 2016: Weekend Race Schedule, TV Coverage and Live Stream

There's no equal to the buildup for the 100th Indianapolis 500.

While some focus on racing with horses, a different kind of animal takes Indianapolis Motor Speedway by storm over the course of the next week to put together one of the most notable events in all of sports.

It's Chevy vs. Honda and Andretti vs. Penske all week long starting Saturday, where the proceedings at the historic track begin to name the fastest nine before crowning a pole winner Sunday.

Call it the perfect event for what has been a wild season thus far. Here's a look at everything to know about the weekend's events before the main event itself on May 29.

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

TV: ABC

Live Stream: IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com

Saturday, May 21
Sunday, May 22
Event	Time (ET)
Indy 500 Practice - Group 1	8 a.m
Indy 500 Practice - Group 2	8:30 a.m.
Indy 500 Practice - Full Field	9 a.m.
Lemonade Day at the Brickyard	10 a.m.
Indy 500 Qualifying (1-9 Advance to Fast 9)	11 a.m.
Event	Time (ET)
Enlistment Ceremony	10:30 a.m.
Indy 500 Practice - Positions 22-33	12 p.m.
Indy 500 Practice - Positions 10-21	12:45 p.m.
Indy 500 Practice - Fast 9	1:30 p.m.
Indy 500 Qualifying - Positions 10-33	2:45 p.m.
Indy 500 Fast 9 Qualifying - Positions 1-9	5 p.m.

Full week schedule available at IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The sport only continues to grow ahead of the historic 100th event. As IndyCar.com detailed, both ABC and NBCSN will team up to broadcast more than 110 hours of action, an increase from last year. The full schedule is here, with ABC handling this weekend's duties.

A sport like this demands compelling television, even if this weekend only features qualifying. It's intriguing qualifying, too, because Saturday determines the Fast Nine Shootout participants, who go on to decide the poll Sunday. 

Michael Andretti made a point to detail how wild weather could make this weekend even more interesting while chatting with Phillip B. Wilson of IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com.

“Saturday will be tough,” Andretti said. “The wind should be blowing a little harder and the cars are a little more wind-sensitive this year. It’s going to be fun. You’re going to have to earn it.”

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Not convinced? Also keep in mind the pole-winning team pulls in $100,000 and a smooth 42 points.

The heated battle has only picked up right where it left off, too. Chevy has simply dominated this season, boasting the top four drivers in the standings, but Honda has come out of nowhere to win notable practices and top speed in no-tow list events (sprints without aerodynamic draft).

There's always the chance, though, Chevy has let its performance drip a bit in practice heats just to turn it back on to grab the pole and perhaps even the checkered flag at the main event itself. Honda, after all, hasn't been on a pole at the Indy 500 since 2011.

Impossible to tell, but one can take solace in at least one fact about this weekend—the stars are out to play in a big way.

Big names such as Marco Andretti and Will Power headline the action, the latter who was the runner-up behind Juan Pablo Montoya last year. Other names such as Honda's Townsend Bell—who posted the best lap of the month recently—will force his name into the conversation.

Perhaps no driver hits "household name" status as much as Helio Castroneves, though.

This is especially the case in qualifying. Castroneves has won four poles at the Indy 500 and a whopping 47 in IndyCar. Over the next week, he looks to take down a historic fourth checkered flag at the event.

 USA Today illustrated his historic goals:

“There are two kinds of races here in Indianapolis,” Castroneves said, according to Gregg Doyle of the Indianapolis Star. “One is the 500. And the second one is pole weekend. It’s a big deal. In Indianapolis it is a big deal.”

Indeed, this weekend might seem like something as trivial as qualifying to those who don't watch IndyCar each week. But the historic venue, star names and a battle between teams with plenty at stake makes it can't-miss action. 

Stats and information courtesy of IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com unless otherwise specified.