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Indy 500 2020: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
August 22, 2020
Scott Dixon has been on a roll to open the 2020 IndyCar Series season. A five-time series champion and one-time Indianapolis 500 winner, the 40-year-old has five top-five finishes in the first six races of the year, including a trio of wins.
Despite ranking third in IndyCar Series history with 46 career wins, he's only gotten to drink the celebratory milk at Indianapolis Motor Speedway once, and that was more than a decade ago.
That could change Sunday. The in-form New Zealander starts on the first row and will be one of the top contenders in this year's Indianapolis 500, which was moved from its usual date because of the coronavirus pandemic. It's the first time in the history of the race, which has been run since 1911, that it's not taking place in May.
Here's everything you need to know heading into Sunday's race.
2020 Indianapolis 500 Information
Date: Sunday, Aug. 23
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Starting Lineup
Row 1: Marco Andretti (231.068 mph), Scott Dixon (231.051), Takuma Sato (230.725)
Row 2: Rinus Veekay (230.704), Ryan Hunter-Reay (230.648), James Hinchcliffe (229.870)
Row 3: Alex Palou (229.676), Graham Rahal (229.380), Alexander Rossi (229.234)
Row 4: Colton Herta (230.775), Marcus Ericsson (230.566), Spencer Pigot (230.539)
Row 5: Josef Newgarden (230.296), Felix Rosenqvist (230.254), Pato O'Ward (230.213)
Row 6: Ed Carpenter (230.211), Zach Veach (229.961), Conor Daly (229.955)
Row 7: Santino Ferrucci (229.924), Jack Harvey (229.861), Oliver Askew (229.760)
Row 8: Will Power (229.701), Tony Kanaan (229.154), Dalton Kellett (228.880)
Row 9: Simon Pagenaud (228.836), Fernando Alonso (228.768), James Davison (228.747)
Row 10: Helio Castroneves (228.373), Charlie Kimball (227.758), Max Chilton (227.303)
Row 11: Sage Karam (227.099), JR Hildebrand (226.341), Ben Hanley (222.917)
Preview
It's always nice to start near the front of the field, but it's been critical for Indianapolis 500 success in recent years. The past two winners (Simon Pagenaud and Will Power) started on the front row. Takuma Sato, who won in 2017, started in Row 2.
Perhaps it will be difficult to pass at Indianapolis Motor Speedway again this year. But Dixon doesn't see anyone having that issue.
"I think there has always been, especially these last few years, an underlying tone of 'it's hard to pass,' which I was in that camp last year," Dixon said, according to Nate Ryan of NBCSports.com. "This year's been a lot easier for us."
Dixon may not need to make many passes this year. He's starting on the front row, between Marco Andretti and Sato, so if he jumps out to an early lead, it could be all about fending off the other competitors.
Andretti is starting on the pole for the first time as he looks to join his grandfather, Mario, as an Indy 500 champion. Mario won the race in 1969, one of his 52 career IndyCar victories. Marco's father, Michael, never won the Indianapolis 500, but he did notch 42 career victories in the series.
The youngest Andretti has only two wins since joining the IndyCar Series in 2006, and he hasn't been victorious since 2011. But with a strong starting position, the 33-year-old could be poised for his best career showing at the Indianapolis 500. He finished second in his first Indy 500 in 2006 and third in 2008, 2010 and 2014.
It's been a strong week-plus at Indianapolis for Andretti, as his four-lap average of 231.068 mph made him the first member of his family to earn the pole since his grandfather in 1987.
"Obviously, I was emotional," Andretti said, according to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press. "We put so much into it. This place means so much to us as a family. We've just been through so many ups and downs at this place. Obviously, my [late] cousin John is riding with me, my grandfather from home. We know family is pulling for us. We live and breathe this sport, this race in particular."
Andretti may be starting at the front, but he will have to hold off some strong competitors to stay there, including Dixon, one of eight former Indy 500 winners in this year's field. Pagenaud is looking to become the first driver to win the race in back-to-back years since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
Meanwhile, Castroneves, who also won in 2009, is looking to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears among the only four-time Indy 500 winners.
However, Pagenaud and Castroneves will both have work to do Sunday, as they are starting in the ninth and 10th rows, respectively.