The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced today that it will remain open Thursday and Friday during the Indycar test on the 21/2 mile oval. However, there is a catch. Vehicles will not be allowed entrance to the museum parking lot. Instead visitors will park in the lot across from Gate 2 on Polco Street. Free shuttles will transport people to the museum and return them to their cars when they are ready to leave. The turn 2 mounds are closed. Shuttles will run from 9 am until 5 pm or until all visitors have left. I believe the museum limits the number of guests in the building at one time.
The release from the museum:
Track action available via NBC’s Peacock streaming service
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will remain open to the public during the Thursday, April 8 and Friday, April 9 Indy 500 testing at the legendary 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
IMS announced April 5 that the test will be closed to the public as it prioritizes planning and preparations for the Month of May. Fans will have access to both days of NTT INDYCAR SERIES track action via NBC’s new Peacock streaming service.
All visitors to the IMS Museum on April 8-9 will be directed to park in the IMS-owned gravel parking lot located on the east side of Polco Street and south of 16th Street. (See accompanying map for illustration.)
Museum guests should plan to use the lot entrance located on Polco just a few feet south of 16th Street, and IMS Museum owned tour busses will serve as free shuttles to and from the Museum main entrance. Shuttles will run continuously during regular Museum hours, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET), and until the last visitor is delivered to the designated parking area. The Turn 2 viewing mounds will not be open on Thursday or Friday while the test is taking place.
“The IMS team is laser-focused on preparations for the Month of May, and we know everyone is excited about the prospect of coming ‘Back Home Again,’” said IMS Museum President Joe Hale. “In the meantime, we’re glad we’ve been able to work together with IMS to keep the museum open and available to visitors later this week, and we can’t wait to see people coming through our doors.”
IMS and INDYCAR officials are working closely with NBC Sports to provide live, in-depth coverage of testing on NBC’s Peacock streaming platform, featuring NBC’s regular NTT INDYCAR SERIES broadcast team. Fans can take advantage of Peacock’s seven-day free trial to watch the test – and then sign up for Peacock Premium for just $4.99/month to access coverage of the entire 17-race INDYCAR schedule, including practices, qualifying and races.
To learn more about Peacock, click here.
Public access to the IMS Museum parking inside the oval via Gate 2 (the four-lane tunnel on 16th Street) is scheduled resume Saturday, April 10.
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About the IMS Museum: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is home to one of the world’s premier motorsports and automobile collections, with interpretive emphasis on the Indianapolis 500 and its role as an American icon of sporting tradition and innovation.
Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which relies on the support of visitors, members, donors and corporate partners, who make possible our daily operations, exhibits, educational programming, and restoration and preservation initiatives.
For more information on the IMS Museum, please visit www.indyracingmuseum.org, contact the Museum at 317-492-6784, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Testing Schedule
Thursday’s session has three segments:
11-1 Veterans
1-3 Rookie Orientation and refreshers
4-6 All cars.
Friday’s session runs from 10-4.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 