LEEDS, Ala. – As the NTT IndyCar Series arrives at Barber Motorsports Park to start the season, the focus of attention late Thursday evening came from Indianapolis as Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles issued a letter to ticket holders for the 105th Indianapolis 500 on May 30.

In addition to the letter, Boles also released the following statement to the media.

“As we finalize our health and safety protocols with local health officials, it’s helpful to have the most accurate estimate of fans planning to attend the Indy 500,” Boles said in his statement. “In addition, we know everyone’s situation is unique and we felt it was the right decision to give customers flexibility given these unusual circumstances. We’re looking forward to welcoming spectators at IMS throughout the Month of May and will have more to share soon.”

Although Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske and his staff, led by Penske Corp. President Bud Denker, Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Boles and IndyCar President Jay Frye, did not announce how many fans will be allowed to attend the Indianapolis 500 in May, the letter that was sent out by the speedway indicates the latest step in making that decision.

That next step is to get an accurate gauge on how many of the ticket holders actually plans to attend this year’s race. That will help Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Marion County Board of Health officials formulate a crowd number they feel would be safe as the fight against COVID-19 continues.

Below is the entire text of the letter:

Dear IMS Customer, 
 
As our Indianapolis Motor Speedway team continues to get the Speedway ready to host fans in May, we are also working on a daily basis with our state and local authorities to finalize the health and safety protocols which will be required when fans visit IMS, especially on Indy 500 Race Day.
 
We expect to welcome our fans for all on-track days in May, and we continue to prepare for a sizeable crowd on Race Day. We will provide you more details in the next week as they are worked out with local authorities.
 
To be helpful, if you are not planning on coming to the Speedway this year and will not use all or some of your tickets because of your own personal situation, we would like to offer you the opportunity to once again receive an IMS account credit that can be applied to any IMS event, including next year’s Indianapolis 500. If you choose to do this, you will retain your Indy 500 seat locations and your seniority and can complete your Indy 500 renewal after May so you can return in 2022 when the pandemic is fully behind us.
 
To make the selection to receive a credit for 2022, we ask that you please click the following link to be directed to your IMS account, where you can log in and make those selections. All requests must be submitted by Monday, April 19. 
 
Please log in to your account at IMS.com no later than Monday, April 19 to let us know if you would like to change your original order.
 
Step-by-step instructions: 
Go to IMS.com and select SIGN IN at top right corner of page
Log in to your account
Under ‘Orders’ – select ‘Make 2021 Account Credit Requests’
Select your product preferences
 
New 2021 products will be issued to all customers for the 2021 event(s), 2020 products will not be valid for entry.
 
Importantly, your decision will not impact your seniority or right to renew your tickets for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2022. 
 
If you have questions or need assistance completing the online form, please call the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700. Hours of operations are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (ET) Friday, April 16, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18, and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (ET) Monday, April 19.
 
For the majority of you that will not make changes to your account, you do not need to do anything at this time. We are hopeful the tickets you will receive will be as close to your current location as possible. If any reductions or seat movements are necessary based upon required health protocols, we will communicate with you as soon as we know so we can begin the process of getting you prepared to be here May 30.
 
The Indianapolis 500 fans are the greatest fans in the world! Just like last year, the IMS team has continued to invest in and improve the facility to provide you an even more memorable experience at IMS. We can’t wait for you to be here and see the progress! 
 
Finally, we understand this is a challenging time and can be very frustrating for you as we all wait to understand how to best manage the month of May. In the meantime, thanks for being patient, and we look forward to welcoming fans back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next month.
 
Sincerely, 
 
J. Douglas Boles, IMS President