How Many Cars Start the Indy 500? 33-Car Field Rules (2026)

The Indy 500 starts 33 cars. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES rulebook sets the Indianapolis 500 field at thirty-three cars unless INDYCAR decides on another number, and the 110th Running on May 24, 2026 started exactly 33. The number is a rule, not a constant: the results tables on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway site list 40 starters in 1911, 42 in 1933 and 35 in 1979 and 1997.

This guide covers the 33-car rule, how qualifying fills the grid and what bumping means, the starter count for every running since 1911, the 2026 field, the 2027 dates and hearing protection for race day. Rules and dates are as of October 25, 2026, from the 2026 rulebook and IMS’s published schedule. For other races on the calendar, see is there an IndyCar race today.

How Many Cars Start the Indy 500?

In 2026 the answer is 33. The official starting grid on indycar.com for the 110th Running lists positions 1 through 33, from pole sitter Alex Palou in car 10 to Jack Harvey in car 24, and the IMS results table lists the same 33 cars. Alexander Rossi qualified second and David Malukas third.

The rule behind the number is in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES rulebook (the 2026 edition, dated 9.10.2026). It says the Indianapolis 500 is made up of thirty-three cars, or another number if INDYCAR determines one, and that INDYCAR offers no Provisional Starting Cars at the race. A separate rule lets INDYCAR set the size and configuration of the starting lineup for each race.

2026 Indy 500	Detail
Edition	110th Running, Sunday, May 24, 2026
Starters	33 cars (indycar.com grid; IMS results)
Distance	200 laps, 500 miles, on the 2.5-mile oval (indycar.com)
Pole position	Alex Palou, car 10, Firestone Fast 6 four-lap average 232.248 mph (indycar.com)
Winner	Felix Rosenqvist, car 60, who started fourth (IMS results)
Cars without a finishing speed	9 of 33: 4 listed Mechanical and 5 Contact (count from the IMS results table)

How Many Cars Race in the Indy 500 Each Year? Field Size Since 1911

IMS publishes a results table for every running, and counting the cars in each table gives the number of starters. The tables list 110 runnings from 1911 to 2026, with none for 1917, 1918 or 1942 through 1945. The counts below are that tally, not a separate IMS statistic.

Years	Starters	Note
1911	40	First running
1912-1916	24, 27, 30, 24, 21	21 in 1916 is the smallest field listed
1919-1929	33, 23, 23, 27, 24, 22, 22, 28, 33, 29, 33	Ranges from 22 to 33
1930-1933	38, 40, 40, 42	42 in 1933 is the largest field listed
1934-1941 and 1946	33 each year	Same count every running
1947	30	The only year below 33 from 1934 on
1948-1978	33 each year
1979	35	One of two years with 35
1980-1996	33 each year
1997	35	The other year with 35
1998-2026	33 each year	Includes the 2026 field

Of the 89 runnings from 1934 to 2026, 86 started exactly 33 cars; the exceptions are 1947 (30) and 1979 and 1997 (35 each). IMS’s page on the first race says the 1911 field of 40 cars was led away by track founder Carl Fisher in a Stoddard-Dayton passenger car for one unscored lap, then released to the starter at about 40 mph, which IMS says is believed to be the first mass rolling start for an automobile race.

The tables count starters only. They do not show how many cars were entered or how many failed to qualify in a given year, so a 33-car field says nothing about whether cars were bumped that May.

Why Are There 33 Cars in the Indy 500?

Because the rulebook says so. The same rule that sets 33 also allows another number if INDYCAR determines one, so the figure is policy rather than a physical limit. The table above shows how much the field has moved: 30 in 1947, 35 in 1979 and 1997, and 38 to 42 in the early 1930s.

The rulebook also treats the Indy 500 differently from other races. At other events INDYCAR may offer Provisional Starting Cars when entries do not exceed the available pit space; at the Indianapolis 500 it does not. Neither the rulebook nor the IMS results pages explain why 33 was chosen, so this guide does not give an origin story for the number.

Race Format And Qualifications

A completed qualifying attempt is four consecutively timed laps, which is 10 miles on the 2.5-mile oval. The 2026 rulebook schedules two days of qualifying, and the starting lineup runs from the fastest qualified car down to the slowest one that has not been bumped from the race.

Day 1: One Guaranteed Attempt Each

INDYCAR draws the run order by random draw the day before Day 1. Every primary car gets one guaranteed attempt if it is presented properly and on time. After each car has had its attempt the line breaks, and cars can make more attempts until the Day 1 session ends. Late entries are not considered after 6:00 p.m. ET on the Friday before qualifying starts.

Day 2: Last Chance, Top 12 and Fast 6

Day 2 has three groups. Last Chance runs only if more than 33 cars are entered. The Top 12 are the 12 fastest from Day 1, running slowest to fastest with their earlier times voided, and they set positions 7 to 12. The six cars that advance from the Top 12 make the Firestone Fast 6, who set positions 1 to 6 the same way. The pole position car starts on the inside of the front row.

Grid positions	Where they are decided (34 or more entries)
1-6	Firestone Fast 6 on Day 2
7-12	Top 12 session on Day 2
13-30	Day 1 times, locked in on Day 1
31-33	Last Chance on Day 2 (plus any spots Day 1 left unfilled)

With 33 or fewer entries there is no Last Chance group: Day 1 results put positions 1 to 12 into the Top 12 and positions 13 to 33 secure their places on Day 1.

What Happens If More Than 33 Cars Try to Qualify?

With 34 or more entries, positions 1 to 30 are locked in after Day 1 and every other car joins Last Chance on Day 2. Previous times are voided and each Last Chance car must requalify, with one guaranteed attempt before the line breaks. A car’s most recent time stays eligible for the lineup until it is withdrawn or qualifying ends, and Last Chance sets positions 31 to 33. In Day 1 qualifying, a car whose time is voided or that has been bumped may make another attempt while time remains.

If fewer than 33 cars have qualified when Day 2 ends, the rulebook calls for a special session on the next available day, and the only bumping happens among the cars in that session. If it cannot fill the grid, remaining spots go by entrant points, with Leaders Circle entrants first.

The 2026 Field: Who Filled the 33 Spots

indycar.com dates all three 2026 qualifying sessions, Qualifying – All Cars, Top 12 and Firestone Fast 6, to Sunday, May 17, 2026. The All Cars results list 33 cars, the same number as the grid. The Fast 6 set grid positions 1 to 6:

Grid	Driver	Team	Four-lap average (mph)
1	Alex Palou (10)	Chip Ganassi Racing	232.248
2	Alexander Rossi (20)	ECR	231.990
3	David Malukas (12)	Team Penske	231.877
4	Felix Rosenqvist (60)	Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian	231.375
5	Santino Ferrucci (14)	A.J. Foyt Enterprises	230.846
6	Pato O’Ward (5)	Arrow McLaren	230.442

The fastest car in the All Cars session was Rosenqvist at 232.599 mph, and he went on to win from fourth on the grid. By IMS’s Make/Model column, all 33 starters ran Dallara chassis: 18 with Chevrolet engines and 15 with Honda engines (count from the results table). For the fuel they burn, see what fuel IndyCars use, and for how the cars compare with Formula 1, see IndyCar vs F1 cars.

Looking Ahead: The 2027 Indy 500

IMS lists the 111th Running of the Indianapolis 500 for Sunday, May 30, 2027. Its Month of May page shows practice on weekdays May 18 to 21 and on Monday, May 24, qualifying on the weekend of May 22 and 23, Carb Day on Friday, May 28 and Legends Day on Saturday, May 29. These dates are as listed in October 2026 and can change, and the rulebook used here is the 2026 edition, so check the current rulebook for any change to the 33-car figure.

At the Track: Hearing Protection and Race Day Basics

IMS’s family guide says the race itself runs around 3.5 hours, with a duration that changes every year, and that the green flag is around 12:30 p.m. Pre-race activities start an hour earlier, and it advises planning at least 45 minutes to get through the gate and to your seat. It describes the Indianapolis 500 as the largest single day sporting event in the world, on about 253 acres around a 2.5-mile track.

The same guide warns that NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars are loud and says professionals recommend hearing protection for fans of all ages. You can bring your own or rent or buy it at the track. The earmuff in the box above is one option; check its fit before race day.

More Indy and Race Car Guides on This Site

• Is there an IndyCar race today?
• What fuel do IndyCars use?
• IndyCar vs F1 car
• How much do race car drivers make?

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Cars Compete In The Indy 500?

Thirty-three cars start the race. The 2026 INDYCAR rulebook sets the field at 33 cars unless INDYCAR decides on another number, and the 110th Running on May 24, 2026 started 33, per indycar.com’s starting grid and IMS’s results.

What Is The History Of Car Entries In The Indy 500?

IMS’s results tables list 40 starters in 1911, between 21 and 42 starters from 1912 to 1933, and 33 starters in 86 of the 89 runnings from 1934 to 2026. The exceptions are 30 starters in 1947 and 35 in 1979 and 1997. The tables show starters, not how many cars were entered.

Are All Indy 500 Cars The Same?

In 2026 all 33 starters are listed by IMS with a Dallara chassis, 18 with Chevrolet engines and 15 with Honda engines. Each car still runs for its own team and driver, and the sources used here do not compare setups.

How Are Indy 500 Cars Selected?

Cars qualify with a four-lap timed attempt. Under the 2026 rulebook, Day 1 sends the 12 fastest cars to the Top 12 session on Day 2, which sets positions 7 to 12 and decides the Firestone Fast 6 that sets positions 1 to 6.

Why Is the Indy 500 Field Limited to 33 Cars?

The rulebook states the number, 33 cars or another number INDYCAR determines, and gives no reason for it. IMS’s results show the field has been larger and smaller in the past, so the limit is a rule that can change.

What Happens If More Than 33 Cars Try to Qualify?

With 34 or more entries, Day 1 locks in positions 1 to 30 and the remaining cars go to a Last Chance session on Day 2, which sets positions 31 to 33. Their Day 1 times are voided and they must requalify; cars that miss out are bumped from the race.

What This Guide Does Not Cover

• The row-by-row layout of the starting grid.
• Team-by-team entry lists and how many cars were entered before qualifying in any year.
• Qualifying formats used before 2026, and the reasons behind the 1979 and 1997 field sizes.

Conclusion

The Indy 500 starts 33 cars because the 2026 INDYCAR rulebook sets the field at 33, and IMS’s results show that count in 86 of the 89 runnings since 1934. Qualifying fills the grid with a four-lap attempt, and with more than 33 entries a Last Chance session on Day 2 decides the final three spots. Check the current rulebook before the 2027 race.