Indianapolis 500 expected to start Sunday afternoon after strong storm forces start to be delayed

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis 500 is expected to start about 4:30 p.m. EDT after a strong band of thunderstorms swept through Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The rain brought pre-race festivities to a halt and forced the evacuation of about 125,000 fans who had already arrived for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Track president J. Douglas Boles said it would take track drying equipment about two hours to dry the 2.5-mile oval. But the expectation is that the race would begin roughly four hours late and all 200 laps would be completed before dark. The TV blackout for central Indiana also was being lifted for the race.