Watch ‘More Than a Race,’ our mini-documentary on the Indy 500
Indianapolis is the 500.
A.J. Foyt once said, “If it wasn’t for the Indianapolis 500, none of you would’ve ever heard of me.” The same might be said of Indianapolis.
Jenna Watson, Indianapolis Star
It’s not the 100th running, nor is it fans’ full-fledged return following a pandemic – and Doug Boles doesn’t believe the ‘Kyle Larson effect’ has really set-in. Yet every day, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway wakes up to daily ticket sales reports and sees the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 tracking nearly dead-even with the Greatest Spectacle in Racing’s most recent sellout eight years ago.
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The 500 seems to be converting more and more casual fans into lifelong race attendees, pushing the race closer to the 350,000-fan sellout for its 100th running.
“Since the sellout in 2016, I think people are more apt to renew early, just to make sure they have their seats, and people are getting trained that way,” Boles told IndyStar in a 1-on-1 interview last week. “So when you see tickets go up in the renewal period, as they have every year (since 2016), you think, ‘Okay, good we’ve trained more people.’
“But now, what’s happened is over time, literally day after day after day, when we look at the ticket numbers, it’s more tickets sold today, 93 days out, than it was last year 93 days out, and we’re still tracking almost dead-even with 2016, which is crazy.”
Insider: Tracking IMS’s consistent growth in Indy 500 ticket sales
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Boles said the Racing Capital of the World hosted more than 330,000 fans last year, the most since 2016 and falling less than 10,000 tickets short of a sellout of its grandstands that hold roughly 234,000 seats. The key in 2016 was the sellout of the track’s grandstand seats May 6, still more than three weeks to race day, which then led to a run on general admission access to the infield.
By May 25, IMS announced it was no longer selling tickets, leading to the lift of the local blackout for the first time in 65 years.
A year ago, IMS saw roughly a 1% uptick in ticket sales, moving from 12,000 unsold grandstand seats to 9,000 (and 325,000 to 330,000 race day attendees). It will still need to see an improvement year-over-year to reach that grandstand sellout mark with enough time for fans to feel a scarcity in infield admission that led to 2016’s sellout.
“For a period of time there, we were slightly ahead (of 2016 sales), and now we’re slightly behind, but without that 100th-running conversation to drive it, it’s amazing it’s that strong,” Boles said. “I keep wondering if I’m going to wake up one day and realize, ‘Oh, everyone’s bought and set now.’ But it just continues to go.”
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Along with edge-of-your-seat finishes the last three years in eventual victories from four-time champion Helio Castroneves and first-timers Marcus Ericsson and Josef Newgarden, Boles attributes the upward trajectory of tickets sales to track owner Roger Penske’s continued investment into the track that presently stands around $50 million just over four years since he completed the purchase of IMS and the IndyCar series from the Hulman-George family.
Indy 500 rule change: Newgarden’s winning move made illegal. How it’ll be officiated is unclear.
Renovations like new video monitors for those in the front stretch grandstands, several larger boards in the infield and high-end touch-ups from revamped bathrooms to coats of paint and paved walkways all across the venue’s nearly 1,000 acres weren’t initially meant to drive revenue, but Boles said IMS’ collective facelift has helped show customers on the fence just how much the track’s new ownership cares about their experience.
“We went through a period of time where we replaced or repaired something if it was broken, but since Roger purchased the Speedway, he’s allowed us to get ahead of things, and so as a fan, I think you feel better about what you see,” Boles said. “’Okay, we’ve got ownership who’s investing alongside us.’”
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From 2023: Roger Penske’s IMS investment nearing $50 million. Here’s what’s new.
Beyond the grandstands, Boles says the track’s Snake Pit ticket sales are “crazy again,” tracking towards the pre-pandemic highs of more than 25,000. And in the infield on race day, he expects to see hordes of short-track racing T-shirts of fans there to watch famed rookie Kyle Larson’s debut as he registers the first attempt of ‘The Double’ in 10 years. Fans who want to see the 2021 NASCAR Cup champion’s first 500 miles of what could be an 1,100-mile day along with the Coke 600 that evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway could help give IMS the late boost it needs to seriously flirt with a sellout.
“I certainly think Kyle Larson will play into it, especially in the next three months. I think fans who may not regularly buy tickets to the 500, whether they’re NASCAR fans or short track fans, I think we’ll see a lot of that as we get closer,” Boles said. “There may have been a little impact, but I don’t think if we drilled down into it, we’ve even seen the ‘Kyle Larson effect’ yet.”
Source: Policeman on crime scene . Red plastic tape and police officer, gun belt, handcuffs and gun.With a sunshine flare coming in.
INDIANAPOLIS –A man died days after he was tased while fleeing a traffic stop, according to Indiana State Police.
The stop happened just after 2 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, near Holt Road and Oliver Avenue on the southwest side of Indianapolis. A trooper pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation and learned the driver, 53-year-old David Potts, was wanted on a theft warrant out of Hendricks County.
Investigators say Potts resisted when the trooper tried to take him into custody and ran. The trooper chased him on foot and deployed a Taser. Potts was struck, fell into grass near the scene, and later became unresponsive. He died days later. An outside district is reviewing the case, and the trooper involved has been placed on administrative duties, which is standard procedure.
Captain Ron Galaviz said the investigation is still in its early stages.
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More from ISP Captain Ron Galaviz
“We’re going to conduct a thorough investigation, bringing in investigators from an outside district,” Galaviz said.
He said the agency is not drawing conclusions.
“I’m not going to throw blame out,” he said. “We want to get to the truth. We want to get to the bottom of these instances just as much as everybody wants answers.”
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David Potts’ brother, Jason Potts, described him as someone who was well-liked and good-hearted.
“He was a very likable guy, funny guy, you know, and I’ve gotten along with everybody. Good-hearted, good man. You didn’t deserve to go out like this, but for sure, no one does,” Jason Potts said.
He also questioned the investigation process.
Hear From David Potts’ Brother
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“I think someone else should be able to review the investigation because they may be partial to their own people,” he said.
Galaviz said the agency is following a step-by-step process.
“We’re not going to skip steps to facilitate something that would be a completed job,” he said. “We want to be as thorough and as comprehensive as we can, making sure we’re gathering all the facts.”
He said transparency includes accountability when needed.
“Our investigations have led to prosecutions of our own,” Galaviz said. “We have nothing to hide.”
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Jason Potts also raised concerns about medical findings in the case.
“The doctor’s report stated that he went 40 minutes without oxygen to the brain. I think that is negligence on the Indiana State Police Department,” he said.
Galaviz also emphasized cooperation during police encounters.
“Voluntary compliance with what the officer is asking for is always the best practice,” he said. “That’s the best course of action whether you agree with the reason you’ve been stopped or not.”
He added that traffic stops carry risks for everyone involved.
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“We’re seeing incidents like this all across the country,” Galaviz said. “It adds to a heightened sense of awareness—being aware of our surroundings, including what’s happening inside a vehicle or with anybody our troopers are interacting with.”
Galaviz said the agency is taking its time with the investigation.
INDIANAPOLIS — A man was injured in a shooting at a gas station on the near east side of Indianapolis Sunday night.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to a Marathon gas station located at 1453 E. Washington St. around 9:03 p.m. to investigate a shooting. When police arrived at the scene, they located a man who appeared to have sustained injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
The man was transported from the scene to a local hospital after the shooting. IMPD reported that the man is currently in stable condition.
Police believe multiple suspects may have been involved in the shooting. Investigators also indicated that the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle after the shooting.
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IMPD is working obtain security camera video from the gas station’s management team. Detectives hope that, once they have the security footage in hand, they will be able to identify the suspects or the vehicle they allegedly drove off in after the shooting.
Officers recovered multiple shell casings during their investigation of the shooting. Police also believe the shooting was targeted.
“Violence isn’t the answer,” IMPD Night Watch Captain Richard Ray said during a media briefing Sunday night. “A moment of anger can lead to a lifetime of severe consequences for both the victim and the suspect and persons involved. This not a way to resolve situations. Communication is the key, violence isn’t the key. We just need people to learn to resolve their differences amicably, and we can prevent things like these.”
IMPD confirmed that at least one person was working at the gas station when the shooting happened. Investigators also contend that the shooting happened at the gas station itself. Police do not think the shooting was a drive-by.
As of this article’s publication, no additional information on the shooting had been made available.
The NFL’s cyclical calendar hits another important checkpoint tomorrow at 4:00 PM EST, on June 1. This is a time in the calendar that bridges the gap between key periods of roster management — free agency and the draft — and the annual summer moratorium that each team has in June.
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The June 1st date, however, is a designation that allows teams to manipulate their cap situations, specifically for the upcoming season. This layer enables teams to save money for the immediate season while pushing off what remains to be addressed in the following year(s), whether that be via a cut or trade.
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Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick broke down the importance of this date back in March:
When a player is released or traded around the start of the new league year (mid-March), their remaining prorated bonus money and guaranteed salary accelerates onto the team’s upcoming season’s cap and becomes what’s called “dead money”—a charge for a player no longer on the roster. When that same move occurs after June 1, however, teams are able to spread that dead cap-hit over two seasons instead of taking the entire hit in one year.
Mike Kadlick, On SI
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As for the Indianapolis Colts, there are a handful of cut/trade candidates that they could entertain. The tricky part with the June 1st date is that each of these cut/trade candidates will likely remain as such even after the fact, as the designation in question doesn’t offer much additional cap space compared to other examples across the league.
These candidates are the most likely to be moved, though it’s not necessarily due to the June 1st checkpoint in question.
In no particular order, we break down the candidates who could be dealt, providing an analysis of their situation, a likelihood they’ll be moved, whether it’s via trade or release, and an assessment of whether such a move would be beneficial for the team.
Anthony Richardson Sr.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) walks on the field Wednesday, May 27, 2026, during practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Colts’ first-round pick (4th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft has been back practicing with the team after no trade materialized following the 2026 draft cycle. Despite this, Richardson and his camp have not yet rescinded the trade request, so he could still be traded at any time before the regular-season trade deadline.
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Richardson’s time in Indianapolis is now set to conclude once his rookie contract runs out following the 2026-27 season. He has a $10.8 million cap hit for the upcoming season, and although that’s a pricey payday for a projected QB3, the Colts have almost no reason to release him.
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The Colts would not save any money if they cut Richardson, but they would if they could find a trade partner. Indianapolis would save $5.38 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season if they traded Richardson, though that would’ve been the case if he was traded prior to June 1st.
Keeping Anthony Richardson Sr. around while he focuses on making the most of his situation does less harm than good for the Colts because of Daniel Jones’s rehab. While Jones has been an active participant in individual drills throughout OTAs thus far, having Richardson around for team reps will help the rest of the team.
It’d be best for both parties to find a trade suitor for Richardson ahead of the regular season, but even if he winds up playing out his rookie contract in Indianapolis, having Richardson in the bullpen for the same price as it’d be to cut him is the best course of action.
Grover Stewart
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Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) prepares for a drill Monday, July 28, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
I’d be remiss not to immediately preface that there is almost no reality where the Colts cut longtime defensive tackle Grover Stewart, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding DeForest Buckner’s return to form as he works back from a serious neck injury, but Spotrac listed Stewart as one of the NFL’s biggest cut candidates.
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I get where they’re coming from, as cutting Stewart would save $12.25 million in cap space, but the Colts are in no position to move on from one of their biggest mainstay contributors without a succession plan in place, especially this deep into the offseason.
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Fourth-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore has blossomed into a legitimate piece across the defensive front, and newcomer Colby Wooden has become the Colts’ most underrated move in the offseason, but Indianapolis would be fools to move on from Grover Stewart just to save a chunk of money.
Stewart is 33 years old as he enters the last year of his deal with the Colts, but Indianapolis should be more focused on finding a way to make him a Colt for life as opposed to deciding whether or not they should abruptly fire him just as OTAs have kicked off.
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Jaylon Jones
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) reacts in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Jaylon Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract and may ultimately serve as the Colts’ surprise training camp cut once it’s all said and done. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme proved to be ill-suited for Jones during their first season together in 2025, therefore his potential release would more so be due to a schematic disconnect.
June 1st wouldn’t affect Jones’s dead cap situation, though; therefore, his release will save the Colts $3.74 million in cap space regardless of its designation.
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Jones is by no means lacking in talent, but it was evident that his playstyle isn’t something Lou Anarumo covets. Colts 2025 UDFA signing Johnathan Edwards started in five games as a rookie compared to Jones’s two starts in Anarumo’s first year, and with an even deeper cornerback room heading into 2026, Jones will have to prove himself as someone you can’t stomach cutting if he wants to make the opening-day roster.
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