How to Experience the Indy 500 Like a VIP (Without Paying VIP Prices)
There's nothing quite like race weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The roar of 33 engines. The smell of racing fuel. A crowd of 250,000 people who all decided this was worth traveling for. Whether you're a lifelong INDYCAR fan or you've always wanted to check the Indy 500 off your bucket list, one thing is certain: how you set up your stay makes all the difference.
Most people scramble for hotel rooms months out — and still end up 30 minutes from the track, paying $400 a night for a room that hasn't been updated since 1987. Others planned to camp but are now finding out that every single IMS camping lot for the 2026 Indy 500 is sold out — Lot 1A, Lot 1C, Lot 2, Lot 4, Lot 5, Lot 6, Lot 9, Lot 3G, Lot 3P. All of them.
If you're in that situation, don't panic. There's still a way to make race weekend exactly what you envisioned.
Camping at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
IMS offers several RV and travel trailer camping lots spread around the track — the most popular being Lot 1C, located on 30th Street west of Georgetown Road, and Lot 1A on Georgetown Road between Gate 9 and Gate 9A. Both require camping wristbands (included with your camping pass — six per RV site) and both are prime spots for soaking in the full race weekend atmosphere.
Check-in for 4-day camping passes opens at 7 a.m. Thursday, May 21. Checkout is by noon Monday, May 25. That's four full days on the grounds — the infield buzz before qualifying, Carb Day chaos on Friday, the parade on Saturday, and the race itself on Sunday.
The catch: IMS camping is primitive. Most lots have no shore power and no water hookup. You need to arrive fully self-contained — or have someone set you up that way.
That's exactly what we do.
We Deliver Directly to Your Camping Spot
We're Be Still RV Rentals out of Fort Wayne, Indiana — about 126 miles north of the Speedway. We've delivered our camper to IMS race weekend before, including to Lot 1C for a previous Indy 500 customer.
Here's how it works: you secure your camping pass through IMS, share the lot details with us, and we handle everything else. We deliver our fully-equipped 2025 Jayco Jayflight SLX 260BH, set it up before you arrive, and pick it up when you leave.
Because most IMS lots have no power hookups, we include a generator rental so you'll have electricity the entire weekend. We also arrive with a full fresh water tank — IMS does have tanker trucks on-site to refill tanks or pump waste, but you'll start the weekend fully topped off.
By the time you show up at the track, your home base is ready.
What's Included in Our Indy 500 Delivery
- 2025 Jayco Jayflight SLX 260BH — bunkhouse layout, sleeps up to 9
- Delivery and full setup at your IMS camping lot
- Generator rental included — no shore power, no problem
- Full fresh water tank on arrival
- Kitchen fully stocked with supplies
- Bedding and linens included
- Outdoor gear for tailgating between sessions
- Pickup and breakdown after the event
- Optional: mid-stay waste dump and cleaning service
No towing. No setup. No figuring out how to back a trailer into a crowded grass field at 7 a.m. You show up at the track ready to race.
The 2026 Indy 500 Race Weekend Schedule
The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, May 24, 2026. But the full experience starts days earlier:
- Thursday, May 21 — Camping check-in begins at 7 a.m. Settle in, explore the grounds
- Friday, May 22 — Carb Day: final practice session and the famous Pit Stop Challenge
- Saturday, May 23 — Legends Day: autograph session with all 33 starters, the Drivers' Meeting, and the Indy 500 Festival Parade downtown
- Sunday, May 24 — Race Day (green flag at 12:45 PM ET)
- Monday, May 25 — Checkout by noon
Four days on the grounds. You'll want a real home base.
IMS Camping Resources
Other IMS Events We Can Deliver For
The Indy 500 is the marquee event, but IMS runs world-class racing all season:
- Sonsio Grand Prix — May 8-9 (INDYCAR)
- Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational — June 20-21
- Brickyard Weekend (NASCAR) — July 24-26
- Indianapolis 8 Hour — October 9-11 (IMSA GT racing)
Already Have a Camping Pass? Let's Talk.
If you've already locked in an IMS camping pass and are looking for a camper to go with it, we'd love to help. We only have one unit available per event weekend, so availability is limited — but we're taking inquiries now for race weekend.
View our camper and reach out about Indy 500 availability
Questions? Call or text us directly — we're happy to walk you through everything.