Miller Lite Carb Day 2027

Carb Day returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 28, 2027, the day before the Indianapolis 500. It's the unofficial start of race weekend at the Speedway, and around here it's known as the highest-value day on the IMS calendar because you get three different events in one go.

The morning belongs to the cars. Final practice runs from 11 AM to 1 PM, when the 33-car field gets its last laps in before the race. In the afternoon, the focus shifts to the crews: the Oscar Mayer Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge runs from 2:30 to 4 PM, with the pit crews going head-to-head. Then, from 4 to 6 PM, a headline concert takes over the front straight. The 2026 edition was headlined by Counting Crows with Switchfoot opening, and the headliners usually run the gamut of rock and country acts. The day regularly draws more than 100,000 people.

The name is a holdover from carburetors, which have been out of the cars for years, but the tradition stuck. It's the Friday before the Indianapolis 500, which this year is the 111th running of the race. The 500 is billed as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" and is described as the largest single-day sporting event in the world, drawing more than 300,000 fans.

Gates open at 8 AM at the Speedway, 4790 W 16th St, with the concert staged right on the front straight. General Admission starts at $50, the Concert Pit Package is $90, and the VIP Platform is $285.