This Sunday — May 29, 2022 — marks the , also known as . It’s an iconic event, one that every motorsport fan should make an effort to watch. If you’re new to IndyCar, or if you just need a refresher, we’ve got you covered. This is everything you need to know about the : How to watch, who is competing, and what will happen on race day.

The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 will air live on at on Sunday, .

What Is the Indy 500 and Why Is it Important?

With this year marking the 106th running of the race, the Indianapolis 500 is , which inherently makes it one of the most prestigious events in motorsport. Each year, take to the famed in the hope of taking the checkered flag and securing their name in the annals of history.

The 500-mile race runs for 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval each Memorial Day weekend (with the exception of 2020, when the race was run in August due to the Covid-19 pandemic). Race speeds , and the victor will take home millions of dollars, making this a must-win event for any driver.

2022 Indianapolis 500 Starting Grid

: / Alex Palou / Rinus VeeKay: Ed Carpenter / Marcus Ericsson / Tony Kanaan: Pato O’Ward / Felix Rosenqvist / Romain Grosjean: Takuma Sato / Will Power / Jimmie Johnson: David Malukas / Josef Newgarden / Santino Ferrucci: Simon Pagenaud / J. R. Hildebrand / Conor Daly: Callum Ilott / Alexander Rossi / Graham Rahal: Sage Karam / Marco Andretti / Devlin DeFrancesco: Colton Herta / Scott McLaughlin / Helio Castroneves: Kyle Kirkwood / Dalton Kellett / Juan Pablo Montoya: Christian Lundgaard / Jack Harvey /

Indy 500 Storylines to Follow

Scott Dixon took a stunning pole position for the 2022 Indy 500 with . While it’s hard to guarantee any one driver will do well during the race, Dixon’s performance at the Speedway isn’t something to shake a stick at.

Despite the fact that practice for the Indy 500 runs over the course of several days, changeable weather — one whole practice day was rained out while another was plagued with blustery winds — saw limited running, and most drivers will take the green flag with no true idea just how their cars will fare over the course of 200 laps. For us fans, though, that means we’ll likely be in for a fantastic race.

In 2021, Helio Castroneves matched one of the Indy 500's longstanding historical records: He scored his fourth win at the iconic event. Four wins, though, is the most anyone has ever nabbed at the 500 — and Castroneves will be looking to take that fifth win to become a true legend of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

He’ll be hard-pressed to do so from the rear of the grid, but if anyone can bring a surprise to the Brickyard, it’s Castroneves.

The Indy 500 always brings surprises, but it’s going to be fascinating to see how big-name outfits like Team Penske or Andretti Autosport fare during the race. Neither team was particularly impressive in qualifying, with just one driver from each affair making it to the top 12 — and only just barely.

But a rough qualifying session doesn’t guarantee a rough race. The Penske and Andretti teams both qualified later in the afternoon on Saturday, when the track was significantly hotter than it had been for the fastest qualifiers of the day — and with limited practice time, many teams may have prioritized a long-running race setup as opposed to the four-lap qualifying setup.