SynopsisIndy 500: Four-time IndyCar Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou is the defending race winner.Global DeskIndy 500 is all set to race today afternoon. Indianapolis 500, the world's largest single-day sporting event, is a sold out, as per reports. Official attendance figures for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” are not announced, but there are an estimated 275,000 grandstand seats around the 2.5-mile oval and the total crowd, which includes general admission tickets on the infield, reaches an estimated 350,000.Four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou is the defending race winner and posted the fastest speed in Tuesday's first practice session.Indy 500 Weather, Start TimeIndy 500 is scheduled to start at 12.45 pm (ET) even as the pre race broadcast starts at 10 am (ET) with National Anthem is scheduled for 12.20 pm (ET). One can watch the Indianapolis 500 event at Fox Sports, Fox One, and Fubo.According to weather forecast, there is a chance of rain between 2 pm (ET) to 3 pm (ET). The conditions are predicted to remain cloudy and the temperature is set to remain between 60s and 70s.Indy 500 Weather LineupScott McLaughlin waited 12 months to erase the worst memory of his life. He spent the time contemplating the haunting images of a spinning car hitting the wall last May before the race had even started, his hands flapping in anger and the frustration sinking in as he climbed out. All the inconsolable McLaughlin could do was cover his face. He's not going to blow it Sunday at another sold-out Indianapolis 500.Alexander Rossi was in a backup car Friday due to a crash earlier this week and is recovering from minor surgeries ​on his left hand and right ankle ​but indicated that he's feeling good heading into Sunday's Indianapolis 500.The 2016 Indy 500 winner sustained ​the injuries during Monday's crash in Turn 2 that also involved Pato O'Ward. He was sporting crutches when he was out of the car. The Ed Carpenter Racing driver also said the No. 20 Chevrolet will be fine for Sunday's race in Indianapolis when he met with reporters on ‌Friday's "Carb Day."Rossi drove 48 laps on Friday and his best time was 222.291 mph, 31st among the 33 drivers. He is slated to start ​in the No. 2 position Sunday. Defending champion Alex Palou of Spain is ⁠the polesitter ‌and No. 3 David Malukas is also on the front row.O'Ward also tested his backup car ​for Friday's practice ​and said he could feel the difference. O'Ward of Arrow McLaren turned in a top lap of 224.202, 20th best on the day. He drove 58 laps.Two-time Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden of Team Penske turned in the best time of Carb Day with a 228.342 on the 11th of his 55 laps. Perhaps the ‌biggest challenge for Newgarden is contending from the eighth row. He is in the No. 23 starting position and the last driver to win the race from that type of pole position is ​Johnny Rutherford (No. 25 ​in 1974).Newgarden wasn't putting a lot ⁠of stock into Friday's practice performance. Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves of Brazil is always one to watch on race day and he's making his 26th start at the famed Brickyard.Castroneves, who turned 51 earlier this month, was 19th with a time of 224.293 on Friday while running 70 laps. Castroneves' most recent win at Indy was in 2021. He also won in 2001, 2002 and 2009.Reserved seating for this year's Indianapolis 500, the world's largest single-day sporting event, will be sold out, officials announced Tuesday. Four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou is the defending race winner and posted the fastest speed in Tuesday's first practice session.Read More News on(Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates....morelessExplore More Stories