Indianapolis, Indiana – Fans of sports car racing have reason to celebrate as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has updated its public gate schedule for the 2025 Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS, giving attendees more time to enjoy the action — including two thrilling evenings of racing under the lights.
In a move designed to enhance the fan experience, IMS announced that gates will now open on Thursday, October 16, allowing ticket holders an earlier look at the world-class competition unfolding on the historic 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. The new schedule includes more on-track sessions and a second opportunity to witness racing at dusk, headlights blazing — a rare and striking sight at the Racing Capital of the World.
“Opening our gates to fans on Thursday gives them another chance to see racing on the road course at dusk with headlights on,” said IMS and INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles. “The Indy 8 Hour race weekend is a great conclusion to the 2025 event schedule at IMS, and we are excited to kick off the weekend a day early.”
The Indianapolis 8 Hour serves as the season finale for both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. The main event begins at 12:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 17 and concludes at 8:15 p.m., finishing in dramatic fashion as the sun sets and headlights shine through the autumn dusk.
Featuring high-performance GT race cars from iconic manufacturers like Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, and Chevrolet, this eight-hour endurance race showcases the blend of speed, strategy, and mechanical durability that defines modern sports car racing. These machines may resemble the cars you see on the street, but their purpose-built nature makes them fierce competitors in the most grueling race of the IMS season.
In addition to the headline event, the weekend will offer fans a full slate of high-speed action across seven different racing series. Joining the Intercontinental GT Challenge and GT World Challenge America are GT America powered by AWS, Pirelli GT4 America, TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School, Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Cup North America, and McLaren Trophy America.
These support series will run doubleheader sprint races from Thursday through Saturday, adding a rich variety of racing styles and vehicles to the weekend schedule. Thursday alone will include practice sessions for all series, Race 1 of TC America, and both qualifying and Race 1 for McLaren Trophy America.
Friday brings more qualifying along with TC America Race 2, McLaren Trophy America Race 2, and GT America Race 1, building excitement leading into the marquee endurance event on Saturday.
To further extend the experience for racing enthusiasts, Sunday’s on-track activity will be open to the public free of charge, though seating will be limited to the Turn 2 Mounds area.
Originally, the public event days were listed as Friday through Sunday, but this revision opens the gates one day earlier and adjusts Sunday’s access. IMS has already reached out to fans who purchased Sunday tickets to clarify the changes and ensure they can plan accordingly.
For those who haven’t secured their tickets yet, single-day and multi-day admission passes are available now at IMS.com.
With its expanded schedule, variety of race classes, and one-of-a-kind atmosphere, the 2025 Indianapolis 8 Hour promises to deliver a fitting finale to the IMS racing season — one where fans are part of the action from the very first lap to the last flash of headlights on Saturday night.
