Indianapolis, Indiana – Main Street in Speedway will transform into a celebration of racing and community on Thursday, September 18, as the IMSA Street Festival returns to kick off the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The festival, free to attend, will run from 6 to 8 p.m. ET and set the stage for three days of sports car racing on the iconic 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course.
Organizers are calling the event a chance for fans to immerse themselves in the energy of IMSA before the action begins on track. From race car displays to autograph sessions, the festival offers an up-close look at the machines and people who define modern endurance racing.
“The IMSA Street Festival celebrates the IMSA Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks and allows fans an opportunity to get an up-close look at the cars, drivers and teams who will be competing during the six-hour endurance race to capture a win and kiss the bricks at IMS,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Speedway’s Main Street is the perfect place to kick off a full weekend of on-track sports car action at IMS.”
More than 20 IMSA race cars will line Main Street during the event, giving fans a rare chance to snap photos and admire cutting-edge designs from across the four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes. Three live pit stop demonstrations will be staged throughout the evening, featuring one of the Penske Porsche Motorsport GTP cars that will take the green flag at IMS later in the weekend.
The driver lineup is just as compelling. Over 70 IMSA drivers are expected to attend, including competitors from the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. Some of the sport’s brightest names—Matt Campbell, Tom Gamble, Mathieu Jaminet, Casper Stevenson, Dries Vanthoor, and Philipp Eng—will take part in autograph sessions and sit down with fans for a special Q&A session hosted by Chris Wilner on the IMS Stage.
Festivalgoers will also find a family-friendly fan zone filled with activities for all ages. From live music and caricature artists to face painting and interactive displays from event partners, the atmosphere is designed to make the evening as welcoming as it is exciting. It is more than just a motorsports showcase—it is a community gathering in the shadow of the Racing Capital of the World.
The IMSA Street Festival is only the beginning of what promises to be an action-packed weekend at IMS. From September 19 to 21, the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks will feature all four classes of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competing at the same time, with prototypes and GT cars sharing the circuit in a six-hour endurance race. Fans will also see action from support series including the Michelin Pilot Challenge, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, and Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
The return of IMSA to Indianapolis has been eagerly anticipated by race fans across the region, and the Street Festival offers a free, family-friendly way to experience that excitement before the green flag falls. With cars, stars, and community spirit filling Main Street, Speedway is set to come alive in celebration of a weekend of world-class sports car racing.
For more details on the festival and to purchase tickets for race weekend, visit IMS.com.
