The 2024 Indianapolis 500 went off after an hours-long rain delay on Sunday, which gave fans plenty of time to consume a few more drinks as the party stretched out over the four-hour long postponement.
By the time Josef Newgarden came screaming down the home stretch to claim his second straight Indy 500 victory, Indianapolis Motor Speedway had endured a day. That’s true for most runnings of the 500, but as heavy storms pounded the track all morning, most fans in the infield made the best of it the only way they knew how: embracing the mud.
The result was The Greatest Spectacle in Racing becoming The Greatest Spectacle in People-Watching. These are some of the best (safe for work) moments we saw.
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Fans race in the rain near Pagoda Plaza on Sunday, May 26, 2024, ahead of the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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A racing fan yells in excitement after belly sliding through the mud Sunday, May 26, 2024, during a weather delay ahead of the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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A racing fan belly slides through the mud Sunday, May 26, 2024, during a weather delay ahead of the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 26: Fans attend the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 26: Fans of Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever attend the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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Race fans watch the final laps of the Indy 500 on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.