What time does the Indy 500 start today? Full schedule & lineup for the 2021 race in Indianapolis

Racing fans hoping for something a little more normal will be treated to the Indy 500 on Sunday. 

The race, which was moved to August last year and held with no fans, is back to a May start date and will be welcoming 135,000 fans back into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

In the race's 105th running, Scott Dixon will be the first car fans see lined up at the start after he won the pole position during the Fast Nine Shootout last Sunday. He has not won the Indy 500 since 2008, while last year's winner, Takuma Sato, will be looking for his third win in the Indy 500 in a pursuit to be the first back-to-back champion since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.

Sato will race in the No. 15 position, while Castroneves will be in the No. 8 spot. 

Below is all the information you need to follow the schedule of the 2021 Indy 500 with the broadcast coverage and start time for the race. 

MORE: Watch today's Indy 500 live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

What time does the Indy 500 start in 2021?

• Race: 105th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Date: Sunday, May 30
• Start time: 11 a.m. ET (12:45 p.m. ET green flag)
• TV channel: NBC
• Live stream: NBC Sports | Peacock | fuboTV

Coverage of the Indy 500 will begin at 9 a.m. on NBC Sports Network before it shifts over to the network coverage on NBC at 11 a.m. all the way through 4 p.m., when the postrace coverage will start back up again on NBC Sports. 

During the race, Leigh Diffey will again be calling the play-by-play while Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be providing analysis. Mike Tirico will be hosting the prerace and postrace coverage alongside Danica Patrick. Up in the Peacock Pit Box, Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, will join Steve Letarte to provide analysis. 

MORE: Here are the 5 closest Indianapolis 500 finishes in race history

Indianapolis 500 schedule

The build-up to the Indy 500 has been coming over the past several days with cars attempting to qualify for the race and others trying to seal their spot at the pole position for the start of the race. 

But now, with the race finally here, the schedule begins early Sunday morning, with garages opening at 5 a.m. and the gates opening at 6 a.m. Cars won't be on the starting grid until 10:30 a.m. and the race won't actually start until 12:45 p.m. Then, drivers will race for the next three hours to determine the 2021 winner. 

Here is the complete schedule of Friday's coverage: 

Indy 500 lineup 2021

Scott Dixon very nearly won the pole position in 2020, falling behind Marco Andretti by just 0.0113 of a second in the Fast Nine Shootout. 

Dixon wouldn't be denied this time around. He came in at the top spot over Colton Herta with an average lap time of 231.685. Dixon had the distinction of being the final driver to race in the shootout and was able to see what time he needed in order to take the pole position. 

It was the first time since 2017 that Dixon will start in the No. 1 spot in the race. 

Dixon's qualifying time wasn't just fast for the 2021 field, but it was one of the fastest all-time. Only Tony Stewart (233.1 mph), Roberto Guerrero (232.482), Dixon in 2017 (232.164) and Helio Castroneves (231.725) have averaged a faster speed in the Fast Nine Shootout. 

Most of the field has been locked in since last Saturday, with the final nine drivers only being solidified in their order during last Sunday's race. 

Here is a look at the starting lineup for the 2021 Indy 500: