Indy 500 makes decision on honoring U.S. Army's 250th birthday
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 won't have President Donald Trump in attendance but will be sure to honor the Army regardless with a special pre-race moment.
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will come against the backdrop of a famous anniversary: the 250th year of the U.S. Army. The iconic track will mark the occasion by having two Army Apache helicopters fly over during the race's first pace lap.
President Donald Trump has already ordered a June parade to celebrate the occasion. Team Penske invited him to attend the 2025 Indy 500, but Trump reportedly declined the honor — to the relief of Kyle Larson.
The President hosted several famed Team Penske drivers at the White House in early April. "What you’ve done in Indianapolis, also, with the track and everything is really incredible," he told them. "People tell me it’s amazing, I’ll have to get there, maybe this year."
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Trump was even asked to drive the honorary pacecar, the second time he's received the invite. He had to cancel in 2011 after he shook up headlines for his Barack Obama birther comments, claiming the former US President was not born in the United States.
No sitting US President has ever attended the event. However, local Indiana politicians regularly make the trip. Mike Pence, the state's former governor, has attended over 30.
Pence will be in attendance once again on Sunday. He'll be joined by current Indiana governor Mike Braun, both state senators in Jim Banks and Todd Young, as well as Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett.
The biggest story of the race will be former NASCAR Cup Series winner Kyle Larson's involvement, marking this second straight year the 32-year-old will attempt double duty (racing the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day).
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Larson finished 18th in a weather-delayed 2024 Indy 500 last year, forcing him to show up over 200 miles late to the Coca-Cola 600, and further weather delays saw that race get cancelled too.
“Last year wasn’t as fun and exciting as people might think,” Larson said in his Thursday press conference. “I was super bummed because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to race in both."
"I didn’t get to enjoy the pre-race stuff or anything, but hopefully this year it goes better with the weather and I can just enjoy the whole experience," he continued.
