The roar. That’s the first thing you notice when you’re standing anywhere near 16th and Georgetown in Indianapolis on Memorial Day weekend. It isn't just a sound; it is a physical weight that presses against your chest. But if you aren't one of the 300,000 people packed into the bleachers, or if you’re stuck in a garage under a car, or maybe just grilling in the backyard, you need another way to feel that pulse. You need to listen to Indy 500 broadcasts.
Radio is the soul of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Since 1952, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network has been the gold standard for sports broadcasting. While TV deals move from ABC to NBC and beyond, the radio call remains the connective tissue for generations of race fans. It’s fast. It’s frantic. It’s surprisingly high-tech for a medium that’s over a century old. Honestly, many die-hard fans actually mute their televisions and sync up the radio broadcast because the play-by-play guys on the radio can describe a pass in Turn 3 with more precision than a high-def camera ever could.
Where to find the signal
If you’re looking for the most reliable way to listen to Indy 500 coverage, you’ve got options that range from old-school hardware to modern satellite streams. The primary source is the INDYCAR Radio Network. They don't just cover the race; they blanket it.
The easiest path for most people is the INDYCAR App. It’s free. You download it, hit the "Race Control" tab, and you get the live radio feed alongside live timing and scoring. Watching the numbers climb and fall while hearing the announcers scream about a late-race restart is basically the only way to fly.
Then there’s SiriusXM. If you’re a subscriber, they usually carry the broadcast on their dedicated INDYCAR channel (Channel 209). The benefit here is the lack of local signal drops if you’re driving through a rural area.
Terrestrial radio still lives, too. Over 350 affiliate stations across North America carry the race. In Indianapolis, the flagship is traditionally 93.1 WIBC or 107.5 The Fan. If you've got a literal transistor radio, you can pick up the track PA system or the internal broadcast on various frequencies if you’re actually at the track. It's a lifesaver when the cell towers get overwhelmed by the massive crowd.
The voices that make the race
The broadcast isn't just one guy in a booth. It’s a literal army. You’ve got the chief announcer—currently Mark Jaynes—who anchors the whole thing from the Pagoda. Then you’ve got "turn announcers." These guys are perched on platforms high above each of the four turns.
Think about that for a second.
When a car is moving at 230 mph, it clears a turn in a heartbeat. The announcer in Turn 1 hands off the call to Turn 2, who hands it to the backstretch, who hands it to Turn 3. It is a relay race of words. If one guy stumbles, the whole rhythm of the lap breaks. They use specific terminology that you won't hear in a casual conversation. "In the grey" means a driver has drifted up into the marbles and debris where there's no grip. "Washing out" means the front tires aren't biting.
You’ll also hear the pit reporters. These are the folks who have to dodge tires and air hoses while trying to get a quote from a frustrated crew chief. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. And it’s the best way to understand the strategy of fuel windows and tire wear that determines who gets to drink the milk at the end of the day.
Technical hurdles and how to jump them
The biggest gripe people have when they try to listen to Indy 500 via a stream while watching it on TV is the lag. It sucks. Your phone might be 30 seconds behind the live action.
If you’re trying to sync the audio to a video feed, you’ll need a bit of patience. Some fans use apps like "TuneIn" which allow you to pause the live radio stream. You wait for a specific event—like the green flag dropping—and then unpause the radio to match the visual on your screen. It’s a bit of a science project, but once you get it right, the experience is unbeatable.
For the tech-savvy, you can also listen to individual driver radios. This is a whole different world. Using the INDYCAR App or a dedicated scanner (like a Uniden or RE3000), you can tune into the frequency of your favorite driver. You’ll hear the spotter saying "clear, clear, one car back" or the engineer barking about "fuel map 2."
Warning: it’s not censored. If a driver gets cut off at 220 mph, you are going to hear some very colorful language. It’s raw. It’s the truth of the sport.
Why the radio broadcast is actually better than TV
TV has to worry about commercials. They have to cut away for side-by-side shots. Radio doesn't stop. The commentators have to fill every second with descriptive imagery because they are your eyes.
- They describe the shimmering heat off the asphalt.
- They mention the wind direction at the flagstick in Turn 4, which matters immensely for downforce.
- They track the "gap" between the leaders in tenths of a second, every single lap.
There is a legendary status to the radio call. Think back to the 1982 finish between Rick Mears and Gordon Johncock. The radio call is arguably more famous than the TV footage. The sheer panic and excitement in the announcer's voice as those two cars barreled toward the yard of bricks is something that transcends the screen.
✨ Don't miss: Why UTSA Roadrunners Football is the Best Show in Texas Right Now
Listening on a budget
You don't need a $500 scanner.
If you’re at home, the web stream on IndyCar.com is usually the most stable. It doesn't cost a dime. If you're out and about, a simple pair of noise-canceling headphones is your best friend. The frequency range of an IndyCar engine is broad, and it can actually drown out your speakers if you have the volume up too high.
For those who want the full "mancave" experience, some people actually pull up the live timing and scoring on a laptop, the TV on the wall, and the radio broadcast on a dedicated soundbar. It sounds like overkill. It isn't. Not when the lead is changing every three laps and the championship is on the line.
Beyond the race day: Practice and Qualifying
The "Month of May" isn't just one day. To really get the value of trying to listen to Indy 500 coverage, you should tune in for "Fast Friday" and the qualifying weekend.
Qualifying at Indy is unique. It’s four laps of pure terror. The radio announcers do a great job of explaining the "trimming out" process—where teams take wing out of the car to go faster, making the car incredibly twitchy and dangerous. Hearing the fear and respect in the voices of former drivers-turned-announcers like Townsend Bell or James Hinchcliffe (who often jump on various feeds) adds a layer of expertise you just don't get elsewhere.
What to do next
If you're ready to dive in for the next running of the 500, don't wait until the morning of the race to figure out your setup.
First, download the official INDYCAR App and familiarize yourself with the interface. Check the "Frequencies" section if you plan on buying a scanner for a live event. Second, check your local radio listings to see if an AM or FM station in your town is an affiliate; sometimes the local signal is actually more reliable than a 5G stream. Finally, if you're a gearhead, grab a set of Racing Electronics headphones—they’re the industry standard for a reason.
👉 See also: The Monte Carlo Tennis Draw Is Where Clay Seasons Go To Die (Or Start Rolling)
Stop just watching the race. Start listening to it. You’ll find that the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is even bigger when you let your ears do the heavy lifting.