CONCORD, N.C. - Carb Day has become a fan favorite event amongst IndyCar fans.
Coinciding with the Indianapolis 500 weekend, Carb Day is meant to kick off the big event.
But what is Carb Day?
Card day stands for Carburation Day. It is the final day of practice in which teams can make last-minute adjustments to their cars before Sunday's race. However, it is much more than a practice session, it is a day for teams and fans to celebrate the beginning of the Indy 500 weekend.
So, why is it called Carb Day?
In the early days of IndyCar, teams had carburetors to help regulate the air-fuel mixture entering the engine. The last day of practice became known as Carb Day because that was the day team mechanics would fine tune the carburetors to produce the best possible results. The sport stopped using carburetors around 1963, in favor for newer fuel injection systems, but despite the change, the name stuck.
Around the mid 1950's, IndyCar started allowing fans to attend Carb Day, which turned a regular practice session into an event for teams to show off their racing and mechanical prowess.
Over time new events were added to make the last day of practice more special. In 1977, the Pit Stop Challenge was added, a head-to-head competition between crews that is still a staple of Carb Day. The event pits two teams against each other in two lanes on pit road. Each driver takes their car and races into a pit box in their lane. Their pit crew will change four tires and fuel the car as fast as they can. The team with the quickest time moves onto the next round, while the slower team is eliminated.
The single elimination challenge continues until there are two teams left. The two finalists will duke it out in a best-of-three finale. The last pit crew standing will earn the title of Fastest Pit Crew and also a $50,000 bonus prize.
Other events include concerts, autograph sessions, food trucks, and merchandise booths, giving fans the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers, enjoy tasty food, rock out to good music, and nab some merch. This year, Bret Michaels and The All-American Rejects will cap off Carb Day as they perform live on stage following the Pit Stop Challenge.
Here's a look at the 2025 Carb Day schedule
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Carb Day Schedule
(All times listed in eastern time)
Friday, May 23
- 8 a.m. - Gates open
- 11 - 1 p.m. - Final Practice, FS1
- 2:30 - 4 - Pit Stop Challenge, FS1
- 4 - 6 - Miller Light Carb Day Concert
* (Times subject to change) *