It's official: Rolling Stones playing track on July 4

Following weeks of speculation, the Rolling Stones confirmed Tuesday a July 4 performance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood will perform at night in the track's infield northeast of Pagoda Plaza. Tickets, priced $77 to $302 (with VIP tickets sold for $995 each), go on sale at 10 a.m. April 13.

During Tuesday's announcement at the track's famed yard of bricks, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles showcased an IndyCar boasting a "checkered tongue" Rolling Stones logo to advertise the event. The modern car was positioned in tandem with Rodger Ward's winning car from 1962, the year the Rolling Stones were founded.

And the track's new light-emitting-diode scoring pylon conveyed the words "Start Me Up," the title of the band's Top 5 single from 1981.

"This is an iconic venue," Boles said of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "It's a venue that all of America knows about. ... We can't wait to host this most legendary band, arguably the most famous band to ever play rock 'n' roll."

At least four factors add up to make the show one of the biggest music events in Indianapolis history:

• The band: The Rolling Stones made hit recordings at the forefront of the British Invasion and thrived through subsequent eras of popular music. The band was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

• The site: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the biggest sporting venue in the world. Until now, the track has never hosted a concert on a nonrace weekend.

• The date: Independence Day makes the show a centerpiece of the band's 15-date North American tour, and the holiday falls on a Saturday this year.

• The backstory: The Rolling Stones haven't performed in Indianapolis since 1994. More than 10,000 of 40,000 tickets went unsold at the RCA Dome that year, and industry insiders said the band expressed little interest in returning to the city.

In a week in which touring performers such as rock band Wilco and comedic duo Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally canceled Indianapolis performances and cited the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act as the reason, Boles said he doesn't believe the legislation will impact the Stones concert.

"From our standpoint, we're open to everybody," Boles said. "We always have been and always will be. As far as we're concerned, we're going to be business as usual. Anybody that wants to come to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is welcome."

Audience capacity for the concert is expected to be in the range of 100,000 attendees, Boles said. A yet-to-be announced supporting act will perform at 8 p.m., followed by the Rolling Stones.

All tickets grant general admission, with corrals in the infield separating four tiers of pricing. A $77 ticket places its purchaser farthest from the stage. Closer vantage points come with VIP tickets ($995 each), gold ($302) and silver ($119).

For more information, visit RollingStones.com. Visitors to IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com will have the chance to purchase tickets in an April 10-12 pre-sale session.

The Rolling Stones will embark on their "Zip Code" tour on May 24 in San Diego. The tour's title refers to cities the band will visit (including May 30 in Columbus, Ohio, June 17 in Nashville, Tenn., and June 23 in Milwaukee) as well as to the Andy Warhol-designed cover of the band's 1971 album, "Sticky Fingers."

The album known for singles "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses" featured a working zipper in its packaging. An expanded reissue of "Sticky Fingers" will arrive in stores on May 26.

Call Star reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.