Curt Cavin

IndyStar

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are close to having all reserved seats sold for next month’s 100th Indianapolis 500.

The dwindling number of available tickets is expected to dip below 3,000 by the end of this weekend, track President Doug Boles told IndyStar on Friday. There are an estimated 235,000 reserved seats.

“Last night we were in the low 3,000s,” Boles said of the tickets remaining. “We are close (to a sellout).”

General admission tickets for infield viewing will be available through the start of the race, which is 30 days away.

Boles estimated that 95 percent of the available seats are in North Vista, the large grandstand between Turns 3 and 4. A few others are scattered around the facility.

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IMS was unable to confirm when the 500’s last sellout was, in part because years ago officials built temporary stands as were needed. Also, historical records of IMS ticket sales “are sporadic and sometimes hard to interpret,” Boles said.

Also in demand for the historic race are suites. IMS officials are building – or will build – 18 temporary ones for the 500. Four are under construction on the backstretch; the rest will go inside Turn 1. The latter will be built after the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which uses the road course winding through that part of the oval’s infield.

Boles said a new inside wall and catch fence will be installed to protect those suites after the May 14 race.

The backstretch suites are about 100 yards north of the exit of Turn 2. They will be 14 feet off the ground, Boles said.

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