Indianapolis Motor Speedway Seating Guide: Best Seats, Seating Chart and Where to Sit (2026)
Part of the Happy Hour Racing track guide series - where to sit and what you actually see.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway seating is its own problem. The track is 2.5 miles around, and no single seat shows you all of it. Finding the best seats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway means choosing your part of the track, then checking for a roof and a seat back, because many stands have neither.
The Short Version
- Best value: A Stand on a Flex ticket, listed at $60 to $70 for 2027. Frontstretch seats, but first come, first served, so show up early. Our opinion.
- Think twice about: South Terrace. Cheapest reserved seat, but by our read you face the sun and see a limited slice of track.
- Shade: higher rows in portions of the Penthouse and Box locations are covered, per IMS. H, J and every Vista are not.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Seating Chart and Track Layout
The main stands line the outside of the frontstretch, Tower Terrace sits inside it by pit lane, and the Vistas wrap the corners and short chutes.
Best Seats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Prices are IMS's advance 2027 Sunday figures. The opinions are ours.
Paddock Penthouse, A Penthouse and B Penthouse ($170). Our pick if budget allows. You sit high over the frontstretch with the afternoon sun behind you and a real chance at a roof and seat back.
Paddock ($105), B Stand ($105) and A Stand (Flex). The heart of the frontstretch. Low rows are loud and fast, but you mostly watch cars blow past.
E Stand and E Penthouse (Turn 1, $105 and $170). An IMS writer in 2011 said high in Section E sees from Turn 4 to Turn 2.
Northwest Vista (Turn 4, $60 to $95). Our reserved value pick. That same list said the top rows see from Turn 3 entry to Turn 1 exit. No roof, no seat back.
H and J stands ($60 to $90). North end of the frontstretch, watching cars come off Turn 4.
Tower Terrace ($72 to $105). Inside the frontstretch by pit lane. Great for pit stops, weaker for the big picture.
South and Southeast Vista ($60 to $95). The south short chute and Turn 2.
Video boards. Reports on the 2020 upgrades counted two dozen or more LED boards around the Paddock, plus boards on the back of the Turn 1 and Turn 4 stands for fans behind the seats. Bring a scanner too.
General Admission: What You Actually Get
General admission at the Brickyard 400 means the infield viewing mounds and no grandstand access. It is $40 to $50 for 2027, and kids 15 and under get in free with a paying adult.
Flex is the upgrade worth knowing. At $60 to $70 it adds first come, first served seats in A Stand, H Stand sections 1-6, Northwest Vista 16-20, Southwest Vista 1-10, Tower Terrace 75-78 and two ADA areas. Reserved tickets include Flex and General Admission access too. On Friday, all seats are general admission.
Seating Capacity and How the Sections Are Numbered
Indianapolis Motor Speedway's seating capacity is about 235,000 permanent seats, per Guinness World Records, down from an older 257,325, and more than 350,000 with non-seated fans. IMS does not list a number on its Brickyard ticket pages.
C Stand, G Stand and the Northeast Vista are not on the 2027 Sunday price list.
Sections number within each stand, so read the stand name first. Paddock is 1-24, Paddock Penthouse is 1-30, E Stand is 1-24 and Tower Terrace runs 37-58 plus 75-79.
Shade, Sun and Weather
IMS says portions of the Penthouse and Box locations in the higher rows are covered. H, J and all Vistas are not. Umbrellas are allowed if they do not block anyone's view.
Now our math, not a track statement. For a 2 p.m. ET green like 2026, the late July sun starts high and nearly due south, then drops into the west by 5 p.m. That puts it behind the outer frontstretch stands and in the eyes of Tower Terrace. North Vista and South Terrace face south and get it all afternoon, while South Vista and Southwest Vista have it mostly at their backs.
Accessible Seating
IMS lists accessible seating, including companion seats, at A Penthouse, B Penthouse, North Vista, Paddock, Paddock Penthouse, South Terrace, South Terrace East and Tower Terrace. Elevators serve A Penthouse, B Penthouse, Paddock Penthouse and Tower Terrace ADA. Access shuttle carts run inside the gates only. Buy through the ticket office at 317-492-6700 or ada@brickyard.com.
Common questions about seating at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
What are the best seats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
In our opinion, frontstretch Penthouse rows if budget allows, A Stand on a Flex ticket for value, and high in the Northwest Vista for the widest view.
What does the Indianapolis Motor Speedway seating chart look like?
J, H, Paddock, A, B and E stands line the frontstretch, Tower Terrace sits inside it, the Vistas wrap the corners and chutes, and the mounds are in the infield.
What is the seating capacity at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
About 235,000 permanent seats, per Guinness World Records, and more than 350,000 with non-seated fans.
Where is the shade at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
IMS says portions of the Penthouse and Box locations, in the higher rows, are covered. H Stand, J Stand and all Vistas are not.
What do you get with general admission at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
The infield viewing mounds only, with no grandstand access. Children 15 and under get in free with a paying adult.
Are the seats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway backed or bleachers?
Both. IMS says covered Penthouse and Box areas have bench or folding chair backs, while H Stand, J Stand and all Vistas have no seat backs.
Where is accessible seating at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
A Penthouse, B Penthouse, North Vista, Paddock, Paddock Penthouse, South Terrace, South Terrace East and Tower Terrace, through the ticket office at 317-492-6700.
The Bottom Line
At Indy you buy a piece of the track, not the whole thing. Pay for a Penthouse row if a roof matters, take Flex to A Stand if price matters, and go high in the Northwest Vista to watch the racing develop.
Verify before you buy, since stands, prices and accessible seating change season to season. Check the official Brickyard ticket prices page, the official maps hub and the ADA page first, or call 317-492-6700. Then read our Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fan Guide for bag and cooler policy, our Indianapolis Motor Speedway Parking Guide for where to park, and our Martinsville Speedway seating guide.
Gear Up for Indianapolis
Brickyard gear, all in stock now:
