Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials said Indianapolis 500 fans could return to grandstands at about 2:05 p.m. Sunday after conditions that included the possibility of lightning cleared the area.

Race officials delayed the race at about 11:35 a.m. in anticipation of foul weather, and IMS officials urged fans to leave grandstand seats and seek shelter.

Rain reached the racetrack about the time of the originally scheduled 12:45 p.m. start and continued for more than an hour.

Live updates: 2024 Indy 500 race delay, leaders, crashes from IMS

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How do they dry the Indy 500 track?

An armada of trucks and powerful dryers circle the track to dry the 2.5-mile oval for as long as it takes to make surface race-worthy.

How long does it take to dry the Indy 500 track?

That varies. If rain and humidity have cleared out and the sun is shining, it can take about 90 minutes. However, if clouds and humidity linger, it can take much longer, perhaps 3 hours.

IMS President J. Douglas Boles said last week that Speedway officials have rented more powerful dryers from NASCAR and, after a rain delay during practice week, were able to dry the track in 77 minutes — perhaps the fastest they’ve ever dried the track.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 2024 weather advisory clears, fans return to seats