Spectators in the stands at the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 in Speedway, IN, were treated to more than just fast cars at Sunday’s race. Under cloudy skies that threatened rain at any moment, a synchronized, high-flying formation of military jets and Apache helicopters left onlookers in awe.
“That was incredible. They flew right above our heads,” said Sue Crankfaller of Batesville, IN, in an interview from the grandstands with Military.com. “The engines were so loud I had to cover my ears, but it was amazing to see them fly so close to us.”
The iconic Indianapolis 500 race is considered the largest single-day sporting event in the world, drawing a sold-out crowd of 350,000 fans. The military flyover was executed just before the start of the race, following the singing of the national anthem by recording artist and 2007 American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.
“Everything is scripted down to the second, and we are coordinating with a variety of different partners,” said Chief Warrant Officer Josh Wesner, with the Indiana National Guard’s state aviation office, in a statement released to Military.com. “So that presents its own challenges. But because Indianapolis Motor Speedway controls the script well, it is usually a lot easier than it seems.”
Flyover Arrival Timed in Seconds
According to the Indiana National Guard, in a combat or training environment, a flyover would typically have to time its arrival at a target window of one minute. But at the Indy 500, the flight crew only has about a 3-second window. That allows them to fit neatly into the broadcast schedule, and for the race to go on as scheduled.
The team on the ground coordinates directly between the pilots and the broadcast booth to ensure a precise arrival time from their original takeoff location. The pilots fly faster or slower to time their arrival, depending on the speed of the national anthem singer.
“The person on the ground has to relay and stress the speed of the program as it is going on, over and over again,” Wesner said. “We all know the national anthem is about two minutes and 36 seconds, so we can sort of pace the pilots off of that.”
During Sunday’s flyover, Wesner was perched at the top of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s famous Pagoda overlooking the track and grandstands. From there, he and his colleagues worked side-by-side with U.S. Air Force Reservists from Grissom Air Force Base near Kokomo, IN, to monitor time cues, communicate with pilots in real time and call for changes in aircraft speed.
“I don’t know how they were able to pull that off. I’ve been coming to air shows since I was a kid, and I’m always like, ‘how did they do that,'” said Steve Crew, a spectator from Cincinnati, OH, in an interview with Military.com. “The guys who fly in these formations are like magicians.”
Years of Rigorous Training for Precision Flyovers
Flyovers at the Indy 500 or at air shows across the country provide memorable moments for spectators. Airmen and women train for these events year after year, with a team of pilots and ground support working to prove they can operate in high-visibility, congested airspace while still hitting precise timing windows.
“This is a skill set that is important for us to build,” said Air Force Capt. Sean Hanna, in a statement released to Military.com. “Getting the timing on target right, utilizing our tools correctly and practicing flying low to the ground, is all an important part of our overall mission set.”
For the race, Sunday’s flyover was weather-dependent with spotty rain showers in the forecast. Spectators like Sara Westheimer from Indianapolis had their fingers crossed that the rain would hold off. It did, with a short 12-minute rain delay during an otherwise dry racing day.
“Except for a few sprinkles and that short rain delay, we got to see the whole race,” said Westheimer, in an interview with Military.com. “I was really happy about that. No one wanted a long delay or a postponement.”
The 110th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” saw 33 cars compete for the checkered flag. Driver Felix Rosenqvist won the closest Indianapolis 500 in history, only slightly ahead of David Malucas by just 0.02 seconds to claim the 2026 title.
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