Indy 500 Gift & Style Guide: Best Racing Apparel

Race day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has its own dress code. You'll see retro Wing & Wheel tees from 1965, brand-new 110th Running merchandise from this year's collection, and a thousand creative interpretations in between. The Indy 500 is one of the only major sporting events where the crowd's outfit choices are part of the show.

Whether you're attending the 110th Running on Sunday, May 24, or shopping for a race fan in your life, here's a guide to what to wear and where to buy. Most of what follows comes from local Indianapolis-area brands, with the official IMS shop and a few national options mixed in for the deep cuts.

What to actually wear to the race

A few practical truths shape what works at IMS in late May.

The temperature swings hard. The day usually starts in the high 50s or low 60s and climbs into the high 70s or low 80s by the green flag. A light layer in the morning becomes a tied-around-the-waist accessory by 11 AM.

The sun is direct. Most non-Penthouse seats are uncovered. A hat does more for you than sunscreen alone, especially if you're spending eight or more hours on aluminum bleachers.

The walk is long. Plan for at least a mile to and from your car or shuttle, plus more between the gates and your seat. Wear closed-toe shoes you don't mind getting dusty.

Pack a flannel, jean jacket, or zip-up to tie around your waist by midday. A small backpack makes layering easier without losing anything.

The classic Indy 500 race day uniform tends to look something like this: a vintage racing tee, a baseball cap or trucker hat with the IMS Wing & Wheel logo, light denim or shorts, and clean white sneakers. Add sunglasses and a small day bag. You'll look like you belong.

Local Indianapolis brands worth shopping

Three Indiana-based brands lead our list for race day apparel. All officially licensed by IMS. All run by Hoosiers. All worth the trip to a brick-and-mortar location during Month of May.

United State of Indiana is an Indianapolis-based brand making officially licensed Indy 500 merchandise with a retro design sensibility. Their 2026 collection includes the 500 Mile Classic Tee, vintage Wing & Wheel art prints, "Back Home Again" celebration tees, and the Indy 500 Milk Tradition poster. Tees run around $28. Posters and stickers are smaller-budget gifts that ship anywhere. Their Indianapolis flagship is worth a stop on race week, and their full catalog is online at unitedstateofindiana.com.

Homefield Apparel, based in Speedway, Indiana itself, may be the most hometown brand on this list. Founded by Connor Hitchcock, Homefield is best known nationally for collegiate apparel sold across more than 200 college campuses. Their Indy 500 line, sold both at the track and online, features vintage-inspired racing graphics with the same soft-cotton, lived-in feel that earned them their college following. The brand's location in Speedway means race week traffic comes right through their door.

The Shop Indy carries a deeper bench of officially licensed Indy 500 and INDYCAR apparel, including driver-specific pieces. Their 2026 collection includes the "Doug Boles Is My President" tee, throwback 1989 Indy 500 event tees, retro Wing & Wheel racerback tanks, and driver-specific shirts for Conor Daly, Scott McLaughlin, and others. Most tees fall in the $25 to $32 range and rotate fast through the month of May.

And while we're on the subject of local Indiana brands, our own Get Indiana shop carries Indiana-themed apparel, stickers, and accessories that pair well with race day fits. Supporting Get Indiana directly helps us keep covering stories like this all year.

Official IMS merchandise to look for

The official IMS shop at shop.ims.com is the source for everything Wing, Wheel, and Flag. A few highlights from the 2026 collection.

The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 commemorative tee is the buy-once-wear-forever piece. Every running gets its own commemorative design, and the design lives on once the year's over. If you're at the race, this is the souvenir to grab.

Hats run $40 to $45, with the OHT American Flag Hat, Birdie Performance Rope Hat, and 2026 Indy 500 Embroidered Rope Hat among the cleaner options for adults. The Wing Wheel Flag All Over Print Hat is for the louder dressers in the family.

The IMS x Camp David collaboration is a more elevated option for a softer fit, while the IMS lululemon collection offers the kind of athleisure that travels well. If you want to hit the track on Carb Day in tech fabric, this is your move.

For kids, the "Here For The Milk '26" collection picks up the long IMS tradition of milk in Victory Lane and turns it into something a five-year-old can wear without a fight.

For the collector

The Indy 500 is one of the most collected sports in America, and the diecast and memorabilia market reflects it.

Driver-specific 1:18 scale diecasts run $99 from the official INDYCAR shop. The 2026 Alex Palou DHL, Pato O'Ward Arrow McLaren, David Malukas Verizon, and Christian Rasmussen Splenda models all reflect 2026 race liveries. A 1:64 scale is available for $15 if shelf space is tight or you're buying for a kid.

Replica racing helmets in driver designs are available for pre-order through shop.ims.com. These run higher in price and usually require some patience for delivery.

For something truly Indianapolis-specific, IMS offers the Commemorative Brick Program, which lets you purchase an engraved brick installed at the track. Each runs in the low hundreds of dollars and stays at IMS forever.

For more on the city's racing identity and the broader cultural roots of Indianapolis, our guide to what Indy is known for covers the foundations of the Crossroads of America.

For the home

Indy 500 art is one of the more underrated gift categories. United State of Indiana's poster collection, including the Indy 500 Milk Tradition poster and the 110th Running design, brings the visual language of the race into a home office or kid's room. Most posters run in the $25 to $35 range.

Vintage Indianapolis Motor Speedway prints from the 1960s and 1970s pop up regularly on Etsy and eBay if you're willing to dig. Original 1960s race programs and ticket stubs are surprisingly affordable, and they frame beautifully alongside a modern photo of the Pagoda.

A pair of checkered flag throw pillows or a Yard of Bricks framed print pulls a living room toward the racing-fan side of the line without going overboard. The official IMS shop carries home decor in addition to apparel.

Gifts at every price point

A quick reference grid for shopping for a fan, sorted by spend.

Under $20: Indy 500 stickers and patches from United State of Indiana ($4 to $10), official IMS keychains and pins, kids' tees ($20).

$20 to $50: Officially licensed tees from any of the three local brands above, IMS hats ($40 to $45), retro Wing & Wheel posters, the 1:64 scale Alex Palou DHL diecast ($15).

$50 to $100: IMS Camp David collaboration shirts, 1:18 scale diecasts ($99), framed posters or prints, IMS Columbia or lululemon performance pieces.

$100 and up: Replica racing helmets, race day grandstand tickets (the experience itself is the best gift), Commemorative Brick installation, and signed memorabilia from authenticated dealers.

For a deeper look at the city beyond just race day, our Month of May guide covers the parades, parties, and traditions that bring Indianapolis to life through the entire month.

Closing

The Indy 500 has spent more than a century building its visual identity. The Wing & Wheel. The Yard of Bricks. The checkered flag. The Pagoda silhouette. Wearing a piece of it on race day, or gifting it to a fan in your life, taps into 110 years of design history that no other American sporting event matches.

Whether you go local with United State of Indiana, Homefield, The Shop Indy, or our own Get Indiana shop, official with IMS, or vintage with Etsy finds, you can't really lose. Show up looking the part.

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