INDIANAPOLIS – Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning is proud to announce a rebrand of its landmark sim racing event, the Open-Wheels 500 Mile Race, to now be known as the Hoosier 500.
The shift in branding provides an opportunity for race organizers Ryan Schuld and Tanner Watkins to more deeply and directly honor the traditions, history, and revered sports heritage of Indiana.
“Today is a special day in the history of the Open-Wheels 500,” said Tanner Watkins, co-owner and president of Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning.
“Since founding this event in 2019, we’ve seen it produce some of the most compelling, authentic sim racing the world has to offer. Adopting the Hoosier 500 name allows Ryan and I the opportunity to more adequately honor what makes this event and this state so special, and we are very excited about that.”
“The Indianapolis 500 in May wouldn’t be what it is without Indiana and its Hoosier people, and that’s exactly why we wanted to bring in the Hoosier 500 name,” co-owner Ryan Schuld said.
“We want this event to be great to the iRacing community but also be an opportunity for the community in Indianapolis to be involved with an event that pays so much homage to the Indianapolis 500 and the Hoosier hospitality.”
Announcements and latest news surrounding the Hoosier 500 can be accessed via the new website for the event, TheHoosier500.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X at @TheHoosier500.
Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning will retain the rights to Open-Wheels and its related assets – including race history. Open-Wheels 500 records will stand and future Hoosier 500 race runnings will add to a storied legacy for this one-of-a-kind event.
Race fans and media should mark their calendars for Monday, December 30 when a groundbreaking event announcement will be made regarding the 2025 Hoosier 500.
Sim racers interested in learning more about competing in next year’s event can subscribe to our competitor communications list by clicking here. Further information about the 2025 event schedule will be announced soon, with additional competition rules and regulations to be released closer to the race registration period opening next year.
ABOUT THE HOOSIER 500
The Hoosier 500 was created in 2019 in an effort to personalize Indianapolis’ Memorial Day classic into a virtual “500” for sim racing competitors – complete with authenticity that positions the event firmly as the World’s Greatest Sim Race. The goal of the event is to present racers with the closest experience possible to what drivers in open-wheel racing enjoy each May. The Hoosier 500 is owned and operated by Indiana natives Ryan Schuld and Tanner Watkins, who are dedicated to elevating the event in the sim racing industry.