IMS crews spend four days, up to 45 gallons of specialized paint prepping Indianapolis road course

IMS crews spent four days painting about five miles of track lines and more than 30 curbs to prepare the road course for the Indianapolis 8 Hour, WISH-TV reported on Oct. 16, 2026. The schedule cited in the report split the work into two days of curb painting and two days of painting lines; some curbs run as long as a quarter-mile, the report said. Zach Horrell of IMS discussed the process on WISH-TV’s Daybreak Friday segment Behind the Bricks.

The report said IMS uses temporary paint on portions of the oval that intersect the road course and that crews can wash away those temporary markings after an event to keep the oval free of non-permanent paint. The specialized paint contains grit to provide traction when tires cross curbs and markings. WISH-TV also reported the process typically repeats about 10 to 12 times per year depending on the schedule of public and private events, and crews can face demanding conditions when working on hot, black asphalt.

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