The 97th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to be run on Sunday, May 26, 2013 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will be the premier event of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Three-time winner Dario Franchitti is the defending champion.

The track opened for practice on Saturday May 11. Time trials were held May 18–19, and the final practice, traditional dubbed "Carb Day," is scheduled for Friday May 24. A support race, the Freedom 100 for the Indy Lights series also will be held on Carb Day.

Owner/driver Ed Carpenter of Indianapolis won the pole position, the first American-born pole-sitter since 2006, and the first owner/driver to sit on the pole since 1975. For the first time since 1987, two drivers in the field enter the race attempting to win a fourth Indianapolis 500.^[1] Three-time winners Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009) and Dario Franchitti (2007, 2010, 2012) are attempting to tie A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears for most 500 victories.

Honda enters the race looking for their tenth consecutive Indy 500 victory. Chevrolet is seeking their first win since 2002. Chassis manufacturer Dallara will win their eighth straight Indy 500, and thirteenth overall, since joining the series in 1997.