Agenda

The 2026 Speedway Override is a three-day event. We'll share the full agenda soon. Our team is coordinating closely with IMS to design a schedule that works seamlessly around the on-track racing so attendees can fully experience both the competition and the race-day atmosphere. Our current estimate is that doors will open around 7:30 a.m. each day, with activities wrapping up by 5 p.m. Stay-tuned!

Volunteer

Signature Events are only made possible by the great volunteers who staff the event. The Speedway Signature Event is no exception; we always aim to have the best staff of volunteers at our event. 

We are currently seeking volunteers in the following areas:

• Field Resetters

• Skills Referees

• Queuers

• Practice Field Monitors

• Setup/Teardown

Volunteers can sign up at this link. We utilize judges that have no direct affiliation with participating teams. If you would like to judge and have no affiliation, please contact Julie Robbins at [email protected]. 

All head referees and announcers at the Speedway Signature Event hold previous experience from the World Championships in addition to other Signature Events, State/Regional Championships, and local events. 

Emergency/Bad Weather Policy

Speedway will run rain, shine, or snow. In the event of any emergency or bad weather, we will post updates to events.vex.com and email coaches. 

If your arrival will be delayed due to an emergency, please call or text (317) 985-5111 with your team number.

Refund and Payment Policies

If the Event Partner cancels the event: A full refund will be given.

​If a Coach/Mentor completes registration for the event then chooses to withdraw or not attend: No refunds will be given.

Payment should be received within two weeks of registration. Teams registering within six weeks of the event should pay upon registration. Teams who do not meet the payment deadlines will be moved to the waitlist. 

Date: 18-Sep-2026 - 20-Sep-2026

Travel Info

The Speedway Signature Event is held in the Gallagher Pavillion on Pagoda Plaza — inside the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the home of the Indianapolis 500. Maps will be sent in follow-up communications.

For those driving to the Speedway Signature Event, we recommend putting in your destination as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Use Gate 2 and the South Side Tunnel on 16th Street.

Webcast

The Speedway Signature Event is proud to livestream the entirety of the 2026 Speedway: Override. The livestream link will be posted at a later date. 

Judging Format

The Speedway takes judging very seriously. Our highly experienced Esteemed Corps of Judges from all over the United States puts in more than 650 hours to make our effort complete. We employ a hybrid judging format. Here is what that means:

Engineering Notebooks will be reviewed in advance of the event by the Judges.  We believe this will allow the Judges to spend more time with the notebooks and therefore better reward the effort that teams put into their notebooks.  We ask that all teams submit their Engineering Notebooks on events.vex.com NO LATER THAN midnight EST on Saturday, September 5th, 2026.  

Team Interviews will be conducted in person in the pits on the days of the event.  All teams will be interviewed at least once, so be prepared to tell us why your robot is great! Interviews should be around 10 minutes in length, so be sure to practice being concise and impactful.  Some teams may receive second interviews if the Judges need additional information. A second interview is not a guarantee of an award, and not all award winners receive second interviews. 

If you have any questions about the judging process, please email Julie Robbins ([email protected]) and we will try to answer them.

Custom Awards

Speedway is also known for a series of custom awards. Each year, our referee team and field staff select a driver or team of drivers to win the "Cole Earl Driver Award."