The Greatness, The Indy 500

What’s There?

Being from Indiana, I am often asked “what’s there?” Well, in hindsight, a lot. As this question became frequent over many years of traveling and moving, I think I got it down “Indiana University, Purdue University, Notre Dame, Pacers, Colts, Chicago is a 3 hour drive away, Eli Lilly, Amazon has a few offices there I believe (now) and The Indy 500, an event I learned later after my years of enjoying, is quite an international spectacle. Oh and I always forget about Simon, which is impermissible, my old boss was a top real estate analyst and spoke with the Simons often. Life always comes full circle. 

What Helped Ring the Bells

I had a chance to visit the great, flat corn state this past week and was met with a sweet treat from my dad. I got to drive his Indy 500 Camaro show car, one of them (see image) from one of the past races. It was a pretty white car, fast and had an array of decals. And let’s not forget my quick trip to Louisville, which just so happened to be in the middle of the Kentucky Derby. Yeah, I got to DRIVE that pretty Camaro down to Louis, in pouring rain and all - we are in the middle of a weird weather pattern. It also hailed in Paris this past weekend, an absolute phenomenon. Anyhow, visiting IN in May  brought me back. May was not only a sign of spring, but a sign of race season! Who says there’s not a lot going on in the Midwest? Who doesn’t like fast cars? While I really enjoyed the conversations and very much enjoyed hitting the gas in that special V6, it inspired me to share just what the Indy 500 is, for those of you who may not be as familiar, who are not into racing or are just simply not born and raised in Indiana. 

Didn’t Make it Down the Road

Pulling up at my moms was like a sitcom. I came to a halt, quite literally. I have a very dear packing process that usually keeps me up all night before a flight. Not to mention I have to drive 3 hours from Albany to Newark. I just prefer coming down to see these big buildings. Anyhow, I stepped out of the car with the intention of napping, but got caught by the neighbor who was met with joy by the toy I had just brought into the neighborhood. She quickly asked me which race car drivers I knew, if I could introduce her son to Carpenter, and if I was somehow affiliated with the Indy 500. I am not. 

My favorite quote of the trip was the lady who spotted me from down the road. “Honey, I just love that you’re in that little sports car.” Me too mam. Me too. Everyone here secretly does like racing. I guess being from Indy, you have to! Something to make you proud. 

The Neighborhood - Not like Saratoga Springs 

Was I super aware of the world in college? Kind of. But I wouldn’t suspect a car race in Speedway, IN to be the place that would attract some many visitors on an international level. An exact number is not known, but in 2023 Wish TV 8 reported the Indianapolis 500 brought in around $300 million. Saratoga Springs, just north of where I currently reside, a hub for thoroughbred racing (kind of full circle here, I grew up close to where the Derby is held). Saratoga is a city built to host the races, Indy is built for, well, more community and porch parties, but that’s what makes the Indy 500 special. At a younger age, you can understand why I didn’t realize so many people were visiting from other locations. 

Hot Wheels, Leading the Way!

I did dream about driving that car in the parade. Candy + Camaro + Crowds = Fun. According to visitindy.com, The Indianapolis 500 typically draws a crowd of around 300,000 fans. The race is 2.5 miles, 200 laps and takes about three hours to complete. That’s a long time in a car going 230 mph (with pit stops of course). But it makes sense. It was an all day event. Milk anyone?

Behind the Scenes

My dad used to take me to drag races. That was a RUSH!! The sheer sound of the cars put my anxiety on 10, in a good way. And naturally, you are now into the world of racing. It’s fun. It’s family oriented. It gives you a reason to be out in the sun with something to smile about. The speed. On the ground, race cars move us, get us going as fast as we possibly can on land, in a car. There is a reason we have a need for speed. I might dive into that in my next article. Keep reading. 

Racing Museum

Another day behind the scenes, pops took me to the Racing Museum. I think that was the most fun I’ve ever had with me and my dad. We get along, always have, but that day full of sunshine was for us to enjoy, and we did. After visiting the museum, we went as close as we could to the pit lanes. I got to wave to all the race car drivers who were busy with test runs. They waved back, were all super kind, and were also kind of in the midst of working. 

Skipping School - shhhh!

It was my freshman year of high school. One of my best guy friends Devon swiftly walked past me with a smile on his face, “My dad’s coming to pick me up, we’re going to the track.” It was May, the festivities had already begun. Concerts, food, warm ups. Not without me. I had my mom on the phone in two minutes “Can I go with Devon and Kevin please?” My mom knew his dad well, we grew up together. I left after the 1st period. I couldn’t miss this day. A chance to leave school, a chance to go to the track and have fun. When does this happen? I remember that day. We were some of the youngest ones in the crowd and were too sick to go to school. We nervously weaved through people, but as these events really bring out a sense of community, everyone parted the sea for us to walk through. Thank you adults. 

What’s to Like About Racing

The rush. Pure and simple. And the speed. I don’t enjoy watching things on TV, but put me there in person and the experience is bound to be different. I’ve been going back and forth with my writing, what I want to write about next. I put the pen down for a while, but this past trip has me picking it back up. If this article doesn’t convince you just how great the Indy 500, just go to the race! You’ll feel (and hear) the adrenaline boost you’ve been missing. 

The Great State

Indiana is a great state. They’ve done a lot of work on the cities - including Franklin, the city of my college. I don’t think there’s a better place to go golfing. My flights in between have been met with various people traveling from all over and for different reasons. If you want to breathe some fresh air, get excited about cars - because you will, or just sniff some corn, give it a go. I don’t think you will be disappointed. 

John Greene’s Love Letter to the Indy 500 hits the nail on the head. Here’s your link: https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/

I’m going to cut this column here  (going to go ahead and call it that since one of these outlets will hopefully pick it up). It was much longer than I anticipated - these memories started jogging! 

Also, this was not written by chatgpt 🙂

Baby Bird.