I'm going to cut to the chase very quickly on this blog - watching the Indy 500 was one of the best things I've ever done, ever. Even above the theme parks and clubs that I've DJed, which takes a lot of doing. The atmosphere, the fanfare, and the noise of the cars is beyond comprehension. I reverted to a nine-year old for most of the day with a constant "wow" on my face. That's how much I was taken aback by everything.
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| The walk up to the track was just the tip of the iceberg... |
The Brickyard, as it's colloquially known, held it's first 500 mile race in 1911, and over one hundred years since, it has played host to some of the most dramatic races in motor racing history. The track used to be paved with bricks, but was gradually relaid with asphalt, save one yard of bricks which marks the start/finish line. Hence, the "Brickyard".
The sheer scale of the racetrack is truly something to behold. The course itself is 2 and 1/2 miles long in a rectangle shape. The four turns are 1/4 mile each, the long straights are 5/8ths of a mile, and the short straights are 1/8th of a mile. On race day, the circuit can hold up to 400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand) people. The infield doesn't just contain the pit area, there's a musuem, fan areas, and a road course for cars and bikes which don't use the oval circuit. Oh, and there's half a golf course as well.
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| From left to right: Laura, Chris, Me, Scott, and Laura. |
To help navigate this colossal circuit, I met up with my friend Scott, his brother Chris, and their wives (conveniently both called Laura!) who's been coming to the race since 2001. After meeting them outside the South West corner of the track, we made our way inside, and over to their seats overlooking the apex of Turn 2, which gives a great view from the first turn, right up the back stretch to Turn 3.
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| The view from the Turn 2 grandstand looking into Turn 1... |
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| ...and the view looking along the back stretch to Turn 3. |
They were also positioned in front of a giant screen so they could catch the action they couldn't see from their seats (due to the pit complex and infield grandstands, it's not possible to see the entire circuit from any spectator seat). After putting their coolers by their seats and grabbing a beer, we went for a walk to the infield to have a look at the events that are put on for the fans.
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| One of the drivers has their own beer! Sadly, James Hinchcliffe was injured in a practice crash and wasn't able to race. |
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| Making friends with race fans. Get well soon, Hinch! |
Inside, there's a lot of stalls and stages set up by everyone involved with the race, including the circuit itself, and all the sponsors and companies associated with the 500. There's also a place where you can lay an engraved brick with a personal message.
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| Scott and Chris's brick at the Brickyard (second from bottom) |
We managed to catch an interview with Jeff Gordon, the official pace car driver for the day, just under two hours before he was due to jump in the car and pace the field before the race start. Gordon races in NASCAR (the American stock car racing series) and has raced at Indy several times in that series, but this was the nearest he'd got to being in the 500. And by the sound of it, he was really excited to be a part of the race!
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| Jeff Gordon (right side) talks to fans before driving the pace car. |
After a few more more photos near the Pagoda (the race control tower), Gasoline Alley (the garage area where the cars are prepared) and the official race store to buy some merch (I don't need to explain that one), it was time to head back to our seats.
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| At Gasoline Alley, before we said our goodbyes. |
My seat was on the home straight, so I said goodbye to Scott, Craig and the Lauras, and made my way to my position for the next three and a bit hours. After I reached my seat, got chatting to some locals, watched the dedications, the national anthem,and sang along to "Back Home Again In Indiana", it was time for the race to begin. The traditional call was made by the chairman of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mari Hulman George. "Ladies And Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!".
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| The view from my grandstand looking towards Turn 4. |
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| And going down to the start/finish line and Turn 1. I was seated slightly higher than these photos were taken. |
With the cars lined up 3 abreast for the rolling start, the green flag flew, and the race began. Sadly, the race hadn't even reached halfway through the first lap, when an accident brought the yellow flags out, and the pace car was brought out to slow the field down while the mess was cleared away. Despite the fact that the field were cruising around at slow speed, two cars bumped in to each other, delaying the restart even more!
But finally, once everything had calmed down, the race restarted on Lap 13.
Just over 3 hours later, through a blur of 220 mile an hour cars flashing by, pit stop incidents, crashes and hard fought battles, the race was won by Juan Pablo Montoya, who despite being involved in the dramas of the opening laps and falling back to nearly last place, fought his way back to win his second Indy 500, fifteen years after his first triumph. Montoya is one of my favourite drivers, so I was delighted that he was able to take the win.
And with the victory ceremonies complete, that was it. My first Indy 500 was over, but I still remember it like yesterday. I was hooked, entranced and completely put under its spell. Needless to say, it won't be my last.
"The first Indy was definitely the one I remember. It's my favorite race I've ever done. It's the most memorable race I've ever done, for sure. Even more than when I won. I just remember everything about it." - Danica Patrick
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