Things to Watch for at the Indy 500

In this year’s “Month of May” series, on each day leading up to the Indianapolis 500 on May 26, a different topic about the race or about Indianapolis will be discussed. Each of these topics will be ranked to create special “fields of 33” regarding the Indy 500. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you learn something about Indianapolis and the Indy 500, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

With so much happening before and during the race, there are a lot of things you might miss. There are also lots of things you should do your best to miss. In today’s Month of May installment, we look at the things happening on race day that we think you CAN’T miss / WON’T miss / DON’T miss / TRY TO miss. In short, the Field of 33 Things to Watch for at the Indy 500.

 

Row 11

33. Scalpers. Sell them a ticket for $20, buy it for $150. Scalpers are all around the Speedway trying to make a quick buck. Watch out you don’t get burned.

32. 500 Festival Queen. See if you can catch a quick glimpse of the Queen as she parades around the track pre-race.

31. Porter Pottys. During your pre-race tailgating, during your trek to the track, and during the race itself…make sure you know where the nearest restroom is. The porter potty is your friend…just have a friend stand guard outside, too, especially if you’re in a place like the Coke Lot.

Row 10

30. Broken Coolers. Many people buy the Styrofoam coolers but don’t reinforce them with racing tape (more commonly known as duct tape). Between completely destroyed Styrofoam coolers and the more common plastic ones that somebody may have rolled too strongly over a curb, you’re almost guaranteed to find at least one busted cooler on your trek to the track.

29. Purdue Drum.  This is a can’t miss. Catch a glimpse of the world’s biggest drum during the pre-race parade!

28. The Replay. You can’t miss the replay. Catch what you missed live at the Speedway. It’s best to enjoy the replay telecast with a warm beer and a cold slice of pizza…wait, a cold beer and a warm slice of pizza….sorry, I was out in the Brickyard sun too long and got confused.

Row 9 – “That Guy” Row

27. Obnoxious Fan – Our friends at thecalfmuscle.com will surely approve of not being “that guy” at the race (or at any sporting event for that matter). Whether it’s the fan who keeps dropping insensitive remarks because a woman is leading the race, the fan who drops F-bombs every other word and that’s all you hear during the “silence” between cars whizzing by, or it’s a fan who has just had too much to drink and can’t say a single appropriate thing…just don’t be that guy.

26. Tiny Bladder Guy. I understand some people have conditions and need to use the restroom more often than others. However, that does not mean you have to get up every ten laps right in the most important situations of the race. Others want to watch, not have to move out of the way for you fifteen times during the course of the race. Don’t be that guy.

25. The Drunk Rolling Down the Stairs. Yes, people have gotten THAT drunk. Enjoy yourself, have a good time, but if you can’t even walk up or down the steps to your seat then you surely can’t follow the cars around the track. What’s the point? Don’t be that guy.

Row 8 – Lap Row: DON’T MISS THESE LAPS!

24. Victory Lap. Everybody is in such a rush to leave after the race ends to try to beat the traffic. Trust me, it can’t be done unless you leave 20 laps early. Stick around. Let everybody else stand in the aisles for 15 minutes holding their coolers and souvenirs. Enjoy the sun for a few more minutes, watch the post-race celebrations, and most importantly watch the winner take his Victory Lap in the Pace Car. Not only do you get to see some amazing moments (the milk, kissing the bricks), but you aren’t fighting traffic the whole time.

23. Military Lap. Definitely a DO NOT MISS moment. Support your troops. It really is an awesome moment watching the servicemen and -women go by on the track during the pre-race festivities. Get there early and don’t miss it.

22. Parade Laps. Honestly there is not a better image to the race than the parade laps. All 33 cars in their rows of three…put down your sandwich and beer for a moment and enjoy the image!

Row 7

21. Coke Lot. As you trek to the track, if you have kids going with you, try to stay away from the Coke Lot a bit. Usually those who park along the streets aren’t too bad, but you never know. However, for the crazy party people, go ahead and stroll through this and other lots around the Speedway. Enjoy the sights and the sounds.

20. Bars. On race day, the bars will be packed. A few on Georgetown aren’t bad, but not the place to be on race day. If you’re near the Speedway on Sunday, go to one of the lots and make some friends. Somebody will have a full television setup with Satellite TV. You can’t watch the race live in Indianapolis anyway, but some of those satellites can use signals from your home in another state. It’s worth a try!

19. Georgetown Road. Unless you are the biggest of party animals, stay away from Georgetown Road the night before the race. On race day itself, it’s not too bad. It is the main location of vendors, scalpers, and partiers for sure (as it parallels the front straightaway of the Speedway). If you need something (especially a crowd), go to Georgetown. If you know where you’re going and want to avoid the traffic, steer clear.

Row 6

18. Police Motorcade. Keep your eyes open as you make your trek to the track. You’ll see probably a half-dozen police escorts for limos, convoys, and party busses. So take it easy on your way to the Speedway and don’t go walking into the middle of the street!

17. Accidents. This goes for both on and off of the track. For off-track, be sure to check your local radio/TV stations before you leave. Don’t let traffic make you late. Listen for those traffic accident locations and avoid at all costs. Then on the track…we wish we never had to see crashes. However, they are a fact of racing and many are spectacular. Keep your eyes peeled to the track at all times, you don’t want to miss an accident in front of you.

16. Debris. EXTREMELY RARELY does debris from one of those accidents enter the stands. But it does happen. That’s why you always need to watch out for crashes and for the potential for flying debris.

Row 5

15. “Free Mammograms.” Some hilarious college guys thought they would help out the female population in the Coke Lot by offering free mammograms. Isn’t that sweet? …WATCH OUT!

14. Florence Henderson. Here’s one you WISH you could miss…I need my earplugs when Mrs. Brady goes to sing!

13. Fly By. Look towards turn 4! Don’t you miss that flyover! It’s a sight and something you just cannot miss. If you hear the planes already, you’re too late.

Row 4 – Pre-Race Row

12. “Start Your Engines.” Be in your seat ready to hear those most famous words in motorsports. The crowd will certainly let you hear Mari Hulman George give the command, because you could hear a pin drop when she is introduced. Once she says those words, the roar of the crowd actually drowns out the roar of the engines.

11. Balloons. As Gomer Pyle sings those final notes, look behind (or in front of…depends where you are sitting) the Pagoda to see thousands of balloons released into the air. This is a must-see!

10. Jim Nabors. Don’t watch just for the balloons, but also for the legendary voice of Jim Nabors. His voice has become just as much of a tradition at the Indy 500 than the song itself!

Row 3 – Weather Row

9. Precipitation, Storms. Here’s something you hope to miss, but it is always a possibility. Watch out for the rain, watch out for storms, and hopefully no tornadoes like in 2004!

8. Clouds. They can be a savior and a pain at the same time! Cloud cover might help save you from those record 90 degree days! However, on more mild days (in the 70s) with cloud cover, you are extremely comfortable and don’t realize that you are getting burned. You’ll be a lobster tomorrow. Remember that clouds can help, but you’ll still get burned, so don’t forget that sunscreen!

7. “Window Over Terra Haute.” Look for it, love it, enjoy saying it ten times during the course of the race! It’s the most important weather-related thing to watch for during the race!

Row 2 – Carb Day

6. Broken Glass.  Glass bottles are not permitted in the Speedway, but many people take them for tailgating and they end up smashed (intentionally at times I’m sure…) on the roads. Some don’t realize this and their broken Styrofoam coolers end up giving off broken glass as well. Just watch out for shards of glass and avoid those crazy areas the best you can.

5. Beer. When somebody behind you in the stands gets so excited when J.R. Hildebrand crashes but still crosses the start/finish line, watch out that he doesn’t knock the beer out of his neighbor’s hand and said beer ends up spilling all over you.

4. Snake Pit.  Again, it’s not what it used to be. But unless you’re going to go party in the Snake Pit, it’s probably best just to avoid the area.

Row 1

3. Cops. They’re only out to help you. But if you are known to make dumb decisions, keep your eyes open for the police presence. Also, when driving to the track, watch for the traffic cop and make sure you “look at me when I’m talking to you!”

2. The Rat. I love when rookies come with us to the track. As we walk past the Coke Lot each year, the mechanical rat makes a presence. This rat caught in a trap is set in the street. As race attendees walk to the track, they come across this moving, semi-dead rat caught in a trap. Everybody jumps the first time. Then the next year they look for it and watch for those around them to freak out, just like they had done the year before.

1. The Green Flag. Don’t miss the green flag flying and the race beginning. The first time all 33 cars roar full speed into turn one…THAT’S when you know already that you will never miss another Indy 500. Be in your seat and ready to watch the field take the green flag for the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500.

The Field of 33 – Things to Watch for at the Indy 500

Row 1	1. The Green Flag	2. The Rat	3. The Cops
Row 2	4. Snake Pit	5. Beer	6. Broken Glass
Row 3	7. “Window Over Terra Haute”	8. Clouds	9. Precipitation
Row 4	10. Jim Nabors	11. Balloons	12. “Start Your Engines!”
Row 5	13. Fly By	14. Florence Henderson	15. “Free Mammograms”
Row 6	16. Debris	17. Accidents	18. Police Motorcade
Row 7	19. Georgetown Road	20. Bars	21. Coke Lot
Row 8	22. Parade Laps	23. Military Lap	24. Victory Lap
Row 9	25. Drunk Rolling Down the Stairs – THAT guy	26. Tiny Bladder Guy – THAT guy	27. Obnoxious Fan – THAT guy
Row 10	28. The Replay	29. Purdue Drum	30. Broken Coolers
Row 11	31. Porter Pottys	32. 500 Festival Queen	33. Scalpers