Any advice for Indianapolis for the 500? (shameless Vanity)

n/a ^ | May 10, 2016 | Self

[gymbeau]

Hi, Folks! Please forgive the vanity, but I'm doing a "bucket list-type" trip in a couple of weeks to the 100th running of the Indy 500 on May 29. Looking forward to it,obviously!

I'm hoping knowledgeable Freepers might have some advice re: weather (seems fine, usually, on TV), mosquitoes, places to go - people to do, etc. Indy museum is on the agenda, of course.

I guess sun block will be in order but I'm particularly worried about skeeters 'cause they seem to come from miles around to feast on my flesh. My wife loves it that they leave her alone...

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated and thank you in advance. If any of you are coming to Calgary I'll be happy to return the service.

cheers, Jim

[gymbeau]

Thanks, jimjohn. Great advice!

Cheers,
Jim

[gymbeau]

I once walked a mile in a man’s shoes.
Boy, was he pissed!
cheers,
Jim

[hoosiermama]

Use the spray Sunscrene on ears and inside of ears. Some of the worst burns in that area for some reason

[gymbeau]

Great ideas, thanks. I have plenty of cushion on my ample butt, so maybe that’ll be one less thing to carry (Well, kinda).

Can’t get my favourite pain med OTC in the U.S.: acetaminophen with codeine. Will bring plenty!

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Wonderful. Then my wife will know I’ve been outdoors and expect me to do more of it.

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Turning left is one of the problems with the world today...

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Such is my dream! I qualified for a racing license once but never pursued it. Now I just review cars and dream.

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

There’s a difference?

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

I may bring some but hold them in reserve for if I need them. I really want to experience it unfiltered, though.

Last night’s Who concert here may have been good preparation.

Crummy Saddledome sound, but it was gloriously loud!

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Thanks. Indy’s my white whale (like I am to my slender wife!) and I’m really looking forward to it.
I’ll be doing some write ups on my review cars and the trip on my website (www.technofile.com) afterward and will try to remember to post here.
Thanks for the advice!

cheers,
Jim

[Teacher317]

I was a Speedway local for 25 years. I can't really list all of the tips and tricks and ideas and harsh lessons in anything less than a 12-page essay, LOL.

First, PLEASE tell me that you booked a hotel room already. The last half of the month of May is generally sold out at all the local hotels about 3-6 years in advance... this includes hotels up to an hour away. If you haven't, there are options, but they can get weird. LOL

Secondly, be prepared for any weather conditions. It can be 95 as easily as 43. Obviously, it'll be a bit more certain as the trip approaches, but even so, have one item to wear in case they are way off.

Thirdly, some advanced planning can go a long way. Race Weekend is not all about the Race, even in this 100th running. As others noted, there is Carb Day on Friday, but the Night Before The Race rivals Mardi Gras... you have 400,000-600,000 drunk people in a town of 50,000 residents. If bawdy t-shirts and weird sights is your thing, Georgetown Road from 9pm until 3am is a MUST.

Next, if you arrive in Indy before Friday, there are many, many interesting places to go in town that aren't related to the Race.

Traffic will be insane. Unless you bring a motorcycle with you, expect to sit in traffic for extended periods, unless you planned ahead really well and found parking at a friend's house near the track and can park there any time you want. Arriving and parking early is not a problem usually, but the long wait from 6am (when the gates open) until the green flag drops at 12:15 can be tough. If it is hot and sunny, bring more sunscreen than you think. There will be NO shade, for 12 hours. You can get barbecued if you only wear what you usually wear for a 3-hour stay at the beach.

Be extra-ready with the camera from 11am until the Green Flag. Have the Order of Events in your lap. The 500 is all about Tradition, and there are a dozen or so in that last fast hour before racing begins, and they can be done in an instant. The Balloon Release, the anthems, multiple parades, the Flyover, even some of the announcements are laden with Tradition and are photo-worthy.

Feel free to post or PM any questions you might have. I'll post more thoughts as they come to mind.

[usconservative]

Hearing Protection is #1 on your list for the race! Simple ear plugs won't suffice, you'll want ear plugs and over the ear protection.

Second, I highly recommend going to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and seeing all the old cars that have raced! I took HUNDREDS of pictures there and learned so much. You'll want a really good digital camera with at least a 10x zoom. Some of the cars are hard to get near and being able to take pictures through the crowd will be key. (Also, don't confuse the link above with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame museum --- they are NOT the same thing!)

PIT PASSES! If you can get pit passes I highly recommend it!

Wife and I went as guests of Team Rajal the year Buddy Rice won the race. All guests of Team Rajal had a suite filled with food, beer, wine, etc.. for the day of the race and we sat 20 rows up from the finish line on the infield side. What a GREAT day and a fabulous event! We also got to go to the after party and had all our pit passes, hats, shirts, race programs autographed by the entire Rajal team. (Pictures to prove that too!)

I also recommend attending the parade before the race. It's spectacular. Downtown Indy is quite nice, really good restaurants and lots of things to do before the race.

Honestly, the Indianapolis 500 is IMO the single greatest racing event of the year. We were so glad we got to go and had an amazing experience thanks to Team Rajal.

[Teacher317]

After the Race, don’t be in a rush to leave, unless you chose your parking spot wisely and got a little bit lucky. (Parking can be done outside of the track, in almost anyone’s front yard near the track, for $10-50.) They’ll have signs. IF you pick a good parking place, AND you can get to the exits and your vehicle quickly after the Race is over, you might have a chance to squirt out before the long wait begins... but the odds are against you. You can easily plan on meandering around and chatting with some of your new 600,000 friends to while away the 2-3 hours before traffic begins to die down again.

[gymbeau]

That’s where I wanted to sit but they were sold out. We’re in the NW Vista section, turn four. Will take a shuttle to the track.
We plan to be there as early as possible and stay as late as we can. Once in a lifetime!

thanks,
Jim

[AFreeBird]

Weather: it’s Indiana. It’s Indiana in spring time. Be prepared for Hot, Dry, Wet and Cold. I remember one year, where race day was 52F and overcast. The track was cold and the tires were cold, and on the first pace lap the guys got a little overzealous in trying to warm their tires, that there was a big pile up in turn two. Took out a bunch of cars.

Like I said, this is Indiana and weather can be unpredictable.

You didn’t say if you had tickets or were going to the infield. I’m assuming tickets for the stands since you’re coming from Calgary.

Do not park in the infield unless you don’t mind waiting to get out. Shuttle busses from parking areas do get priority on the streets. The streets will be a parking lot at times. For a true 500 experience, get there the afternoon/night before and get a spot in someone’s front yard. Everyone (mostly) who lives near the track has parking in their yards. Hang out and watch the evening show of people coming in and partying. Sleep in the car and head in in the morning.

Good walking shoes are a must! If you’re hauling a cooler with beverages and food, a wagon or luggage dolly is a must. Obviously, if you have seats, a wagon will not be allowed in the stands, so a stowable dolly would be best.

Don’t have much more than that. I haven’t been to the race since tony George started changing things so my info is dated. It might be time for me to reconsider going to the race again.

Have fun and enjoy the race and Hoosier Hospitality.

[gymbeau]

Great idea! Thanks. Maybe we can catch something there Saturday night!
thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Agreed. I have a 108 inch front projector, 222 wpc Rotel 5.1 audio and that’s how I usually watch it.
Have to go once, though!

thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Definitely.
thanks,
Jim

[gymbeau]

Never thought of that.
Thanks!

[Teacher317]

If you arrive before Friday, the Practice sessions are cheap, and allow people to walk through the pit/garage areas. At certain times of the day (ie, when the cars aren't running), a small gate opens and people can walk from the outer stands into the garage area, along the historic "Yard of Bricks" (the Start/Finish Line that is still made of actual bricks from the original surface of bricks from the 1900's), where you can snap a quick pic of you and your "team" (your family) "kissing the bricks", another major tradition.