Awesome...many people start that way. Over the years we have taken tons of people who have no connection to the sport as a fan and they are amazed by the sheer size and magnitude of the event. Sort of like going to the Kentucky Derby. My dad started going in 1953 and went until 2006, I started in 1971 at not even a year old and have only missed afew that got rained out and run the following weekend. Started both my boys going at age 5 (now 14 and 11) and they love it, my one son loves racing of any sort and karts so he was a given. My other son is a very good traditional athlete but can't sit still long enough or has any interest in watching sports on TV but he totally looks forward to going to Indy.I've been going for a few years now with my son, my neighbor (across the street) and his co-worker. So, years ago, my neighbor asked me if I wanted to go. I love cars and sports, not much into automobile racing. I honestly didn't want to go but I didn't want to be rude either plus I wanted to at least say I went at least one time since I live here and all. I had a great time, absolutely LOVED it and I hate crowds and I didn't know what the hell was going on. With the numbers on the cars, watching the board, a radio, it's a much better experience than it was for me those 7 or 8 years ago.
The next year I took a gamble and took my son with us (he was in 2nd grade, getting ready for 8th grade now) and I was worried he would hate it, would cry/whine, want to leave early, etc but I took a risk. When his face lit up as soon as we got to our seats when Mario raced by with a passenger, I knew he was hooked too. So this has become our Christmas day now, we look forward to it every year, again, I would have never imagined in a million years I would be into it but I cannot tell you how much I love this race. My neighbor has not missed a race since the 60's or '70's.
that is awesome...I'm glad your youngsters enjoy it.Awesome...many people start that way. Over the years we have taken tons of people who have no connection to the sport as a fan and they are amazed by the sheer size and magnitude of the event. Sort of like going to the Kentucky Derby. My dad started going in 1953 and went until 2006, I started in 1971 at not even a year old and have only missed afew that got rained out and run the following weekend. Started both my boys going at age 5 (now 14 and 11) and they love it, my one son loves racing of any sort and karts so he was a given. My other son is a very good traditional athlete but can't sit still long enough or has any interest in watching sports on TV but he totally looks forward to going to Indy.
BoilerDave ,where do you sit ?that is awesome...I'm glad your youngsters enjoy it.
your namesake posted on TF todayI'll be there. I went to the race for the first time in 1970 and haven't missed one since.
The race is an event that can't be described and tv doesn't begin to do it justice. It needs to be experienced. The sea of 300,000 people in the grandstands, the pre-race homage to Memorial Day and the screaming fast cars and fearless badass drivers flying down the main straightaway at 220+ MPH into a 90 degree turn
You guys TF posters ? Been over there since the old Indy Star boards went away, profile says since 2001 but been longer then that and way more active there then here. Met a bunch of great guys over there IRL.your namesake posted on TF today
That’s me. I’m boilerdave there too.Eephus said:your namesake posted on TF today
I've been mostly lurking there since the turn of the century after the demise of the old rec.autos.sport.indy board on CompuServe. My average TF post count is only 22 per year which is an afternoon's work for me here.SwampDawg said:You guys TF posters ? Been over there since the old Indy Star boards went away, profile says since 2001 but been longer then that and way more active there then here. Met a bunch of great guys over there IRL.
I'm in Penthouse Paddock right across from Gasoline Alley. Every year I try an upgrade a couple of my 8 tickets to E Penthouse, even with over 50 years seniority (my dad and I have the same name so I just took over the tickets) I can't get in there.Stand E. 1st turn.
Yea it use to get pretty wild. Amazing the people that lurk there, it would be like Roger Godell in the Shark Pool here. I actually got to know Doug Boles back when he was an owner at Panther to the point I got hot passes left for me at Nazareth and Richmond by the team for a few years, all from conversations on TF that turned into some phone calls and help on their website. I haven't seen him in a few years but pretty sure he would still remember me, he's a pretty amazing guy that way, the speedway is in good hands.I've been mostly lurking there since the turn of the century after the demise of the old rec.autos.sport.indy board on CompuServe. My average TF post count is only 22 per year which is an afternoon's work for me here.
There's a lot of good info there along with some guys with some verrry strongly held opinions. It's not as crazy as it was during the Split days but there are definitely some posters with whom I probably have only one thing in common.
I agree Doug Boles is amazing. I have a Bronze Badge so I get out to the track a lot during the month. I see Doug every day out mingling and interacting with the fans, he loves the place and it shows.Yea it use to get pretty wild. Amazing the people that lurk there, it would be like Roger Godell in the Shark Pool here. I actually got to know Doug Boles back when he was an owner at Panther to the point I got hot passes left for me at Nazareth and Richmond by the team for a few years, all from conversations on TF that turned into some phone calls and help on their website. I haven't seen him in a few years but pretty sure he would still remember me, he's a pretty amazing guy that way, the speedway is in good hands.
I go by CrewChief over there, feel free to insult any of my posts...lol
We're in Stand E / Row P...they are fantastic seats. My buddy has had them in his family since 1964 or something like that. We're under the shade of the Penthouse all day and have a great view as they come out of Turn 4 and down the front stretch then in to and the South Chute. The only drawback is we can't see the flyover.I'm in Penthouse Paddock right across from Gasoline Alley. Every year I try an upgrade a couple of my 8 tickets to E Penthouse, even with over 50 years seniority (my dad and I have the same name so I just took over the tickets) I can't get in there.
Legend has it that there were more seat cancellations between 1964-65 than in any year before or since (including 95-96). I have no idea if this is true but I've seen it repeated in multiple places over the years.We're in Stand E / Row P...they are fantastic seats. My buddy has had them in his family since 1964 or something like that. We're under the shade of the Penthouse all day and have a great view as they come out of Turn 4 and down the front stretch then in to and the South Chute. The only drawback is we can't see the flyover.
I believe it. A lot of people never went a 500 again after witnessing the Sachs-MacDonalds crash.Legend has it that there were more seat cancellations between 1964-65 than in any year before or since (including 95-96). I have no idea if this is true but I've seen it repeated in multiple places over the years.
That's where I'll be with my family as well. My wife's cousin lives in Speedway walking distance to the track. We spend the night there Saturday and then walk over in the morning. Good stuff.Stand E. 1st turn.
That’s a great way to do it. The Speedway neighborhoods are a fun place to be this weekend. I lived on 25th Street about a block and a half from the 4th turn for 10 years. Live 5 minutes outside of Speedway now.That's where I'll be with my family as well. My wife's cousin lives in Speedway walking distance to the track. We spend the night there Saturday and then walk over in the morning. Good stuff.
Ps....for those unfamiliar, Speedway is the name of the area where the track itself is.
I agree, I was rooting for Ed Carpenter just because he ran such a great race, his car was set up well, he's been so close so many times, I would have liked to have seen him or TK win but Will Power certainly deserved it, great race but I agree, it seems like the new cars are set up better for smaller tracks. Watching the cars spaced out 6 car links, single file, for long periods of time isn't good for Indy.Will Power’s public personality doesn’t make him a fan favorite but he is a deserved Indianapolis 500 Champion.
the new aero package coupled with the high heat today made for less close racing than the past few years but it was still damn entertaining and big fun.
I was rooting for Ed Carpenter too. I hope he wins one before his career is over.I agree, I was rooting for Ed Carpenter just because he ran such a great race, his car was set up well, he's been so close so many times, I would have liked to have seen him or TK win but Will Power certainly deserved it, great race but I agree, it seems like the new cars are set up better for smaller tracks. Watching the cars spaced out 6 car links, single file, for long periods of time isn't good for Indy.
As a side note, I really wish they would put the electronic position numbers back on the car, that was a fantastic idea that should have been left alone, why they took that off is beyond me.
Oh and is it me or did attendance seem up this year? I know it's been steadily increasing for the last 4-5 years but this year it just seemed like it was insanely packed. We've been parking in the same spot for years (my neighbor has been parking there since the 60's) and this year it was filled up. We usually park about 1.5 - 2 miles away, this year we ended up about 2.5 - 3 miles away. Not a huge deal but, to me, it seemed noticeably more crowded.
I picked Helio with Bourdais as my dark horse (I consider him to be on a dark horse team...though he's certainly not a dark horse driver).It's looking like another Penske year. Chevy has an edge over Honda on pace and I trust Penske more than the other Chevy teams on setups and pit stops. It's tough to say which of the four Penske cars to pick because I'm sure they'll split their strategies to cover as many bases as possible. I'll go with Pagenaud just because with Spencer Pigot as a dark horse.
As always, hoping first for a safe race. Passing seems like it's going to be harder than in recent years so hoping second to avoid a parade.
Last year set next to a guy on a flight, who lives in AZ, bought a house in that area just so he and buddies would have a hang out place for race times.That’s a great way to do it. The Speedway neighborhoods are a fun place to be this weekend. I lived on 25th Street about a block and a half from the 4th turn for 10 years. Live 5 minutes outside of Speedway now.
Next year coverage will be on NBC/NBCSports so I’m hoping for much better coverage.Enjoyed the race.
They really need to incorporate more driver's view shots during moments where there's some intense passing or a cluster of activity going on. Preferably a driver at the back of it so you can see it happen in front of you. There were one or two times they showed those where I was nearly climbing out of my seat at how close it felt to a wreck happening. But they didn't show those nearly enough. I imagine the timing of it is tough, have to recognize it's happening and switch over fast, but it makes the viewing so much more interesting.
Until I saw that after the Detroit race I was not aware he was that high, and I believe they said all but 1 of those wins was driving for the Chipster. Given his age (37) if he runs anoter 3 to 5 years it is possible he jumps Mario for #2 all time.I thought the Texas race was good. There were a lot of similarities to the 500....extremely hot temps, still sorting out the new cars and Rossi provided the exciting passing moves.
A big take a way was Scott Dixon moved to third on the all-time winning-est Indycar drivers list behind the 2 GOATs....Foyt and Andretti.
He was only 20 years old when he won his first race in CART (Nazareth 2001)Until I saw that after the Detroit race I was not aware he was that high, and I believe they said all but 1 of those wins was driving for the Chipster. Given his age (37) if he runs anoter 3 to 5 years it is possible he jumps Mario for #2 all time.
He also wasted 3 years with the Toyota engine where he won like one race. Wouldn't be surprised at all if he wins one or 2 more this year at which point 2 wins a year for the next 3 years gets him right there to Mario. Mario of course lost a couple prime years to F1.He was only 20 years old when he won his first race in CART (Nazareth 2001)
It was very difficult for the leaders to lap the slower cars at Phoenix. I’ll be disappointed if that problem continues at the Iowa and St Louis short ovals this year.if Rossi was unable to make a pass on a substantially slower car, then that's something they'll need to work on for next year.
I haven't been to Road America since moving to California. Had good times with my dad way back in the day. The sound of the CanAm cars heading down to turn 5 still echos in my memory.Elkhart Lake this weekend. Probably my second favorite race of the season and definitely my favorite road race. Several long straightaways, high speed corners and elevation changes.
I went up there for a couple of CART races in the 80's and plan to get back. It's fun walking through the woods to different viewing spots on the course (and eating brats).
So I guess the day to day operations of the racing team will be turned over to someone else. Surely he can't run the series and the team at the same time.Monday morning shocker as the Speedway, Indycar and their media arm IMS productions are all sold to Roger Penske's organization. The Hulman family has owned it since the 1940s.
Penske has the capital and knows the business better than anyone so it's much better than a sale to some private equity firm. The only potential downside is Penske is 82 years old and probably won't live forever.
Not really a shocker. What is left of the Hulman fortune is being liquidated for cash. Penske has more passion for the sport and has a ton of respect for the history. It is all good.Monday morning shocker as the Speedway, Indycar and their media arm IMS productions are all sold to Roger Penske's organization. The Hulman family has owned it since the 1940s.
Penske has the capital and knows the business better than anyone so it's much better than a sale to some private equity firm. The only potential downside is Penske is 82 years old and probably won't live forever.