Indy 500!

The dos and don’t of the Indy 500!

Going to the Indianapolis 500 is so much more than just a race, it’s an event. It would not be a lie to say I know very little about racing cars, although running races I can talk about for hours. Because of my lack of knowledge of Indy car racing I tend to people watch at the race. Every year over 250,000 people show up to this event. I think the easiest way to describe it is by dividing it into three categories of people and what their goals are to get out of the event.

The first category is pretty easy to spot, those are the influencers/people that are just there to post pictures and videos from the event. Most of those people don’t even make it to the stands they are typically in the Snake Pit which is the concert area that starts at 4:00am and goes on all day. The outfits they come in are absolutely fantastic. You have rave meets race outfits. Typically they are wearing some form of black and white checked something and accents of red, could be a crop top, could be a bra or bathing suit top might be a mini skirt. The hair is somehow perfect and they look very put together in their what would more appropriately be called a costume.

The next category is the rednecks, the ones wearing jorts and a t-shirt that says Raise Hell Praise Dale and rocking a mullet. These guys are here to drink beer maybe see a couple laps of the race and get the wave started in the crowd. The outfits on the rednecks can be extremely awesome as well. Some look like they came straight from a 4th of July costume party.

The mild group is the ones that I call the Indy Natives. They are most likely from Indiana or more specifically Indianapolis. They are here to watch the race and probably do a little people watching before the race. They won’t stick out to you, they will just blend right in with the crowd. Most likely wearing a solid color t-shirt that simply says Indy 500. They have been coming for 30 years minimum they know what time they need to get there, where to park, exactly how many drinks to pack in their cooler and over the years have sat in enough different spots around the track to know which is the best and have kept that seat since finding it.

Now that we have identified our categories it’s time to strategize the day! The first-do is to leave early enough to get a parking spot! You will not get a parking spot in the parking lot so your best bet is to drive around in the neighborhoods and pay to park in someone’s yard. This is a big cash opportunity for the locals and they enjoy greeting everyone as they come to watch the race. Another benefit of parking in someone’s yard is that you are out away from the crowd and not waiting on a line of people to exit the parking lot.

Don’t wear heals or any kind of shoes that you will not be comfortable in! I got over 20,000 steps that day and was very happy that I wore comfortable shoes.

Do, pack a cooler; either pack a cooler with wheels or a backpack cooler. We packed a cooler with wheels this year and one of the wheels came off on the way back to the car and made for a difficult walk back. Next year we are taking a backpack cooler for sure. Pack plenty of drinks and snacks. This year we packed sandwiches, pretzels, jerky, and I actually packed a bag of lettuce and ate it in the middle of the stands during the middle of the race, and then waters, Bais, Capris Suns, etc.

Don’t buy the food and drinks at the event. The lines are so long and the food is not very good. The food is overpriced and I was not pleased with the food I got in years past, especially for how much I paid for it and how much time it took to get the food.

Arrive several hours before the race starts, especially if it’s your first time going. Walk around on the inside of the track. If you get there early enough they will let you walk around by the garages and onto the track.

Go to Midway! Midway is on the inside of the track as well and has many booths selling and giving stuff away. The lines are long but they move fast. We went to many, many booths. We got free t-shirts, gas gift cards, hats, drawstring bags, chapstick, fannypacks, etc. All on the inside of the track is also merch stores to buy t-shirts, hats, model cars, etc.

Don’t sit on your phone the entire time of the race. Pay attention to your surroundings. The Brickyard 400, which is also held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is the most dangerous track in the US. Cars wreck, debris goes flying. This year a tire flew off a car and was dangerously close to the crowd.

Don’t hesitate after the race is over. As soon as the race is over grab your stuff and take off running. This is when the actual race starts, the race to your car! If you don’t want to be stuck in a crowd of slow walking people and a traffic jam on the roads in Indy, then seriously run to your car! This part is so much fun and such an adrenaline rush trying to beat the sea of people beside, in front, and behind you.

Do! Just have a good time take it all in! There is so much to see and so many sites and smells that it’s really great to just sit and watch it all. If you want to get up and walk around and go down closer to the fence, you should be able to, as long as you have your ticket with you. We walked down to the pit stops and got to see them change the tires. You can see the team walking around at the different pit stops as well as some of the families.

We had a great year at the Indy 500! It’s always a good time in Indianapolis with family and friends; the entire weekend is so memorable and I’m happy to be… Back home again in Indiana!