SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Every year, the Indianapolis 500 welcomes thousands of first-time attendees to the greatest spectacle in racing.
The Indy 500 is a unique event. The 2.5-mile oval creates a giant race track with 250,000 grandstand seats and acres of space in the infield. Gates open for race day at 6 a.m. and the race typically starts at 12:45, but weather can create delays. This creates an abundance of factors to account for and it can be tough to prepare.
The Indy 500 is a race of tradition, especially for people who make the race their yearly tradition. There are race fans who have 30, 40, 50 and even more Indy 500s under their belts.
One piece of advice multiple veteran fans gave – get to IMS as early as possible on race day. The more time you have, the more you’ll be able to experience, and that starts right at 6 a.m.
”Another experience is coming here for gates to open on race day when they shoot off the cannon,” said longtime fan Matt.
You also won’t want to miss any of the pre-race pageantry. FOX59/CBS4 talked to longtime fan Brad on Tuesday, he called it the spectacle before the race even starts.
”The flyover, Taps is awesome,” Brad said. “It’s awesome seeing 200,000 people just go silent and respect the military. It’ll move you.”
As for what to bring – a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are the basics, but don’t forget your own cooler. Andrew Roembke has gone to more than 30 Indianapolis 500s, he said his backpack cooler is “clutch.” FOX59/CBS4’s Eric Graves took a look inside.
”Inside we’ve got koozie, uncrustables, clutch, got to have snacks, cheese sticks and a lot of beer,” Andrew said.
You don’t want to forget about being comfortable either. Andrew said he’s always wearing something breathable.
”I always have shirt like this,” he said. “Kind of light, dri-fit, and then have a tank top under this if it gets warm and sunny.”
Comfort isn’t just about the clothes. If you’re sitting in the infield, a folding chair helps and on the grandstands, a seat cushion is a great idea.
Brad and Matt, who were sitting in the grandstands on Tuesday, said they’ll never come to the track without theirs.
“You learn that lesson the first time you don’t bring one,” Brad said.
You never know when you could get an autograph at the Indy 500, either from a current driver, past driver or a celebrity fan. Bob Lockmayer got his arm signed by A.J. Foyt, he went to a tattoo artist the next day and had the signature permanently added to his arm.
“This was in 1977 when he autographed it after he won his fourth race,” Lockmayer said.
When the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 comes to an end, the day isn’t necessarily over. You have the celebrations at the end, and the hour-long process of getting out of Speedway.
“My advice is fire up the grill, get a couple more drinks or whatever,” said Dave, who’s been to 57 Indy 500s. “You’re not going to beat the traffic. Take that in as well. It’s part of it.”
If you have any questions on race day, don’t be afraid to ask one of the IMS staff members in yellow shirts. Your fellow Indy 500 fans will be a great help, too. Everyone tends to look out for each other at the track.
