Indianapolis Offers More than the 500 to Visitors
21 May 1997
While the Indy 500 is the biggest show in town come Memorial Day weekend, there are a host of other activities in the Indianapolis area for the racing fan who wants more than just the 500 mile race on Sunday.Even if you're not looking to attend another race there's plenty to do at the Speedway. The Indy Fan Fest is located inside turn two in the parking lot of the Speedway's museum. Fan Fest offers a wide variety of family entertainment from a chance to have your picture taken in a simulated winner's circle to kiddie pedal car races. How many five year olds can boast that they've raced at the world's most famous track?
Carburetion Day, held the Thursday before the 500, is the last day of practice before the big race. You'll have the opportunity to watch as the teams try to perfect their race day set ups. Carburetion Day is also a good time to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Museum. The Museum has one of the finest race car collections in the world, including many past 500 winners. You should be able to watch practice, then visit the museum or Fan Fest and still be back in your seats to watch the Pit Stop Competition which gets underway at 1:30 p.m..
On Saturday, the day before the race, there's the Driver's Meeting at the track and downtown, the parade and the memorabilia show. The Driver's Meeting is more ceremonial than it is technical but it's a chance to see all the drivers in one place, at one time. It's probably a good chance to get a few autographs as the drivers make their way to or from the meeting.
The parade downtown has garnered a lot of local support and is very popular with families. Many of the teams and drivers make appearances, making the parade another chance to grab an autograph or two. While the dyed in the wool race fan may avoid the parade, it adds a tremendous amount to the festive atmosphere of the month of May in Indianapolis.
If you're the kind of person who's saved all their ticket stubs from past races, you shouldn't miss the "Day Before the 500 Memorabilia Show", held downtown in the convention center. This year, the show will open with a special preview on Friday night for serious collectors. The show runs through saturday evening but all the best items are gone by early saturday afternoon. From old ticket stubs and programs to original artwork, this show has it all.
Racing is the reason we all make the pilgrimage to Indianapolis each May and there's no shortage of racing action in the area.
On the Thursday evening before the race, the 16th Street Speedway, formerly Bush Stadium, hosts an evening of USAC Midget action. Get there early, as opening day, held a few weeks ago, attracted 15,000 fans for the USAC midgets.
If you're inclined to travel 90 miles to the east, or if you're travelling in from the east, USAC sprint cars will be racing on the high banks of Winchester Speedway on Thursday night.
Local midget stars will race Thursday night at the Speedrome, located on Brookville Road near Kitley Avenue on Indy's east side. The Speedrome hosts racing action Wednesday through Sunday night on Memorial Day weekend. If you haven't had enough racing after taking in the 500, head over to the Speedrome for the 50 lap Figure 8 feature on Sunday night.
The USAC Silver Crown cars are on tap Friday night. The roar of the these eight cylinder monsters is enhanced by the covered grandstand at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The fairground's one mile flat track is located just off 38th street on the east side of town. This could be one of the best races of the weekend.
Saturday night, you have your choice of midgets or sprints. Midgets race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in nearby Clermont while the Little 500 for sprint cars is held at Anderson Speedway. Anderson, IN is located about twenty miles northeast of Indianapolis. For many, attending one of these races is part of the tradition of attending the Indy 500. Round one of qualifying for the Little 500 begins Thursday with round two on Friday.
The entire city of Indianapolis engages in festivities for the 500 during the month of May. Go early and enjoy the festivities or check out a rising star at a local race track. Find out why so many call Indianapolis the mecca of racing.