You can smell the exhaust fumes in the air, hear the screaming of the engines as they pass, and spot the mullets from afar. It’s May in Indiana and that can only mean one thing: “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, the Indianapolis 500, has returned yet again. After going through some rough patches in the past decade, the Indianapolis 500 mile race is certainly regaining its historic panache, and continues to attract attention from all corners of the globe.
There is extra buzz around this year’s race due to several factors. First and foremost, who can forget the amazing conclusion to last year’s 500, which saw race-leader (and rookie) JR Hildebrand hit the wall in the final turn of the race, surrendering the lead to eventual winner Dan Wheldon. Everyone will be watching next weekend to see if this year’s race will be similarly determined. Next, the entire month has and will be a celebration of Wheldon’s life, as he sadly passed away in an event last October. As the reining Indy 500 champ, his image is printed on all of this year’s tickets, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has several other tributes to him planned throughout the race weekend. Finally, there is an element of unknown with this year’s race, as the cars for this season include new chassis, engines, and aerodynamics packages. Add several rookie drivers and limited testing to the mix and you’ve got the ingredients to an action-packed race for which the trophy is anybody’s to grab.
As an Indianapolis native born and raised, the Indy 500 holds a special significance to me. While others may not typically be interested in auto racing, I would be willing to bet that anyone, fan or not, who experienced the month of May in Indy would be instantly hooked. The hallowed grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have a way of doing that people. The sights, the sounds, the history, the food, the sunburns…what’s not to love?
Adam Keller
Project Engineer
