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2018 Indianapolis 500


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We are a little over a week away from my other sports passion outside of IU basketball, the Indianapolis 500. I will be attending my 25th 500 this year. Any other fans/attendees here?

Qualifying looks like it’s going to be fun to watch this weekend. I hate the new format, but at least we have enough cars for bumping this year. It’s fun to be monitoring the daily speed charts again to see who is in danger of missing the race. 

I hope we can get some good discussion going here about the race and qualifying. There is an INDYCAR board, but it makes an IU fan board after a loss look like a Sunday school picnic. 

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I have never attended.  However... I have managed to either listen to or have watched most every race  since the 1950's.   Something, like you, I would never miss.

There happens to be a member of Hoosier Sports Nation, who has stayed at my house, and who works for the family to this day.  Great guy.  Though we talked more about IUBB than the race, when he was here.

Interest for me, this year..... Danica Patrick's last race.  Just wonder, how many laps she will make before she crashes.  Always a fan.... but she is no Janet Guthrie, IMHO. 

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Went out last Saturday morning for awhile before the Grand Prix. Looking forward to all of the events over the next 11 days.  Spotty chances of rain with temps and heat index up on Sunday for Final 9 and Bump Day. Personally I wish that was on Saturday but oh well. Yesterday was busiest day on track in 5 years. 

Been out to race I'm guessing  a couple dozen times. Turn 2 infield just past the family friendly section.

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More from me, when I was a kid growing up in Gary.  I recall, no matter where I went, on Race Day, being able to hear the race.  Everyone. And I mean everyone had the race turned on their radios.  And all the radios were turned up on high.  Did not matter where you went.  You never missed a minute of the race.  That's what I grew up with. 

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12 hours ago, Parakeet Jones said:

The radio coverage is great.  I listen to the radio broadcast while at the race.  I have to turn the radio up really loud to hear it over the cars.  My ears ring all the way home.  My speech pathologist wife insists I am ruining my hearing by doing that even once a year. 

We almost always go to the race but in the event we don't we play golf early at Saddlebrook. Anyone that knows Indy golf courses realizes it's not the best track in the world...but we play there early and try to time it where we are playing last couple of holes as the flyover happens just above us. Jump in car listen to pre-race festivities over radio and head to the watering hole who shows it live in Indy each year (with radio guys calling it loudly). Great crowd and fun. 

Nothing beats being there but if we can't this is an option we like as well. 

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I've never been, but on a slightly related note, a friend of mine and former baseball coach of mine ran the Indy Mini half marathon recently.  I saw a picture of Facebook of him kissing the bricks and all that fun stuff.  Check a couple days later, and find out he had a massive heart attack half way through the race.  Just happened to be lucky enough to be running next to a nurse who administered CPR and saved his life.  Had to have double bypass surgery earlier this week.  I'm not in the Indy area, but I've seen a handful of newspaper articles and newscasts from the Indy area that he's been able to post to his Facebook.  Quite an inspirational story, and such a good guy.

I'm usually not a big fan of watching it, but I'll definitely turn it on for a while to see if the guardian angels are still on turn 1.

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1 hour ago, Leathernecks said:

I've never been, but on a slightly related note, a friend of mine and former baseball coach of mine ran the Indy Mini half marathon recently.  I saw a picture of Facebook of him kissing the bricks and all that fun stuff.  Check a couple days later, and find out he had a massive heart attack half way through the race.  Just happened to be lucky enough to be running next to a nurse who administered CPR and saved his life.  Had to have double bypass surgery earlier this week.  I'm not in the Indy area, but I've seen a handful of newspaper articles and newscasts from the Indy area that he's been able to post to his Facebook.  Quite an inspirational story, and such a good guy.

I'm usually not a big fan of watching it, but I'll definitely turn it on for a while to see if the guardian angels are still on turn 1.

Fantastic story.  Thanks for sharing with us.

I am sure you have seen this, but a followup story for others to see :

Mini-Marathon runner reunites with nurse who saved his life

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7 hours ago, Leathernecks said:

I've never been, but on a slightly related note, a friend of mine and former baseball coach of mine ran the Indy Mini half marathon recently.  I saw a picture of Facebook of him kissing the bricks and all that fun stuff.  Check a couple days later, and find out he had a massive heart attack half way through the race.  Just happened to be lucky enough to be running next to a nurse who administered CPR and saved his life.  Had to have double bypass surgery earlier this week.  I'm not in the Indy area, but I've seen a handful of newspaper articles and newscasts from the Indy area that he's been able to post to his Facebook.  Quite an inspirational story, and such a good guy.

I'm usually not a big fan of watching it, but I'll definitely turn it on for a while to see if the guardian angels are still on turn 1.

Wow. I've ran the mini a few times and the way the course runs is you enter near turn 2 tunnel...do the track, past the bricks and head to turn 1. Must have kissed the bricks and had his heart attack shortly after that. Heard the stories on race day and subsequent stories about the nurses. Glad your friend is recovering. Scary stuff for sure.

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Besides the weather which will always impact things. Story of the day yesterday was Hinchcliffe not qualifying. Will be interesting to see if he takes his punishment and misses race or gets put in the SPM car driven by Jay Howard. 

Sponsors drive everything in auto racing. I think we all can agree on that. Dangerous place for Hinchcliffe. He's very successful with fans/marketing/media,etc....if he misses the race (while painful) it might elevate his popularity among fans even more. If the sponsors make the moves they've done before...what's the backlash on Hinch? Plenty of legends have missed race.

Tough call for sure. Today should be hot and humid. Fast and Final 9 stuff starts later. Huge TStorms hits the area about 5 or 530. Usually waiting to know what you have to beat has it's advantages for the pole...today getting in before storms get here might be the difference.

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I love the 500! Attend every year with my stepmom and various friends. Penthouse Paddock, across from the first pit north of Gasoline Alley. Love the addition of elevators to those seats! Lol

Looking forward to Danica doing well, and would love to see her, Ed Carpenter or Helio win. Or Marco. Or Graham Rahal. Or anyone, They’re all great. Will miss The Mayor of Hinchtown!

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1 hour ago, MrsStoller said:

I love the 500! Attend every year with my stepmom and various friends. Penthouse Paddock, across from the first pit north of Gasoline Alley. Love the addition of elevators to those seats! Lol

Looking forward to Danica doing well, and would love to see her, Ed Carpenter or Helio win. Or Marco. Or Graham Rahal. Or anyone, They’re all great. Will miss The Mayor of Hinchtown!

Danica has one of the best poll positions, I recall in recent years. Like you, I will be pulling for her in her last race. 

Really think it is great that you have made so many races.  Hope this one lives up to your expectations.... and I pray for good weather for you, your family and friends to enjoy the race.  For me.... I will be watching on tv.... once again. 

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I know it's only Tuesday but the weather folks are starting to ramp up forecasts. Temps won't be the issue all week. 80's and upper 80's. Sunday looks overcast with rain chances really picking up around 330 on. I know things can change plenty in next 5 days though.

Hope everyone has a great time that's headed out. Always have cheered for TK and Dixon....but officially won't know who I'm cheering for until I draw on Sunday morning driver's name out of hat. Speaking of that. If anyone is in pools and needs an alternate option (instead of favorites) to choose to fill out a team or whatever...take Oriol Servia. Guy  has a great history/record at Indy.

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Thanks, Mile! I love the race. :) Not sure what number this one will be, but hoping for good weather, and a safe race. I always spend the last warmup lap praying for a safe Lap 1. I was at the race when Stan Fox had a horrific crash in Turn 1, and that was not an enjoyable race.

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I’m leaving at 4am Friday to drive from Denver to Indy with my son and nephew. This will be my 36th or so race, 10th (I think) with my son. “Back Home Again in Indiana” took on a whole new meaning when I moved to Colorado, but I don’t have much nostalgia for the Wabash river.

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11 minutes ago, SteveS said:

I’m leaving at 4am Friday to drive from Denver to Indy with my son and nephew. This will be my 36th or so race, 10th (I think) with my son. “Back Home Again in Indiana” took on a whole new meaning when I moved to Colorado, but I don’t have much nostalgia for the Wabash river.

That's awesome. Safe travels and enjoy the race! Could be one of the warmest/muggiest races on record. High heat and humidity all week and weekend. Proverbial scattered storms on Sunday. I think we'll be fine. After the race or late in afternoon could be a different story. 

 

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1 hour ago, MrsStoller said:

Thanks, Mile! I love the race. :) Not sure what number this one will be, but hoping for good weather, and a safe race. I always spend the last warmup lap praying for a safe Lap 1. I was at the race when Stan Fox had a horrific crash in Turn 1, and that was not an enjoyable race.

Cogan can blame mechanical failure all he wants. He'll unfortunately be forever known for taking out Mario and AJ on lap 1. At least when Guerrero crashed on parade lap 2 he only took himself out. 

I'm with you though. Always want the drivers being safe as they dart into turn 1. Practice is one thing when no one is in those stands. Turning into there after hitting 235 down the front stretch. Hopefully the Penske guys (Simon and Will) will ease up and Ed lead the field but I doubt it. 

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1 hour ago, MrsStoller said:

Thanks, Mile! I love the race. :) Not sure what number this one will be, but hoping for good weather, and a safe race. I always spend the last warmup lap praying for a safe Lap 1. I was at the race when Stan Fox had a horrific crash in Turn 1, and that was not an enjoyable race.

The track has had so many beneficial safety improvements over the years.  Yet. some of the early lap crashes still linger in my mind. Prayers are always welcome as far as I am concerned.

 Early-Lap Crashes of the Indianapolis 500 

 

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53 minutes ago, SteveS said:

I’m leaving at 4am Friday to drive from Denver to Indy with my son and nephew. This will be my 36th or so race, 10th (I think) with my son. “Back Home Again in Indiana” took on a whole new meaning when I moved to Colorado, but I don’t have much nostalgia for the Wabash river.

Safe travels.  And best wishes to you and your crew. 

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49 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

That's awesome. Safe travels and enjoy the race! Could be one of the warmest/muggiest races on record. High heat and humidity all week and weekend. Proverbial scattered storms on Sunday. I think we'll be fine. After the race or late in afternoon could be a different story. 

 

As long as we don’t have a repeat of post race 2004 when I walked back to the bus with tornado sirens going off.  That was one of the most bizarre moments of my life. Thousands of us were stuck outside with no shelter and a tornado heading our way. No one panicked and we all just kept walking to our destinations like it was an ordinary day. 

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2 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

As long as we don’t have a repeat of post race 2004 when I walked back to the bus with tornado sirens going off.  That was one of the most bizarre moments of my life. Thousands of us were stuck outside with no shelter and a tornado heading our way. No one panicked and we all just kept walking to our destinations like it was an ordinary day. 

WOW !  I wasn't there.  But vaguely recall hearing about that.  Great story. And thanks for sharing with us.

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