Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
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"We're talking about the greatest automobile race ever put on anywhere on the face of the earth. Everything connected with it is going to have to be bigger and better than ever before - or we'll miss the boat." - Carl Fisher, 1910
Buckle up and get to the right mood with the Delta Force theme!
Carl Fisher and his partners Jim Allison, Art Newby and Frank Wheeler did not miss that boat. The first Indianapolis 500 on the Memorial Day 1911 was an instant hit with a crowd of 80.000 people witnessing Ray Harroun and his Marmon Wasp winning the longest race of the era and taking the biggest prize money ever given from a single automobile race. The 2,5 mile oval covered with bricks was an instant success. Year after year cars became faster, crowds bigger, prize money went up and new innovations broke in to the daylight first at the speedway and later on for road cars. The story started to develop.
From its teen years through the 1920's the race got bigger and bigger and it started to draw international entries, manufacturers and fans. The Great Depression had its impact on the Indy500 like it did on everything else. The manufacturers had to cut their budgets and not to participate. So the rules were changed to make the race more interesting for private entries and the prize money was again upped. Track safety was also improved by making the outside walls higher and pushing the inside walls further down the inside field. The banking came higher and the apron area was born. These changes worked, and due the difficult financial times, racers around the world wanted to chase the dream of making it big time in one race.
The story of Kelly Petillo, the 1935 winner is a good example of what Indy 500 ment for the drivers of that day. Karl Kizer had a mechanic shop and Pentillo showed up to his garage with a blown engine after the qualifying. He begged Kizer to repair his car. Kizer's shop was completely swamped that they and he said to Petillo that he can't do it. Few hours later Petillo came back with his wife and kid and started crying. He had put his every last dime on the car and he only had few bucks to live on between the moment and the race. Kizer loked at the Petillo's kid and for it didn't seem fair to let the him to go hungry. So Kizer accepted to help out Petillo. They made new piston and rods and welded up the block. The work was worth of 800$ of 1935 money, a huge repair bill. The car was named The Welded Wonder. "Well, by golly if Kelly didn't go out there and win the race. And the next morning he ran all the way from the bank to our shop to pay off his dept." Karl Kizer remembered. The gamble paid off and Petillo's share of the 78575$ prize money was 30600$, in today's money that would be over 540.000 dollars.
That was the spirit of the Indianapolis 500 back in its early days and that's the spirit that has remained all the way through the great heydays in 60s and 70s through the spectacular 80s and early-90s until these days. The Indianapolis 500. During the last hundred years, everything has changed, but yet, nothing has changed. The quest for glory, wealth and fame. The pursuit of the life long dreams. Getting your name in the history. The driver who wins the big race will forever remain part of the legacy of the greatest spectacle in racing. To win it, you have to be truly worthy. It's the ultimate quest for speed and immortality for the motorsports world. The Indianapolis 500 was here long before us and it will be here long after we've gone. We are back for the one hundreth time. Back Home Again in Indiana.
The Schedule:
Spoiler:
INDY 500 PRACTICE - MONDAY, MAY 16, 2016 12:00pm - 02:00pm - Rookie Orientation Program 02:00pm - 06:00pm - Indy 500 Practice
INDY 500 PRACTICE - TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016 12:00pm - 06:00pm - Indy 500 Practice
INDY 500 PRACTICE - WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016 12:00pm - 06:00pm - Indy 500 Practice
INDY 500 PRACTICE - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2016 12:00pm - 06:00pm - Indy 500 Practice
FAST FRIDAY - INDY 500 PRACTICE - FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016 12:00pm - 06:00pm - Indy 500 Practice 06:05pm - Fastest Lap of the Day Award - Panasonic Pagoda 06:15pm - Indy 500 Qualifying Draw - Pagoda Plaza Stage
INDY 500 QUALIFICATIONS - SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016 08:00am - 08:30am - Indy 500 Practice - Group 1 08:30am - 09:00am - Indy 500 Practice - Group 2 09:00am - 10:00am - Indy 500 Practice - Full Field 11:00am - 05:50pm - Indy 500 Qualifying (1-9 Advance to Fast 9)
ARMED FORCES POLE DAY - SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016 12:00pm - 12:30pm - Indy 500 Practice - Positions 22-33 12:45pm - 01:15pm - Indy 500 Practice - Positions 10-21 01:30pm - 02:00pm - Indy 500 Practice - Fast 9 02:45pm - 04:45pm - Indy 500 Qualifying - Positions 10-33 05:00pm - 05:45pm - Indy 500 Fast 9 Qualifying - Positions 1-9
INDY 500 PRACTICE - MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016 12:30pm - 04:00pm - Indy 500 Practice 04:30pm - 07:00pm - Indy Lights Testing
INDY LIGHTS FREEDOM 100 PRACTICE & QUALIFICATIONS - THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016 09:00am - 12:00pm - Indy Lights Freedom 100 Practice 12:15pm - 01:00pm - Pit Stop Practice - Pit Lane 01:15pm - 02:15pm - Indy Lights Freedom 100 Qualifying 02:30pm - 04:00pm - Vintage Car Laps 02:30pm - 05:00pm - Pit Stop Practice - Pit Lane
MILLER LITE CARB DAY - FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2016 08:00am - 09:00am - Vintage Car Laps 10:00am - 11:00am - Indy Lights Autograph Session 11:00am - 12:00pm - Final Indy 500 Practice 12:15pm - Indy Lights Freedom 100 Pre-Race 12:30pm - Indy Lights Freedom 100 - 40 Laps 01:30pm - 03:30pm - Tag Heuer Pit Stop Competition
LEGENDS DAY HONORING CHAMPIONS OF THE 500 PRESENTED BY FIRESTONE - SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2016 09:00am - 10:00am - Full Field Autograph Session - Pagoda Plaza 09:00am - 10:00am - Vintage Car Laps 10:30am - Public Drivers Meeting - Tower Terrace 12:00pm - 01:30pm - IPL 500 Festival Parade - Downtown Indianapolis
100TH RUNNING OF THE INDY 500 PRESENTED BY PENNGRADE MOTOR OIL - SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2016 10:40am - Former Indy 500 Champion Laps 11:00am - Decade Car Laps 11:10am - Military Silverado Laps 11:33am - Driver Introductions 12:04pm - "Drivers Start Your Engines" 12:12pm - 100th Running of the Indy 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil - 200 Laps
Entries: - The regular entries of the 2016 IndyCar Series. - Matthew Brabham, son of Geoff Brabham, and grandson of Sir Jack Brabham will enter with KV Racing Technology.[3] Brabham will attempt to become the third, third-generation driver to qualify in Indy 500 history. The previous two were Billy Vukovich III and Marco Andretti. - Katherine Legge will join Grace Autosport for the 2016 race.[4] This will be her first attempt since the 2013 Indianapolis 500. Grace Autosport is the first ever all-female racing team to compete at Indianapolis. - Sage Karam will drive for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing-Kingdom Racing in the No. 24 Gas Monkey Energy/Havoline Chevy. - Bryan Clauson will drive for Dale Coyne Racing-Jonathan Byrd's Racing in the No. 88. - Pippa Mann will drive for Dale Coyne Racing. - Buddy Lazier will drive for Lazier Partners Racing. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Lazier's Indy 500 victory. - Spencer Pigot will drive for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. - Alex Tagliani will drive for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Tagliani will drive car No. 35 in honor of Foyt's record of 35 consecutive starts in the race as a driver. - J.R. Hildebrand will drive car No. 6 for Ed Carpenter Racing. - Townsend Bell will drive car No. 29 for Andretti Autosport. - Sebastián Saavedra will drive for AFS Racing. - Stefan Wilson will drive for KVSH.
_________________ "Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."
Last edited by NVirkkula on Tue Apr 26, 2016 2:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
Has thanked:725 times Been thanked:563 times
A bit premature maybe, but it is only the Indy500 that wakes the childlike excitement in me the closer we get the to the greatest spectacle in racing. Like the Christmas as a kid feeling, but lasts for a month and only grows bigger and bigger day by day. Then it's all goosebumps on the race day when the pre-race seremonies kicks in. The balloons, the Back Home again in Indiana, Drivers, start your engines and the green flag. Then it's on the edge of the seat experience for the coming few hours. Always worth of wait, always worth of staying up late and being tired the next day.
_________________ "Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:08 pm Posts: 16182
Location: Joined 1st TBK: November 25th, 2005 ***Joelma Building, Sao Paulo***
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racing goes home for the 100th time and we all long for our Indiana home
Jim Nabors should be there, just one more time
_________________ Motorsports trend for 2024: everything is a bad taste joke now
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 5:27 am Posts: 19302
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I was wanting to go as well, but I couldn't make any plans months ago. Doubt I would be able to go now with most of the hotels in the area booked and the grandstands being sold out. Either way I will be at a track of some sort during that week with May Speedweeks in Charlotte.
I can't wait for the Month of May either way though.
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:50 pm Posts: 4091
Location: SuperModified Country...
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This and Lemans are the only races of the year that I really care about outside of a short track. I wanted to go, I mean you only get one chance to be there for the 100th running of anything, but as was said, the costs, even stateside, are very high. Plane tickets out of any of the NY airports are insane. At least they were last week.
But, this race is about tradition, speed, danger. And in some small measure, for many years now, I have had my own Memorial Day tradition. So even though I won't be there, my family and I will once again gather around the TV to watch the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:03 pm Posts: 9080
Location: New Milford, CT
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One day I hope to make it to an Indy 500. But I'll keep my usual tradition alive this year and do a bbq at the in laws pool with the race on the tv streaming to the back yard then home for the 600.
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