The Official Blog of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This short blog series tells the story of how the Coke Lot event known as Camp and Brew, celebrating it’s 10th year in 2011 at the The Indy 500, began and grew.  It’s alliance with the Brian’s Wish Charity and the $31,900 raised in 9 short years, is in memory and support of a young man who died of ALS.

The trail that leads fans to become fans of a particular sport is never straight forward or similar in any two cases.  For me, it started with an invitation to the Indy 500 from my younger brother living in Indianapolis in 1994.

He was more a fan of the party that always surrounds the race, as opposed to the racing itself, but he knew the drivers and before the split, at least had an interest in the series and in the outcome of the 500.

His Carb Day party at his house, complete with hot tub, was an annual event that I enjoyed going to, even though I knew none of his co-workers from the Indianapolis Air Traffic Control Center who comprised 90% of the guests.

It seems a lifetime ago, but I can still vividly recall the feeling of not knowing what to expect as we drove to the race that Sunday morning. After parking somewhere off 30th street, we walked past the campgrounds that told incomplete tales of massive fun and alcohol induced revelry from the night before.  Through the tunnel we went in the Turn 3 and 4 short chute making our way, with the crowd of thousands, to our seats.

We sat in Turn 3, in aluminum stands that are no longer there. Infield seats that, at the time, I didn’t know were not as special of a view as in the stands would later prove to be. But to me, it did not matter that the cars passed in front of us so quickly and were only in our field of view for brief seconds when at speed.

To say the Nigel Mansell/Dennis Vitolo accident in the 1994 race happened “right in front of us” always makes me laugh, since no matter where in the 500 an accident happens, it starts or ends ‘right in front’ of about 95,000+ people.  Although memorable, I was not there to see carnage, but fast cars.

I became a fan of the series and joined the CREW, which was the Official Fan Club of the (at that time) IRL.  I went on to produce the CREW NEWS and MC’d at several end of year CREW Banquets, where finally we got Sarah Fisher to show up, after winning the CREW’s Most Popular Driver Award for the third straight time (2001-2003).  Special guest speaker that year was Tom Carnegie.

As my interest and trips to Indy from Ohio increased, my brother transferred his job to Southern California.  I wondered if he’d still come back for the race.  I wondered where we would stay. I thought of those crazy campers that we always saw and figured we’d try that.

That would have to wait, as that year, 2001, he landed us free accommodations at a former co-workers house who was recently divorced. To say that was not ideal, would be to neglect the obvious and I knew, somehow, the next year would need to be different.

The idea of how to make camping for the 500 a reality was born and by the time the next 500 came around, the annual event known as Camp and Brew (since it rhymed with 2002) was started.

Stay tuned to the IMS blog for the next installment in this series to find out more! Visit CampandBrew.com in the meantime and share your comments for Tom and Glenn below!

It’s simple and we know it, your first to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can be daunting. Some travel, some live locally, but all converge into one space for the Largest Single Day Sporting Event in the World.

Coming from Pennsylvania, my first Indianapolis 500 was a whirlwind. I was the perfect age for an in-field ticket and squeezed into the back of a car at 4 a.m. with nine other people (from what I’ve come to understand, most people figure out a way to fit more). We drove for an hour from an apartment complex that would normally take five minutes to reach to Speedway and entered into the track from Georgetown Road. As we unloaded onto the hill at Turn 3 I realized just how utterly unprepared I was for the day. I looked around and felt overwhelmed but thankful to have friends there to show me how to really enjoy the Indianapolis 500.

As the day wore on, I began to grow restless. Having attended Penn State University (shout out to Joe Paterno and my Nittany Lions), I like to think I know a thing or two about tailgating, but even I was tired, weary, and in desperate need of a nap. But then it started, the noises, the grandeur, the parade lap, the Purdue Marching band. In a few words… it came to life. And then it got better as the Indy Cars hit the track.

To  be honest, I didn’t know, or even expect what SOUND the cars make. Over the past few months I’ve watched fans describe it as “magical” and that day I understood what they feel. It’s loud. It hits your core. And it leaves you longing to see the field of 33 hit a turn and charge right back out of it just to hear the sound fade momentarily into the distance.

At some point, the race was over — admittedly, I was ready to leave Turn 3, go home and sleep for days. The reality was that two hours later I was napping in the back of a car as we finally pulled out of the track and headed home.

I couldn’t tell you who won that day (without cheating and looking, admittedly) but I can transparently share that I expected that day to return home to Pennsylvania and never return to the Indianapolis 500. In my mind, I had “been there, done that” and never felt it could be topped.

Of course then life took over and through the years I somehow found myself once again here in Indiana. You simply cannot live near the track and not make the effort to come out — but the second time around my experience was completely different. For starters, we started the day exploring areas outside the track. We walked into the race and honestly, everywhere. We covered every inch of the facility, eager to see everything. Instead of hauling a cooler around, we invested in those giant turkey legs I’d seen my first time out and found that, surprisingly, the food comes at a good deal. The highlight of the day? Sneaking past a yellow shirt and sitting right behind Danica’s pit for a few glorious laps. We left right as the race was finishing and beat the traffic — rather than sleep for hours afterwards, we took a nap, nursed our sunburns and recovered quickly.

I guess the point here is that, I came back and my experience was completely different. The next step, were I to take it? Seats! (From what my Hoosier-native friends have shared, there really is a “growing up” process to attending the 500). I’ve come to marvel out just how different an experience any one person will have attending the Indianapolis 500  and what if, that very first time, you decided to never come back again?  If I hadn’t returned, I would never have experienced the thrill of sitting front and center for a pit stop. Or realized everything that happens beyond the Snake Pit. The thing is, that first time I just did not know what to expect and I did not understand how to make the most out of one trip to the Indianapolis 500.

Which begs the question, what would you tell someone attending their first Indianapolis 500? What is there to share that would really prepare someone for attending such a large event? Is this your first year attending? What do you want other fans to share with you in preparation?

On Saturday, April 2, I took advantage of the opportunity to run a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  The event was the 2011 NCAA 4Kay Run.  The run was one of the many events in Indianapolis in connection with the NCAA Woman’s Final Four.  It’s a fundraiser to support the fight against breast cancer held in remembrance of Kay Yow, the late head coach of North Carolina State University.

I’ve run a lap around IMS a number of times, but it has always been during the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.  During the Mini, the lap around the track is during miles 7 and 8 of the 13.1 mile run when the strain of the race has set-in.  For the 4Kay run, the race length of 4 kilometers (2.49 miles) is one lap around the Speedway.  This lap gave me an opportunity to reflect on some of my favorite memories from the past 39 Indy 500’s I have attended.

The NCAA Mascot excited to line-up on the Yard of Bricks

The 4Kay Run started in pit lane at the Yard of Bricks.  The start of the run reminded me of the Indy 500 pre-race festivities that take place adjacent to the start finish line – the Purdue Band playing ‘On the Banks of the Wabash,’ the singing of Jim Nabors and Florence Henderson, the somber playing of taps, those “most famous words in racing” and the release of the balloons.  I’ve always enjoyed the pre-race pageantry and I can’t wait to see the special events planned for this year’s 100th Anniversary Indy 500.

As we headed in to turn 1, I looked for the seats in Stand E where my family and friends have sat in recent years.  Like it is for many families, the Indy 500 is an annual tradition for our family.  Our tradition dates back to 1972.  With the exception of weddings, usually it is the one time of the year where there are more members of our extended family together than any other time.

Stepping out of the pack to grab a shot of the crowd

While we were in the short shoot between turns 1 and 2, I looked over behind the Hall of Fame Museum where the State Police have set-up their command post in recent years.  The first several years our family attended the Indy 500, our picnic spot and meeting place in the infield was under a big tree at that site.

Heading in to turn 2 and seeing the suites on the outside of the turn reminded me of Tom Sneva’s accident in 1975.  Although I didn’t see the accident, I was in the infield, and I remember walking over after the accident and seeing the remains of his car in the infield.  Back then, they waited to tow the damaged cars back to the pits until after the race.

The crowd starts to thin out coming out of Turn 2

As we neared turn 3, I recalled the accident in 1994 when Dennis Vitolo took out Nigel Mansell during a caution lap.  That year, I was sitting high in turn 3, and we couldn’t believe the former F-1 World Champion was taken out during his second and final Indy 500 while in the pit cool down lane under a yellow flag caution lap.

The Standford University Marching Band set up along the second straightaway to support 4Kay runners

Onward March during the 4Kay run

As we approached the Yard of Bricks to complete our lap, I could visualize Sam Hornish passing Marco Andretti to win the 2006 Indy 500. Even when I see replays today, I still don’t know how Sam did it. No, I did not make a similar late race pass to win the 4Kay race, but I did accomplish my goal of enjoying a lap around the home of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.  As I crossed the finish line, I thought about the purpose of the run – to support cancer research – and I remembered my mom who is a cancer survivor. She was first diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago, and she continues to win her battle.

It took me almost 23 minutes to complete my lap.  During that time, an Indy Car would complete about 35 laps.  I may have been slow by INDYCAR standards, but wow, what a lap.  I’m ready to do another lap to see what additional memories I can stir-up.

Robert William Unser.  Bobby Unser.  Uncle Bobby.  Whatever name Bobby Unser goes by in the world of racing, it is definitely synonymous with unparalleled success in motorsports.  As the largest part of that success, his name is one that will forever be etched in the history books at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Most certainly success was not immediate when he came to the Speedway in his early days … no, far from it.  Unser, a rookie in 1963, driving a powerful supercharged V-8 Novi for legendary owner Andy Granatelli, completed just two laps before crashing in his initial outing at IMS to finish 33rd and last.

Bobby Unser in 1963

Unser returned in 1964, only to be caught-up in the sadly historic Dave McDonald/Eddie Sachs accident. He finished only one lap and was credited with 32nd place in the race results.

In two races, Unser had completed merely three laps, and finished last and second-to-last in consecutive Indy 500s.  And by the way, long before Bobby strapped into a car at Indy, Bobby’s older brother Jerry was severely burned in a practice accident at Indianapolis and lost his life there in 1959.

Yet, Unser would push forward.  In 1965, Bobby would qualify eighth in the Novi – the best starting position in the field for a front-engine car – and would run as high as fifth before dropping out on Lap 69 with a mechanical problems. Steady improvement in 1966 and ’67 led to eighth- and ninth-place finishes at the Brickyard.

Call 1968 his ‘breakout’ year. In practice Unser became the first driver to break the 170 mph barrier, and on race day, he started on the outside of the front row.  After an amazing duel with Joe Leonard and Lloyd Ruby AND in spite of having lost low gear, making getting up to speed after yellow-flag periods and pits tops a lengthy, agonizing process, Unser would prevail and lead 127 laps to capture his first Indianapolis 500!

With 1968 being a turning point for Unser, he would amass career statistics at the Speedway that few, if any, other drivers would match.  In 19 starts, at IMS Unser would go in the record books with three wins – 1968, ’75 and ’81 – and become one of only two drivers to win the “500″ in three different decades.

Bobby Unser in 1968

Bobby Unser in 1975

Bobby Unser in 1981

Unser won for three of the most iconic owners in Indy history – Ralph Wilkie, Dan Gurney and Roger Penske.  He would start on the front row nine times and capture the pole twice – 1972 and ’81.

Bobby Unser in 1972

In 1972, he would shatter the track record in qualifying by over 17 mph to win the pole!  To put that in perspective, a driver would have to run 254+ mph today to accomplish what Uncle Bobby did!  In his 19 starts, he led 10 races and 440 laps, and completed 6,527.5 miles around the famed 2.5-mile oval.

Unser is also in the Speedway record book because he is one of a very limited number of drivers who drove both front- and rear-engine cars at the track, as the transition from front- to rear-engine cars took place in the mid-1960′s.  After his retirement in 1981, following his third Indy win, Unser went on to have a brief stint as a team manager before become a successful TV commentator.

Unser is perhaps most remembered for his always-colorful banter with booth partner Sam Posey, when both were a part of the Emmy Award-winning ABC Sports broadcast team.  The always-outspoken, never shy, opinionated Unser was a cornerstone of the broadcast team for nearly 10 years.  In 1989 and ’92, Unser paced the Indy starting field, driving the Pace Car on race day.

Of course, following family tradition, brother Al won the Indianapolis 500 four times and nephew Al Unser Jr. won the race twice – both building on the legacy that Bobby began in 1963.

Both Al and Al Jr.’s names also comprise page after page of the record books at Indy, but it will always be Bobby who gave the family its initial success and paved the way for them at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

One last Bobby Unser record that will be very tough for anyone to match shows his never-ending perseverance and ability to climb to the top at Indy.  He is the only driver in IMS history to finish last in his first race and first in his last.  Unser is without a doubt living, breathing Indianapolis Motor Speedway history!

2011 Bobby Unser Indy 500 Winning Cars

I think it is fair to say that Tom Carnegie probably stands out as one of the most iconic personalities in the entire history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, certainly since World War II.

While one has to consider that many of those who have only ever watched the Indianapolis 500 on television or listened to the radio broadcasts conceivably might not even be aware of who he is (hard to believe!), for the legions who have attended the race or qualifications over the last seven or eight decades, that thundering voice has stirred enough memories and emotion to have long since elevated him to the status of a legend.

Ask any track-going fan to reel off a few names of people who they consider synonymous with the track, and surely “Tom Carnegie” would have to be among the first names one would hear.

We all have our favorite Carnegie stories and our memories concerning that extraordinary voice and his legendary “calls.” Personally, I well remember several times in the 1970s when I would be in the pit area at around 7:45 a.m. on the first day of Qualifications and the public address would fire up for the day. You’d hear a click and a hum, followed by Carnegie saying, “Testing, one, two, three … GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,” after which would come a huge roar from the crowd. I would think, wow, his voice creates so much excitement and evokes such a wave of nostalgia and even comfort—all is right with the world—that he even gets an ovation with a sound check!

Not surprisingly, word of his untimely passing has traveled quickly and tributes and stories about Tom have been pouring in all day. With that said, I would like to hear from you. If you have a favorite Carnegie memory or anecdote concerning a personal brush with ‘The Man,’ then please share it with me below.

Fans often list among their top reasons for joining Twitter as wanting to connect with and follow celebrities and organizations they are passionate about. Sometimes, Twitter users receive an added perk of a fun contest or cool giveaway. This was the case for followers of Denny Hamlin this past December when the #11 FedEx Toyota Camry driver declared that he was going to give away an all-expenses paid trip to anywhere in the United States (Read an article on the contest from SBNation here).

Fans can follow Denny on Twitter @DennyHamlin

The contest quickly caught a lot of buzz in the Twitterverse and Jennifer Meyering of Pennsylvania won by correctly answering that the sum of all the presents in the “12 Days of Christmas” is 364. So where did this self-professed Denny Hamlin fan decide to go? Disney World? No. California? No. Jennifer quickly (and excitedly) chose to bring her family to the 2011 Brickyard 400 race in Indianapolis.

When asked what led him to give away a vacation to a lucky fan on Twitter and his reaction to the winner choosing to attend the Brickyard, Denny shared that:

“Well, I prepared myself because you never know what they’re going to say.  But the winner was a true race fan.  That was very cool.  So she decided she wanted to go to the Brickyard, which is great that she could go anywhere and she decided she wanted to go to a NASCAR race.  For me that is very rewarding to see that happen.  I don’t know, for me, I just have moments where I look around and think about how fortunate I am and want to give back to the people that help in these stands and watch these races and buy our souvenirs.”

Keep an eye on IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com this year as Jennifer and Denny both prepare for the July 31st running on the Brickyard 400. Below, Jennifer shares her passion for NASCAR and the reasons why she chose an all-expenses paid trip to the Brickyard.

Denny Hamlin and Mike Ford talk strategy at the 2010 Brickyard 400 (Photo by LAT)

The first NASCAR race I remember watching on TV was the 2001 Daytona 500. I’m sure this wasn’t the first race I watched, but for reasons obvious to fellow fans, it stands out in my mind. Now, I try to watch every race during the NASCAR season. My DVR gets quite a work out from February to November!

When people ask me what it is about NASCAR that I love, I can’t answer just one thing. The racing, the sound of the engines, the people- I love it all! The things that I love the most are the drivers and the personalities in the sport of racing. For me, compared to other sports, the people and drivers involved in NASCAR are some of the most “real” and fan-friendly people out there.

NASCAR drivers understand that the fans are important to their sport- without the fans, there is nothing! One of my favorite thing is following various drivers on Twitter- including Denny Hamlin. And when it comes to giving back to fans, I think Denny really gets it (of course, I may be a little biased).

On Christmas day, Denny held a Twitter contest for his fans. He asked a trivia question, and the winner would get a trip anywhere in the United States. I entered the contest never expecting to win- but I did! I was absolutely floored and in total disbelief. My son was almost more excited than I was- Denny is one of his favorite drivers (along with Joey Logano).

After I won, my husband and I immediately started discussing where we wanted to go. I knew I wanted to go to a NASCAR race. We went to the Pocono 500 last June and had a great time.

We bounced around a couple of ideas, but we wanted to really make it a special trip to remember. As soon as the thought of the Brickyard 400 crossed my mind, I knew that was where I wanted to go.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has such an amazing racing history- I couldn’t pass up the chance to go and really experience it in person. I went to the 1995 Indy 500, but I knew nothing about racing at that time and didn’t savor the experience like I should have.  I am excited to return to the IMS and truly enjoy the full experience. This July I am going to soak it ALL in!

Denny Hamlin's #11 FedEx Toyota Camry crosses the Yard of Bricks at the 2010 Brickyard 400 (photo by LAT)

The IMS Street Team has one goal: to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 by making this year’s Snake Pit one to remember.

Preparations for May are underway, but the Street Team is on the search for former Snake Pit participants to participate in a Fan Forum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, January 27th at 6:30 PM (EST).

Did you attend last year’s Snake Pit at the Indianapolis 500 or the Brickyard 400 Beach Bash? Are you the person in your group that always takes charge of your entire party crew at the race? Then we are looking for your feedback and input on how to make these events even more fun in 2011.

Please leave your contact information below if interested in participating in this week’s fan forum and a member of the IMS Street Team will contact you directly with more details. Not from Indianapolis? No worries, leave your suggestions below and we will make sure to discuss your ideas with the group on Thursday!

So, will you join us for the Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit and Brickyard 400 Beach Bash this year? What ideas do you have to help make these events bigger and better?!

It all started last week with a post from writer, Jeff Olson, staking claim to his picks for the Top Ten Historic Indy 500 Cars. Fans jumped in with an overwhelmingly response via Facebook, Twitter, and the IMS blog to approve, disapprove, and most importantly, share their memories of the best-looking cars to race in the Indianapolis 500.

While it became clear that picking a perfect top ten is nearly impossible, fans had fun commenting back and forth to share their picks and the IMS staff had a great time reading them! Here’s quick glance at some of the fan-submitted picks for the best-looking, historic Indy 500 cars:

1956 Novi

1972 Sunoco Special

1973 Eagle-Offy

1954 Fuel Injection Special

1981 Interscope Cosworth

1928 Miller Special

1977 Coyote-Foyt

1961 Cooper

1963 Curtis Novi

1957 Belond Special

Thanks for sharing your picks for the best-looking historic Indy 500 cars, keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter in the coming months for an exciting announcement from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a fun, fan-driven contest where your picks and memories will decide the winner AND give you a chance at some pretty cool prizes.

In the meantime, watch for the latest article from Jeff Olson on the IMS website next week– fans of the 1982 Indy 500 will hear about A.J. Foyt’s ill-fated efforts to pull out a win. Or keep the conversation going right here, what do you think of our fan picks for the top ten historic Indy 500 cars?

Happy holidays from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! Check out behind-the-scenes footage of Santa’s visit to the Brickyard, a video of the event, additional photos, or read on to find out more about our stop on Macy’s Santa Tour in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation:

Macy’s Santa Claus paid a visit to a snowy, chilly Indianapolis Motor Speedway today, just two days before his busiest night of the year, as the final “pit stop” of the 26-city, national Macy’s Believe Santa Bus Tour in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Santa visits the Hall of Fame Museum

During his visit, Santa saw a variety of IMS landmarks, including a trip to the top of the Pagoda control tower to shout “Merry Christmas, Indianapolis, ho, ho, ho” (loud enough that we’re convinced that folks walking around Monument Circle could have heard him).

Despite heavy snow covering the track, Santa also took part in the tradition of kissing the Yard of Bricks with his elves at the start-finish line before heading to the Hall of Fame Museum to share a holiday story and hear the holiday wishes of children, including nine, Indianapolis-area families representing the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Santa and his elves exclaiming "Merry Christmas" to Indianapolis

Santa and his elves kiss the bricks

Children visited the Museum with a letter for Santa, or had the opportunity to create one on the spot, and Macy’s donated $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for every letter presented. The kids and their families also enjoyed free Museum admission, hot chocolate and cookies, and were able to hear a special holiday story from Santa.

The children took turns presenting Santa with their letters and whispering in his ear what they wanted for Christmas. Indianapolis-area resident, Amy Wilson said via Facebook that the tour stop was a “Wonderful and magical holiday memory for me and my girls… they loved it. The story was their favorite part. My middle daughter thought that it was the real santa cause when she pulled on his beard, it didn’t come off.”

A young girl presents her letter to Santa

After meeting every child in attendance, Santa presented a Centennial-era commemorative brick to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and then loaded into his tour bus where a police escort was waiting to take Santa out of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and through the streets of Indianapolis to his next stop.

Santa Presents a Commemorative Brick to the Make-A-Wish Foundation

A police escort takes Santa to his next stop

Not able to join us today? Check out a video capturing Santa’s visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or see additional photos from the event on our Flickr page. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway would like to thank the community members who came out to the Hall of Fame Museum today in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Macy’s Santa Tour. Happy holidays to you and yours!