RUFKM visits Indy 500, chaos ensues

 

If you haven’t been to the Indianapolis 500, punch yourself in the face right now. Do it. Now do it again.

Now if you can’t go this year, OK. I will be there along with some of the goons from RUFKM such as Loose Cannon, Tyler DFC and Dark Lord. You can follow along with my Twitter updates.

The Indy 500, which anyone who grew up in Indiana refers to simply as The Race, is not a sporting event. It’s just an event . It’s similar to the Kentucky Derby. It’s a happening. It’s just so big, whether you’re looking at the number of people there or the hugeness of the track itself.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to The Race, but I am taking my soon-to-be-wifey for the first time. Like most people, she’s not a fan of watching cars drive. That’s the main thing people need to get over when considering if they will go to the Indy 500.

I could sit here and rattle off drivers such as two-time 500 champion Helio Castroneves, media darling Danica Patrick, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan, but that’s not what I’m all about. I could explain the history of the track. I could explain that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn’t located in Indianapolis (it’s in Speedway). This would not convince the average person to attend.

The Race brings people together. Jim Nabors AKA Gomer Pyle has been singing “Back home again in Indiana” at nearly every race since 1972. Try getting that kind of celebrity elsewhere.

On the day of the race there will be about a quarter million people in and around the track. Some of them are actual race fans. Most are there to have a good time.

The Indy 500 is of course a huge financial windfall for Indianapolis and the people of Indiana. Take this feller for instance who is trying to hawk his tickets on Craigslist.

I have 4 INDY 500 tickets all the tickets are ground tickets, I went last year and they were great tickets i will let them go for $40 each obo.. i am also willing to trade if you have any PITBULL PUPPIES or HOOD SCOOPS for a 85 CUTLASS

You have no idea how pissed I am now that I sold my last hood scoop. And I’m fresh out of pitbull puppies.

It’s a place to hold reunions. It’s a place to BBQ. It’s certainly a place to party. Old timers will tell you that it’s not as cool and crazy as it used to be, but what the F is anymore?

Over the decade, the once huge happy crowd was reduced down to
almost nothing.  Just a hundred people or showed up at the end to
park along the 4th turn road and sit on coolers and drink beer for
old times sake.  

The Snake Pit, where all the nakedness, drug abuse and high-volume alchohol consumption became famous, is not there anymore. But it lives on in spirit. Trust me you can have plenty of fun in the infield. Just refrain from punching a cop in the face – or weilding a machete - and you will be fine.