Those of you who do not have the privlege of living in God's favorite locale might be shocked and amazed to learn that the Indianapolis 500 has never been broadcast live on TV here in central Indiana in my lifetime. In fact, 1949 and 1950 are the only races ever to be telecaster live. All of my life the Indy 500 has been blacked out. This year, the 100th running will be televised live. No blackout. The Speedway has announced a total sellout. Estimates are placing the expected crowd at 400,000 to 450,000 spectators. Take that Woodstock. Every one of those race fans will arrive and depart the track on a two lane city street.
I have been to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing (insert proper trademark here) three or four times. One year I went twice but the race was postponed due to rain both times so I'm not sure that counts. The guy who had the tickets took them back when the race was finally run another day. Being at the race is cool. There is nothing like the opening lap for sheer sports excitement. But getting there and getting home? Blah.
But I wil get to watch the race live. I don't know, I have always listened on the radio, that is Memorial Day weekend tradition around here. We shall see.
Been there twice, I don't even watch on the tube anymore, same for NASCAR. Not my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteJOG
Having lived less than 5 miles from Daytona Int'l Speedway for many, many years, we made the trek to the track maybe a half dozen times. (One time we walked and hitched a ride home with a friend.)
ReplyDeleteIt was much cheaper, cleaner and had a better view of the race (on TV) from home.
I also worked 2 miles from the track. Traffic on a race day (car or bike) was HELL.
I stopped following any kind of racing after my husband died. All I paid attention to then was when to stay off the roads.
For me racing is only a step above golf and bowling for most boring TV. But I like to watch the beginning of the Indy 500
ReplyDeleteI went Race Day, once. The last year before the IRL put it its own ghetto for a number of years until CART broke up and the A listers drifted back. Yeah, nothing like leaving with half a million of your best buddies on a two lane city street. Took 8 hours to get to the highway. We were in the infield, and saw one little stretch of the track. Felt like suckers after 3 laps and my bud's girlfriend fell asleep. AJ Foyt walked a lap before the start, and we got to wave like everyone else. That was good. I love the radio broadcast, t.v. requires too much effort. Radio makes it much more exciting than it really is; credit to the fantastic team and all its cuts back and forth to individual pit teams then back to the main guy covering the race.
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