Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Good times. My first time there, I saw The Rolling Stones concert. My second time, I saw the 100^th running of the Indy 500. It’s fabulous race track. They let you bring in coolers and blankets and there are plenty of food trucks if you like that sort of thing. What more is there to say, really?

I’m giving it 4 stars because it was crazy this year with it being the 100^th running and I don’t believe the volunteers and staff were as prepared as they could be for the numbers that attended the race. Also exiting the track is always a ridiculous mess. But that said, I would never want to be anywhere else during Memorial Day weekend! Even though we do not live in Indiana anymore, it is home.
Also the Fuzzy’s Milkshakes are the best!

My nirvana. Racing at its VERY best. If you haven’t been, GO! Been going 35 years. NOTHING compares. I have been to race courses in and out of the country, and this is one of a kind.

Seeing the Indy 500 at IMS was an experience of a lifetime. The speedway is HUGE. Pictures don’t do it justice. Even hearing how many people, 400,000 to be exact, doesn’t do it justice. You really have to see it in person to believe it. We thought it was going to be a nightmare getting there and finding parking. However, the freeway was clear, and we found a parking spot on the street, about a 10 min walk away. There were tons of pre-​race things going on and although there were tons of people, it is a massive place, so it doesn’t seem as packed as you think it’d be. It took forever to walk to our seats because we were in one of the corners but once we found them, we were really pleased with our view. The race was exhilarating, with 240 mph of pure speed coming into each turn. I can’t adequately describe the sound of the engines roaring past you, so powerful and clean sounding. Videos don’t do it justice. We had a blast though. Indianapolis Motor Speedway, specifically for the Indy 500, is a must do for anyone looking for a once in a lifetime experience!

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500 Race is a great American tradition. From the cannon going off, the Borg-​Warner Trophy March to the Bricks, the 500 Festival Princess Lap, Green Flag delivered by helicopter, Former Indy 500 Champion Laps, Historic Indy Race Car Lap, Driver Introductions, Military Speech and Salute, Taps, National Anthem, Military Aircraft Flyover, Back Home Again in Indiana, Lady and Gentlemen Start Your Engines, Parade Lap, Race Starts with drivers speeding around the track at speeds over 220 MPH, and more! The sounds, the sights, and even the smells make the track come to life. It’s not just an event, it’s an experience! Some spectators have been attending the race for over 50 years! Friendships are made at the Speedway that are renewed each Memorial Day Weekend.
There is the famed or should I say tamed Snake Pit, that in its prime would have made even the most ardent Sturgis or Mardi Gras partier blush. (Thank goodness there were no cellphones or social media back in the day!) Most importantly is the Race itself, cars flying by as if their drivers hair was on fire! 33 cars and 33 drivers all becoming a part of Indy history and lore, with only the winner and their likeness being added to the Borg-​Warner Trophy.
Indy is a tradition to be passed down generation to generation. My father took me to my first race, and many races afterwards. Many moons ago it was a tradition shared with friends when we were young and single. Today it’s a tradition I share with my wife. It’s a great place to create both memories and traditions of your own. I would highly recommend putting the Indy 500 on your bucket list.

I have just attended the 100^th running of the Indy 500. This was my first time at the speedway and I have to say, it was an amazing experience. Food and Restroom lines were long, and the cars are super loud, but it is all part of the experience. MUST GO AT LEAST ONCE.

Always fun! Fast cars and crazy people on race day. This year it was hot and sticky. But no rain. The day is long and the walk is longer but worth it to see 33 cars go 218 miles an hour for 500 miles!

Here we are at the 100^th running of the Indy 500. Arrived here Friday night and attended Legends Day. Got to see all the legends, AJ Foyt, Roger Penske and of course last year’s winner, Juan Pablo Montoya. Many more not to be left out just too many to mention.
We attended the evening entertainment, Blake Shelton in concert on turn 4. It was an awesome experience. If your not a race fan you will soon become one once you have attended the Indy 500. All the fans are very friendly and share a common interest, indy car racing.
So it’s race day, a sold out crowd. You need to leave early for the race track as most streets are two lanes. We decided to utilize a shuttle luxury coach, thank God. Traffic at 6:00 was horrendous to get to the track. Luckily the busses get a pass along the back roads with police guidance along the way.
So once you get to the track, don’t forget to stop in the Indy Hall of Fame. Several race vehicles from the past along with an abundance of memorabilia. Including one if the original vehicles that raced the very first in 1911.
Then off to the midway. Not a circus midway but a place filled with vendors such as Firestone, Chevrolet and Honda just to mention a few. It’s hard to do a few hundred feet without passing a merchandise outlet. Not to worry, all have long lines so, get here early!
Our seats for the Indy were awesome. Tower Terrace over looking the start /​finish line and a perfect view of pit row. And now we wait… yell the command «start your engines».
Cons: Not many places to purchase water. Staff is non informative on directions, appears no one knows where anything is.
Pros: A once in a lifetime rxperience!

The place gives me chills every time I step foot in here. Just the history and traditions of IMS and the 500 are unequaled and always will be… been going to the 500 since 1990 and will continue to do so. My hats off to the job that Doug Boles and his staff have done to modernize yet leave some of the old fixtures at the greatest race course in the world!

The facelift to the speedway is beautiful! Main Street is completely unrecognizable. Lots of new businesses and storefronts and re-​done structures. The architecture was done very nicely. Because her full though on the turnabout’s at 16^th and Main Street. It’s pretty dangerous there people drive really fast on the turnabout.

Visited for a practice day in the weeks prior to Race Day. I have experienced the Speedway from the bleachers in the sun, and under cover of the beautiful suites in Gasoline Alley.
Wonderful experience, though the food was «just okay» in the suite. I am making the assumption that it was in-​house catering, so I’m reserving one star from their otherwise 5-​star review.

This place is enchanted with the spirits dead and alive of everyone who has ever stepped foot inside for whatever reason. It means something different to everyone whether it be a runner huffing it through the grueling min marathon or a driver or an employee or a fan. When you’re here, this place has a hum to it even when there’s no one else around. Come year round and visit the museum or take a ride on the track. If you come for a race, be prepared for massive amounts of people and lines and waiting. The weather is a roll of the dice. It can be stinking hot one year, or it can be 40 degrees another with Lynn St. James having her best finish ever because half the pack has crashed out. Bring sunscreen and a sweatshirt. You can bring in coolers but check the regulations, as there are limits to size and no coolers at all in the Snake Pit. Oh yes, and the Snake Pit! Go there if you dare! It’s the party zone!

When it’s May in Indy, you will hear about the Indy 500 on a daily basis. This is a huge worldwide event that is attended by race fans from around the globe.
They also host several other racing events, and even had the Rolling Stones play a first ever concert here. Bring friends and family, but on certain days you might want to leave the small kids at home, as the crowds can get a bit rowdy and tend to love to drink… and drink a lot, haha. It’s all about racing and having fun here at the IMS.
This is a historic place and this year (2016) celebrates the 100^th running of the Indy 500. So come and be a part of history and create some great times!

Can’t describe my feelings for this place. I absolutely adore this place and have been coming here since a small child.
Don’t care for Nascar but love F-​1, Indy Car and Moto GP. The museum and tour of the track in a bus are special and free to Military.

IMS Kids club, breakfast with the Easter Bunny!!!
This is SO great, I don’t know why there aren’t more kids and parents!!!
So fun for the kids!
Then the activities after have bounce houses, obstacle course and big slide! Replica race car to view. And loved having Purdue and some of the previous years go carts this year! Very cool to see!
Then everyone lines up at about 11am and the grabbing of eggs across the lawn begins!!! Trade in your eggs for candy! Very fun!

Wow! What a fabled place, and I thought I was only going to see a world famous race track! Who knew it was also a fantastic Museum, and who knew I would recognize the names of so many famous Race Car Drivers!
I meant to write this review a while back when I was there in Indianapolis, but it is not a place easily forgotten and I kept a reminder to Unilocal and tell the world about this wonderful racetrack and museum! It was filled to the brim with Indy Cars from every era, and a walk around the museum with cars lined side by side was a blast! They even have a car that you can sit in for pictures! And the short Movie was great for the History Buff!
Seeing the huge Race Track was a true surprise to me, because I had no idea that there were so many Bleachers/​Stands to hold so many people as far as the eyes could see! I could almost here the sound of Indy Cars roaring around the track, but it was winter time and the track was actually covered in snow, and only the ghosts of past racers zipped by!
I loved my visit to this most revered racing venue, and I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 since I was not able to ride in an Indy car around the track, which they actually normally do for tourists — when there isn’t a foot of snow on the ground!!! They management should know that I would have taken the risk and rode with them around the snowy track anyway! After all, what’s the Indianapolis Motor Speedway without a crash! What a war story it would be!
Eric

Hi Friends. You all know that Big Larry has worked pit crew for the 500 for a lot of years. Big Larry knows that it is a lot different being on a pit crew than watching the event, but I gotta tell you, there is no other exciting venue in Motorsports than the 500.
So, there are ways to do it cheap and there are ways to do it expensive. Heck, race fans, if you have enough money, the police will stop traffic down the boulevard just to get you under the infield bridge. If you are going on the cheap, get a general admission ticket and party out. Here are a couple of tips: bring earplugs. Bring an umbrella. The weather here can change from hot to cold Ina second. Bring sunscreen. Get ready to wait in line. They have great food but please stay hydrated. It can get seriously hot here sometimes. If you get here early, check out the museum. It is amazing.
There is a secret back way into the venue. If you manage to track one of us down, ask us about it. It’ll get you about 90 Pct into the track. You can get autographs of most all the drivers if you just ask; no need to stand in line… Just be nice. Oh, and don’t hang onto the fence… you get called knucklers, an under the breath nasty derogatory term. Just relax and enjoy the show. Be aware that it is racing and it is dangerous. People get hurt and even killed. I hope you have a chance to visit. It is a once in a lifetime event. Look for me, I’ll be on the line.

Well I mean, I grew up in Indy, so the IMS is just second nature to me, but nonetheless, I am always excited for a reason to go to the track.
I’ve been here for a number of events outside of just the races, and each time, I am introduced to a new part of the grounds where I learn something fun and exciting about the speedway. The staff is generally pretty helpful and know where everything is, because let’s face it, the track can be daunting at times.
I do have to say, some of the facilities are due for a facelift… it would make race day a little nicer if you didn’t have to worry about the grossness of the bathrooms, but hey… all in all, you’re in for a treat if you’re attending an event here!

If you happen to be in the midwest during memorial weekend then you should probably come to the Indy 500. It is the most unique combination of white trash, college tailgater/​partiers, and euro race fans.
Throw a keg in your trunk, get to the infield gates early (like 3am) and pay the cheap price to get in. and get ready to have the party experience of a lifetime. At some point during the day there is a car race too!
The other way to do the 500 is go baller style. Get main grandstand tickets with pit passes. Its a completely different experience but crazy fun in itself too. Get into the race. rent some scanners so you can listen to the pit crews.
But honestly. if I ever go back (Ive been three times).I will probably do the infield again. Its too fun not to. This place is also very fun for the Moto GP Motorcycle race.

We had our company picnic here on qualifications day. Other than getting rained out, it was a pretty awesome experience. We parked at turn-​3 and had one of the bike cabs take us over to the pagoda. It was too crowded in the morning and we at least got to watch two cars qualify.
Our lunch was server in two of the private chalet rooms. The food was actually really good: fried chicken, greens, scalloped potatoes and sugar donuts with apple butter. I’m not sure who caters there, but kudos to chef!
After lunch we tried to go to the garage, but that’s when the rain started to pour. I was really disappointed but that went away quickly when I noticed Dario Franchitti standing right next to me! He is so nice and (shh don’t tell my bf) very good looking. I think that was the highlight of my Indy Speedway experience.
Next year I want to check out Carb-​day.

Klasse Ort für jeden Rennsportfan. Konnte hier einer Indy 500 Testfahrt zusehen. Typisch amerikanisch eben :)

Als Rennsportfan ist ein Besuch ein Muss. Ich war in Chicago und die NASCAR hielt am IMS Testfahrten ab, da bin ich runtergefahren. Drei Runden von Kyle Petty habe ich gesehen, dann begann es fürchterlich zu regnen und der Test war beendet.
Also ab ins Museum und da gibt es ein paar nette Exponate zu sehen, Schwerpunkt natürlich amerikanischer Motorsport. Die ganz grosse Begeisterung kam denn aber nicht auf, da alles sehr nüchtern ausgestellt ist, sehr unamerikanisch. Aber trotzdem ein tolles Erlebnis.

Kann ich nicht 10 Sterne abgeben …
Wer die Möglichkeit hat und in Indianapolis sein sollte bitte besucht denn Speedway, auch für nicht Autorennenfreaks sehr interessant. Ich liebe Autos und deshalb war dieser Besuch ein absolutes «MUSS» und es hat sich gelohnt. Wir haben die Ground Tour ($ 25 pro Person) gebucht bei der man sowohl auf die Strecke als auch in einige der Gebäude auf der Strecke gehen kann und der Eintritt im Hall of Fame Museum ist inklusive.
Der Speedway feierte sein 100jähriges bestehen 2009 und im Museum kann man einiges der Geschichte sehen, am schönsten sind natürlich die Autos aus den verschiedenen Jahren.
Die Tour führt von der Strecke auf das Siegertreppchen und vom Mediacenter wo all die Journalisten und die Race control ihr Lager aufschlagen zur VIP Loge.
Absolut ein Besuch wert!