25 April ‘09
Saturday
After leaving Louisville, our journey heads towards Goshen, Indiana. This route took us through Indianapolis. Now I’ll bet there are very few who would continue through Indianapolis and not find their way to the suburb, Speedway, and the Internationally famous race track, “The Indianapolis Motor Speedway”. Well we took the detour and soon found ourselves going through their museum. I would bet that they have a car from every 500 race that ever took place at the “Brickyard”.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909 as a gravel-and-tar track and hosted a few small events before the promoters decided to focus on just one major event. If by chance it had rained prior to or during one of the races, the track would almost become impassable. It did cause a few deaths because of it, so the track was paved with 3.2 million bricks. Even today there’s an area around the finish line that has some of the original bricks. The first “500” was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day, 1911 and who knows how long they will continue.
While we were enjoying ourselves in the museum, we got a call to board a bus for a drive around the track. We joined 8 or 9 others and drove through the gates and onto “The” track. The start of our ride took us through turn 3 and then onto the straight-away… Looking out the front windshield of the bus at the track, showed the straightaway as being FOREVERRR…. The speeds that the Indy cars reach on this length of raceway is amazing and then they have a couple of corners to go through…AMAZING TWICE !!! And then the run towards screaming crowds at The Grandstands, the Pagoda, and then the CHECKERED FLAG.
Saturday
After leaving Louisville, our journey heads towards Goshen, Indiana. This route took us through Indianapolis. Now I’ll bet there are very few who would continue through Indianapolis and not find their way to the suburb, Speedway, and the Internationally famous race track, “The Indianapolis Motor Speedway”. Well we took the detour and soon found ourselves going through their museum. I would bet that they have a car from every 500 race that ever took place at the “Brickyard”.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909 as a gravel-and-tar track and hosted a few small events before the promoters decided to focus on just one major event. If by chance it had rained prior to or during one of the races, the track would almost become impassable. It did cause a few deaths because of it, so the track was paved with 3.2 million bricks. Even today there’s an area around the finish line that has some of the original bricks. The first “500” was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day, 1911 and who knows how long they will continue.
While we were enjoying ourselves in the museum, we got a call to board a bus for a drive around the track. We joined 8 or 9 others and drove through the gates and onto “The” track. The start of our ride took us through turn 3 and then onto the straight-away… Looking out the front windshield of the bus at the track, showed the straightaway as being FOREVERRR…. The speeds that the Indy cars reach on this length of raceway is amazing and then they have a couple of corners to go through…AMAZING TWICE !!! And then the run towards screaming crowds at The Grandstands, the Pagoda, and then the CHECKERED FLAG.
As I was standing at the front window of the bus taking pictures, the driver asked if I wanted to open the door and stick my camera out for a picture….”sure”… He stopped the bus, opened the door, and said with a wink…”Don’t step out”…. Hell, I fell out, it was an accident I swear… so I was “THE” only one that actually got out on the track and it was at the finish line too (we’ve got to keep that a secret..).
Back at the museum we enjoyed the opportunity to sit in one of the Indy Cars (a very special one…you know, no motor, wood floor/seat…all the necessities).
Just as exciting as the cars in the museum to me, were the paintings of Leroy Neiman.
What a talent… We did have a great time, short but good. Well time had come and we had to continue onto Monticello. Our campground for the rest of the week is White Oaks and sits on the shores of Lake Freeman.