Indianapolis 500 is a bucket-list experience, even for those who aren’t racing fans

Last month’s solar eclipse inspired some Chicagoans to make the three-hour drive down I-65 to Indianapolis to experience the path of totality. One of the most popular viewing sites, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, welcomed 50,000 guests to the “Racing Capital of the World,” and then invited them back for an even bigger party — the Indianapolis 500.

And for six hours on May 26, the speedway effectively transforms into a city within the city. If you’ve never been, it’s hard to grasp just how big this place really is. Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, the White House, Vatican City and the Taj Mahal could all fit comfortably inside the 2½-mile oval track with room to spare.

Retired flight attendant Theresa Davis grew up about 2 miles from the speedway’s main entrance at 16th Street and Georgetown Road and has proudly attended 46 Indianapolis 500 runnings, her first in 1973 at age 7.“My earliest Indy 500 memories are of race-related activities in elementary school,” she said. “We sang race songs and made race cars out of Circus Peanuts, and we’d go around the room telling the class who our favorite driver was and why.

The Indiana War Memorial Plaza offers some of Indy’s many military monuments, markers and memorials, the largest collection in the country outside Washington, D.C. Then, the famous “Drivers, start your engines!” announcement whips the masses into a near frenzy as the cars fire up and take several warm-up laps. The pace car pulls off the track and the green flag flies to signify the race is on. What comes next are three hours of 230-mph adrenaline as 33 drivers vie to add their name to the Borg-Warner Trophy, joining an illustrious roster that includes A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, Johnny Rutherford, Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan.

“Our biggest challenge is how do you honor what makes the Indy 500 special, which is so much of the history and tradition, but at the same time give it the appeal that’s going to attract the next generation of fans?” Boles said. And if you want to take a breather from racing, Memorial Day weekend marks the perfect occasion to visit the city’s stunning military monuments, markers and memorials, the largest collection in the country outside Washington, D.C.

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