Indy 500 attendee advice

Serious Business 17 replies 870 views
Q
queencitybuckeye
Posts: 7,117
May 22, 2011 9:48am
Will be marking the 500 off the bucket list next weekend. For those who have attended, how long before the start of the race would you recommend arriving to avoid sitting in bad traffic into the parking lot?
Speedofsand's avatar
Speedofsand
Posts: 5,529
May 22, 2011 11:18am
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
May 22, 2011 6:58pm
Bad race to go to. Can't see shit because of the towers. Been awhile since I've went, so I can't really give you any advice on your question though.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
May 22, 2011 7:07pm
The night before, and stay overnight in the infield!
krambman's avatar
krambman
Posts: 3,606
May 23, 2011 1:57am
Don't listen to GoChiefs, he's an idiot. You don't go to Indy to watch the race, you go for the experience.

I've been the last two years. Two years ago we stayed at a friend's house in Carmel and we got to the track about 8:00am. We had tickets in turn 4, so we just hung out outside of the racetrack for a while before going in. We parked at a funeral home next to a church on 16th for $10. It was near where 16th and Crawfordsville merge, so we were about a half mile from the track.

Last year we got a campsite in Lot 2 right across from the racetrack. It's nearly impossible to sleep there the night before, but the party makes it worth it. We sat in the infield last year. If you want to see any of the race, spend the extra money and don't sit in the infield.

If you want to have time to park and get into the track and find your seat or find a spot in the infield (it will take you 15 minutes to walk to the hill in the infield from the gate if you have a cooler) then I wouldn't plan on getting there any later than 8:00am. That will give you time to park, check out some of the vendors, and watch the show (the people outside the racetrack) before the race begins. Festivities inside the track (driver lineup, national anthem, etc) begins about an hour before the race.
justincredible's avatar
justincredible
Posts: 32,056
May 23, 2011 1:59am
krambman;777284 wrote:Don't listen to GoChiefs, he's an idiot. You don't go to Indy to watch the race, you go for the experience.

He's an idiot because in his opinion is it's a bad race to go to because you can't see the race? Okay.
I
I Wear Pants
Posts: 16,223
May 23, 2011 2:05am
Kill yourself.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
May 23, 2011 3:20am
krambman;777284 wrote:Don't listen to GoChiefs, he's an idiot. You don't go to Indy to watch the race, you go for the experience.

You spent money not once, but twice, to go to a RACEtrack, not for the race, but to party. And I'm the idiot?
Curly J's avatar
Curly J
Posts: 7,282
May 23, 2011 3:49am
I Wear Pants;777288 wrote:Kill yourself.




Again...keep it up my man.
S
slide22
Posts: 330
May 23, 2011 3:13pm
Go to the Museum in the infield before the race, really cool if you're into old racecars. Where are your seats?
Tiger2003's avatar
Tiger2003
Posts: 15,421
May 23, 2011 3:44pm
krambman;777284 wrote:Don't listen to GoChiefs, he's an idiot. You don't go to Indy to watch the race, you go for the experience.

What? My parents go every year for the race trust me they don't go for he experience they go for the race. They go for free every year so I don't know if they would pay to go every year. They sit every year in turn 1. I have been to 7 of the races and I go for the race. Yes you can't see all of the track but we can see the whole front stretch and short-chute. Yes some of the seats have poles in there way but not everything.
Q
queencitybuckeye
Posts: 7,117
May 24, 2011 6:37am
slide22;777690 wrote:Go to the Museum in the infield before the race, really cool if you're into old racecars. Where are your seats?

Paddock box 48, just slightly up the front straight from the start/finish line.
Speedofsand's avatar
Speedofsand
Posts: 5,529
May 24, 2011 11:38am
don't miss the museum, its in my first link under 'facility'.

[video=youtube;Te0wXNzmTFY][/video]
said_aouita's avatar
said_aouita
Posts: 8,532
May 26, 2011 7:20pm
Get there really early. Right across from the track is an old rail road line which is now parking. Pretty good time, everyone is camped out and drinking and walking up and down.
Can also drive through the housing areas off of Georgetown and people charge you to park in their yard. Generally your car is safer at a private residence, my opinion.
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GoJPM!'s avatar
GoJPM!
Posts: 799
Jun 1, 2011 8:59pm
Been to the USGP F1 race there three times. Love the place! However, you haven't lived until you have gone to Bristol!

Hope you had a good time at Indy. What a finish!
Q
queencitybuckeye
Posts: 7,117
Jun 1, 2011 9:11pm
GoJPM!;788057 wrote: Hope you had a good time at Indy. What a finish!

We had a great time, thanks. The race was great, and Indianapolis is an outstanding city IMO. I don't think we'll make it an annual event, but we'll definitely do it again sometime soon.

Thanks to everyone who responded. We left the hotel at around 6, and were parked across the street from our section by 6:30. Plenty of time to explore the place and go through the museum before the pre-race activities.
-Society-'s avatar
-Society-
Posts: 1,348
Jun 2, 2011 2:22am
justincredible;777286 wrote:He's an idiot because in his opinion is it's a bad race to go to because you can't see the race? Okay.

Yes.
said_aouita's avatar
said_aouita
Posts: 8,532
Jun 2, 2011 9:36am
Such a horrible ending for that rookie. Crashes turn 4 leading the race.




What an idiot. Hope his team owner punched him in the neck.