Planning on going to this year’s Indy 500. It’s my daughter’s last year in Indianapolis, and I’ve wanted to go forever—my dad and I listened to the race together on the radio in the 50’s. So, any recommendations for where to sit? Where to park? Where to get tickets? Best plans for getting to the track? Where to stay?
"Did I ever tell you about the time I won the Indianapolis 500? I beat a man called A.J. Fittipaldi".
Start looking for tickets NOW. If you don't like sitting in 90 degree weather, heat index of 100 with 350k people all sweating, get tickets in the grandstand, it's covered, except the first 10 rows or so. The Paddock has the best seats, some spots even have waitresses. There are packages you can go with, but I've never done that. Parking isn't a big deal. Indy has perfected getting all those people in and out pretty quickly. You can bring in a cooler, just no bottles. The concession stand food is decent, and they don't gouge you. Don't know if you're driving, but whatever direction you're coming from, you can find a hotel 20 minutes away, hotels don't gauge either. Greenwood, Plainfield, Carmel, Greenfield are all with 40 minutes from the track, the track is pretty much downtown. Hotels downtown are awesome, but fill up quickly. The downtown area has a wonderful vibe, clean and pretty safe. Some hotels offer bus rides. You might look into some of the raceday packages, all inclusive. There's usually a few huge concerts going on in the 3rd turn stage, a good size party. Make sure you're there an hour or two before the race starts, if you're into all the pageantry stuff. It's pretty cool when 350k go dead silent when Taps starts. If you're into camping, but upscaled, go Glamping inside the track in small rental cottages. Spend some time in the museum. If you're looking for a driver to cheer for, my brother is a spotter for Helio Castroneves.
