You can sit inside the track.  At other oval tracks, the
stands are all on the outside of the oval.
At Indianapolis, there are many stands on the inside as well.
There are also grassy hills in the infield where people can watch
the race.

Get a seat with a back.  While most of the stands are simply
normal bench seats, Stand B features folding chairs.  The
Penthouses have backs (upper level stands).
The Paddock Sections have backs, however the Paddock Boxes
do not.
The Tower Terrace features backs on their aluminum benches.

You can't see the entire track.  There is no place you can sit
and see the entire track.
Generally the best you can do is see half by sitting in the
outside of a corner.

There are no BEST seats and no BAD seats.  Different
areas offer different benefits.
Some people prefer to see the pits, the front straight, the
finish line, the winner's circle or the first turn.
Others may want to party in the infield or sit near certain food
stands or close to special parking areas.
I just consider myself lucky to be there anywhere.

Get Seats Up High.  Generally, you want your seats as high as
you can get them for the best view.
If you are sitting really low in some locations, the wall may
obstruct your view of the cars as they go by.
When you sit high, you can see over the fence in some situations.
There is an exception to this rule which applies to stands that
have roofs - Support beams and camera
cages can obstruct your view especially if you are in the top
rows.
General Tips on Choosing Seats
Here are some photos taken from 2004 when I was in 2nd row from the top of Stand E.
(It rained that day so it was nice having a roof.)
Obstructions in Stand E
Stands that have Penthouse levels include Stand B, Stand A,
the Paddock and most of Stand E.
Penthouses have a roof overhead and they provide a roof for the
upper parts of the stands below them..

There is a big climb to get to the Penthouses.  There are  
open stairwells on the outside of the stands that you must climb
to reach any of the Penthouses.  It is kind of scary if you're
uncomfortable with heights.  Some people refuse to climb them.
 It can also be a workout if you've been carrying heavy coolers
for miles.
If you are blind, feeble, have weak knees or heart trouble, I
suggest not buying Penthouse seats.
Infact I would say that if there is any chance of you having a
medical problem, that you do not sit up there as I would imagine
that it would be tricky getting you down to the ground and to an
ambulance.

Many suites are up high and have elevator access.  
You have to be invited to get into a suite of course, or rent one
if you have big money.  There are suites all along the top of the
Tower Terrace, the top of the F1 garages and atop Stand C.  
There are suites in the pagoda tower.  Pit passes come with
Suites too!  There are also party suites in the Tower pavilion
and behind the F1 garages.

Sitting in the top row or two also can present a blessing or a
curse depending upon the weather.
If its hot out, you can get a nice breeze.  If its a cold day, you
may be chilled by that same wind.
One of the nicest things about getting top row is that you can
stand up and lean against the fence through the whole race
without blocking anyone's view!  Most stands' rows begin at A,
go up to Z, then begin with AA, BB, etc. Typically the top row is
around RR. (44 rows)
Sitting along a Straight presents 2 Problems:
1) The fence post blend into a wall as you look down the stretch.
2) Many people tend to lean forward which causes everyone else
to have to lean forward to see.

Best Views of the Pits is the Tower Terrace, Pit Road
Terrace, Paddock and Stand A.
Most people enjoy seeing the pit action as well as all the
festivities that center around the finish line.
Tickets around these areas will give you the best view:

4th Turn - Stand J, section 30 best
NW Vista, section 1 best
Tower Terrace, section 79, seat 10 (for F1 race)

3rd Turn - NE Vista, sections - 12-13 best

1st Turn - Stand E or Penthouse E - 6-7 best

2nd Turn - SE Vista, sections 20-30 best
Sweet Spots in the Corners
Tower Terrace good and bad.  If you sit up high in Sections
37-40, the tower will block your view of the south half of the
main straight.
If you sit at the far end of the Tower terrace, Section 79,
seat 10 (last seat), you will have an unobstructed view of the
north end of the track as well a good view of the main straight.
If you sit in the top row, you can see the infield behind the
tower terrace.  
Another good thing is that the tower terrace has backs to the
aluminum bleachers.

Roof over your head.  If you sit on the outside of the track
down the main straightaway and into the first turn, you may
have a roof over your head.  This has two benefits:
1)  The first is it protects you from sudden downpours or a
boiling sun.
2) The other reason is that these bleachers are metal and it
creates an especially cool echo effect from the roar of the
engines that vibrate the seats and adds to your enjoyment of
the race.
However, higher seats may have beams obstructing portions of
your view as mentioned above.

There are huge TVs at scattered around the speedway.  They
are viewable from most seats.  Getting a good view of them
should be a consideration in your ticket selection since it is
impossible to hear the P.A. during the race.  TVs help you follow
what is happening during the race.
Paddock Seats that straddle the Start/Finish Line

Paddock Boxes 22 - 23
Paddock Section 11
Paddock Penthouse Boxes 14-15
Paddock Penthouse Pressbox Box 1
Looking Left
Looking Straight ahead
Looking Right
Here are some 3rd Turn photos from 1998.
I was sitting near the top of Section 12 of
the NE Vista.  - a definite "Sweet Spot" as
you can see half the track.
... More Seating Info...
... More Seating Info...
Outside Corners provide the Widest View of the track.  
It is possible to see the end of a straightaway, 2 corners, the
short-chute and an entire straightaway.  Sitting at the exit of a
corner, especially turns 2 & 4, the cars are moving at their
slowest.  Sitting down at the end of one of the straights, the
cars are moving their fastest.

Some stands have a Deck which is 2 rows of bleachers that
are a few feet above the top of the stands.
They are as expensive as sitting in the Penthouse.  They are
great seats.

Crashes usually occur in the turns.  It seems each year
that there is one particular corner where crashes occur most
often.  This changes each year.   Watching throughout the month
of May and seeing where the practice crashes are occurring, is
the best indicator of where trouble will be on race day.

It is cool to sit near the Start/Finish Line.
SEAT SELECTION
Where to Sit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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