DAN'S PHOTO JOURNALS
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INDY 500 RACE

Saturday, May 26, 2019
There was a 50% chance for rain today.

ET and I headed to the track around 10:30 or 11 a.m.

I was trying to get to 10th Street through town instead of using the
interstate.  However, the police had every avenue blocked, forcing
me down to Lynhurst Avenue before I could go north.  (They would
not let me go east on 10th either!).  By this time, 10th Street wasn't
even crowded; I should have just taken I-465.

Anyway, I turned right on 14th Street and headed east through
neighborhoods.  Cars were parked on both sides of the street.
I found no spot before I came to Main Street.  I turned right and
found someone selling parking at 12th and Main for $40.  Ouch.
I took it.

We entered through the main gate and trucked up to our seats arriving
in time for the prayer, the balloons, some patriotic music, a cool fly
over and finally a rendition of "Back Home Again" which I sung along too.

I hung up my shirt and gear on the fence behind me.  

It was an overcast day and a little breezy.  It was not hot or sunny.
It was perfect weather for both the fans and the drivers!
The rain never came either!
We were the last to leave.

We both had one can of beer left.

It was too late and too far away to go to
the garages, so we left.

Some guy gave us a lift to the gate in
his golf cart saving us some walking.

We got home at 7pm, in time to watch
the broadcast of the race!

We ran out to a Irish Pub for some grub.

We watched the Monaco GP from this
morning.  I barely stayed awake to the
end.   I figured Lewis Hamilton would win.  
The Mercedes team has finished 1-2 in
every F1 race this year.  Yawn.
Shuttle service from the airport used
school buses this year.
Winner Simon Pagenaud taking a slow victory lap to wave to the fans.
People in the middle of the infield after
the race.
Turn 2 Suites
Looking behind me and down at people
lying in the grass outside of the grand
stands.  

My guess is they started drinking too early.
Pippa Mann started 30th and finished 16th!
Ben Hanley had mechanical problems
on Lap 54 and finished 32nd.
Ryan Hunter-Reay finished 8th.
Rookie Marcus Ericsson finished 23rd.
Helio Castroneves finished 18th.
Josef Newgarden finished 4th!
The couple in front of me were so white,
it was like they'd never seen the sun.
Celebrating Mario Andretti's 1969 Indy 500 win, Marco Andretti's car was painted in the same color as his car then.
I like it!  it really stands out on the track.  
Marco ran in last all day, so it didn't bring him any luck.
I began calling him "Marco Duno" and "Milka Andretti" ...heh heh
Rookie of the Year - Santino Ferrucci

He finished 7th.
Colton Herta dropped out on Lap 4
with a mechanical problem.  
Simon Pagenaud won the race from pole.
JR Hildebrand finished 20th
Zach Veach was caught up in the
accident on lap 176 and finished 29th.





Rookie Felix Rosenvist also wrecked
then and finished in 28th
Tony Kanaan finished 9th.





Graham Rahal wrecked on lap 176,
finishing 27th.
Everyone loved the flyover!

After these four aircraft flew over,  the A-10C
Thunderbolt II and the F-16 fighter jet cut back
sharply across the track while the P-51 and
P-40 flew on.

The jet turned on it's afterburners and
flew straight up and out of sight, just like a
rocket going to outer space!  Very cool.
I forgot to bring three things:

1)  Suntan lotion.  (I didn't get burned too bad.)
2) Seat Cushion.  (I stood a lot and my butt was fine.)
3) Towel for drying off seat after it rains

It did not rain.  However, ET immediately knocked over the first
pint I opened, spilling beer all over my seat and floor space!  
Oh no!  I did not want to sit in beer for the next three hours!

Luckily the guy next to me had a towel.  Whew!  Life saver.
The sun came out toward the end of the race.

The race proceeded very quickly and was
over with sooner than I expected, thanks to
few wrecks or cautions.  

No wrecks happened in my view.  I think
there was really only one big wreck, that
involved about 4-5 cars on lap 176.  
The end of the race was exciting and I
loved it.  

ET predicted Simon Pagenaud would win.  
He was right.  

Alex Rossi chased him for 1st place and
passed him a couple times but Simon
Pagenaud led the last two laps and won.  
Takuma Sato came in 3rd.

Most cars were pretty close and on the
same lap at the end.  
E.T.
More Photo Journals from this May:
The IndyCars in formation before the start.
Simon Pagenaud led most of the laps today.
Guys came around after the race and
took down the flags.
May 11 - Saturday
May 18 - Saturday
May 23 - Thursday
May 24 - Friday