The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 was more than just another event at the famed circuit, it was a return of the spectacle that has traditionally accompanied one of the biggest racing events in the world.
After two years at a limited capacity, the facility opened its doors to a full crowd and gave them plenty of memorable moments over the course of the weekend. Often referred to as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ the race truly lived up to its name this year.
Motorsport Week was in attendance to take in the sights, and brings you on a tour of all the experiences that can be found on race weekend at the Indy 500.
Driver interactions
Among other things, 2022 saw the return of direct interactions between drivers and fans. A full field autograph session was held on Saturday morning, and many thousands of enthusiastic fans turned out to get their favorite memorabilia signed by their favorite drivers.
Later that day, the drivers took part in a parade through Indianapolis for all the fans that weren’t able to make it to the track. The entire city was involved in celebrating the historic event’s 106th running.
Culture clash
For those fans that crave entertainment outside of cars on track, there were plenty of options to keep them occupied all weekend. Everything from a round of golf inside the 2.5-mile oval the Snake Pit concert stage that blasted music each night and even during the race.
The Corvette car corral was a treat of owners of the iconic brand, as they were allowed to take a lap around the track and park together in a designated lot in the infield. The gathering of 100+ pristine Corvettes also provided eye candy for anybody walking past towards the fan zone.
Fan engagement
Many considerations were made to provide talking points no matter where in the expansive facility fans found themselves. There were multiple custom posters printed in the garage area for the all-important social media posts, as well as advertising displays disguised as photo-worthy installments.
Unique sights
In other parts of the track were hospitality paddocks that were assembled for a completely different type of clientele. The large, invite only Arrow McLaren SP suite was impossible to miss with its humungous video board showing off the partnership’s biggest achievements.
Found near the driver’s bus lot, in which most drivers spend the entirety of the Month of May, was Zak Brown’s personal Ford Condor II motorhome. The historic sight travels to most events that Brown attends, and serves as his unique mobile office.
Racing traditions
Along with the return of the fans was the return of a few traditions that have become forever associated with the Indy 500. The Gordon Pipers marching bagpipe band was in the infield the entirety of the weekend, and even led the Borg-Warner trophy out on the morning of the race.
The infield on race day was a spectacle all to itself simply on account of the number of people that packed in to catch a glimpse of their favorite cars being wheeled to the grid. A lucky few even snagged a quick signature or selfie with one of the 33 drivers.
500 miles and 300,000 fans
Once the race itself approached following a morning filled with festivities, the full extent of what it means to have a completely full house at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was revealed. The grid was packed with media and invited guests as endless pre-race activities were cycled through.
Then the stands filled in with 300,000 fans, and The Greatest Spectacle in Racing truly got underway. There is nothing quite like the atmosphere surrounding the best-attended sporting event in the world, and it was on full display once again this year.
… and, that is exactly what it is, making a spectacle of itself, lipstick on a spec-series pig –
Every Indycar is always exactly the same. Main difference between them are, their liveries, and which team most efficiently cheats the rules.
Things are so bad in Indycar, I am prohibited from fielding my own entry in the Indianapolis 500. To do so, I’d need written approval, from no less than 16 corporations. I’d have to enter with their car, their tires, their drivers, their engines, their fuel, their people. All they’d require of me is, my money.
If you attempted to field an unauthorized engine and unauthorized chassis in the Indianapolis 500, you would be sanctioned, declared persona non grata, banned from all forms of open-wheeled motor sport in North America, for life. It is what it is.
Nobody, but nobody, gets a car into the Indy 500, unless the corporations say so.
In Indycar, the corporations control everything. The most technologically inbred form of organized motorsport, Indycar engineers are not even allowed to touch their own engines. They’re not allowed to put their own tires on the car. They’re not even allowed to put their own fuel in the car. For your information, in case no one told you, those good old Indiana IRL boys, they detest newcomers.
Two 500 wins they stole, from Jimmy Clark. One, from Paul Tracy.
Saw it for myself, Jimmy Clark won Indy, three times in a row. The Speedway people took it from him. Twice. Castroneves is not (NOT) a 4 time winner. Neither is Foyt. The only two drivers to do it 4 times, fair ‘n square, Al Unser and Rick Mears.
Graham Hill was a lap down. Everybody knows it. Paul Tracy won the 2002 500. Everybody knows it.
Once upon a time, Indycar drivers got wheel-spin, accelerating off turn 3. Now, kinder-gentler rev limited dial-a-boost engines, automatic transmission, drivers flat-throttling the entire lap, no talent’s required, once acclimated, any bimbo secretary with decent legs you put into the cockpit, stands a decent chance of a top-ten finish.
Anything but a proving ground for advancement of automotive technology, the Indianapolis 500 is a spec-series freak show, rev restricted engines laboring on their mandated governors, drivers doing little more than steering, flat-throttled on cheap tires, all the way around. Any idiot, bar Jimmy Johnson, could do that.
Not one mechanical failure at the 2022 Indianapolis 500? Those engines were dialed so far down, drivers were flat-throttled, the entire 500 mile distance, never lifting off-throttle entering the turns. Where’s the skill in that?
What a farce! No mechanical malfunctions in any of the cars, all the drivers were just stroking it, single-file, pedal to the floorboards, the entire 500 miles. The only time a driver could advance was, on restarts, if the car ahead was caught outside the slipstream, or other drivers flubbing their refueling stops. The only race retirements were due to (get this), gusts of wind? The race winner looked like he just typed a last minute term paper.
Less strenuous than diapering a toddler, driving the Affirmative Action 500 is a far cry from ditch digging, breaking rocks in the hot sun. Automatic transmissions, their very own baby bottle drink tubes, those lazy bums aren’t even tapping the brakes into any of the turns.
Automatic transmission, a baby bottle pacifiers in their mouths, kibitzed the entire 500, constantly told what to do via radio, no need to judge how fast to take the turns, just put your foot down the whole way around, how hard can it be? Even that Jimmy Johnson stock car guy, he could do that, almost.