SUNDAY!

IMS PAGODA ALIT

Good Morning Race Fans! At 5am Sunday the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is bustling, with people everywhere already going about making ready for the day and the 102nd Indy 500 presented by PennGrade Oil. Food is cooking, beverages are already being consumed, merchandise outlets are opening for business, and the multiplicity of workers of all kinds are hurrying to or are already on the job. The famous Yellow Shirts have been on site since 2am, and will have a very long shift. Radio and TV stations are set up and broadcasting already.

Radio Station broadcasting

TV Station setting up

The weather is forecast for upwards of 94 degrees F, with 90 percent humidity and almost no wind. And today is National Sunscreen Day! Heed the advice and cover up and slather sunscreen. The news says the UV rating is 9, which means one will burn in 15 minutes.

Sun Rising with Cannon Smoke in Air

Sun Rise!

The cannon went off at 6am, and then the sun rose over the Turn Three area, over all those cute little Tiny Homes and Glampers – who paid the big bucks to stay where they area. I think the Glampers – fancy camp tents are $1000 for four days. The Tiny Houses sold out very quickly, They rent for $3000 for four days, and come in two sizes – two persons or four persons.

Over in the Snake Pit, at $40 a pop, there are thousands of people. Last year it was 30,000. Who knows how many it will be this year.

In Gasoline Alley the teams are scurrying around, golf karts at top speed. The cars are being pushed through Scrutineering queues. On the back fence, the line of motorcycles grows by the hours – all kinds of fancy two and three-wheel motorcycles.

No.1 being wheeled through Tech

Tech Queue

No.60 being pushed back to Garage Bay

Motorcycles on display

There are all sorts of traditional pre-race festivities scheduled before the 12:19pm Green Flag. Let’s Go Racing!

Indy 500 Pre-Race Time Line