Indianapolis 500

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Morning Update: 05/24/24
May 24, 2024

What’s All The Commotion? [2013, reprocessed]

Fog covers the ground across the North 40 as fans are already anxiously arriving for Carb Day. We’re expecting perhaps a more rambunctious crowd this year than recent years have had. The neighborhood’s noise and traffic last night were ramped up and ready for action. Security has said they’re opening both sets of gates off 30th Street to ease the flow of traffic in/out of the North 40. Cars are already beginning to arrive but I don’t see any signs of severe delays just yet. The track should stay dry until after the concert with George Thorogood & The Destroyers. Click here for our post on parking etiquette.

G overslept and is missing the last day of school. He assures me that it’s no big deal, that nothing was planned for the day. He’s missed the bus so I guess he’s staying home and helping clean.

Tipper and I made another three-mile walk yesterday. These are taking about two hours, which is a bit slow, but at least we’re getting out and getting some exercise. I’m not sure we’ll go anywhere today, though. As rambunctious as last night was, I’m feeling the need to be a bit protective of the yard today.

My blood sugar was 368 an hour after eating last night. No, I don’t know why other than the fact that my pancreas is less than reliable now. Hopefully, I can get started on the new meds today. Numbers like that scare me. I’m anxious to see what my fasting number is this morning, but since dinner was so late last night I can’t check that until after 8:00 this morning. The fact that my pancreas is in danger of completely failing has me afraid to eat much of anything. Protein and fiber are the only things on the menu today.

There’s still some minor lawn work to do so I need to get my ass moving and get things done. Please, be safe.

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CARB DAY/RACE DAY PARKING ETIQUETTE
May 23, 2024

PLEASE READ IF YOU’RE USING ALTERNATIVE LAWN PARKING OUTSIDE THE SPEEDWAY.

After The Race [2023]

Race day must be just around the corner. How can we tell? Sanitation trucks have been going through the neighborhood setting up portable toilets throughout the neighborhood. There are more of them than last year, but it still won’t be enough. It never is. People utilizing parking outside the speedway is something of its own tradition and the track secretly relies on in, though they don’t want to actually acknowledge it. The speedway accommodates parking for roughly 100,000 people. That sounds like a lot, and it is. I’m sure back in the 1940s when the Hulmans were building the thing they never dreamed of filling it all up. Race attendance for this Sunday, however, is estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000. They all need somewhere to park.

Homeowners around the track have made their lawns available for both Carb Day (Friday before the race) and Race Day for decades. Prices have varied over the years, depending on the anticipated demand. The 100th running brought significantly higher prices than we’ll see this Sunday. People living in the neighborhoods around the track consider this small compensation for all the traffic and noise we have to put up with. You are not necessarily welcome, but for many, it is a way to help the rent for June. We see a lot of bad behavior, so if you’re going to park on anyone’s lawn, please take these items into consideration.

  1. Arrive early and just plan on chilling for a few hours. Available spots fill quickly. A lot of people accept reservations (we don’t) and some smaller lawns are technically “full” already. I’m outside ready to welcome you and your money at 6:00 AM. Others are out there earlier. Last year, our available spaces were all full by 10:00 AM and I was back inside taking a nap.
  2. Not everyone charges the same. Those of us closest to the East gate of the North 40 tend to charge the most because this is prime space. The further from the gate, the price begins to drop. However, rarely does it go below $10.
  3. Bring cash, 20s and 10s, please. I know that the track itself is cashless, but you’re making a deal here with a person, not a corporation. We don’t make enough to pay the 5% bank card fees. Personally, I also accept Venmo (@C_I_Letbetter) and I know of at least one neighbor who does the same, but I can’t make any promises for the bulk of the neighborhood.
  4. Cash also applies to many off-track vendors. I know Fat Cat’s BBQ will be here early Sunday morning setting up their smoker across the street. If you’re going to get here early, and you should, they can take care of both your breakfast and lunch needs. They’re good people, but they don’t take cards.
  5. DO NOT ask to use the bathroom inside someone’s home. That’s an invasion of privacy none of us like. There are multiple outdoor facilities scattered all over the neighborhood. Be prepared, though, some of them charge as much as $3 per use.
  6. Don’t think you’re going to get out of the neighborhood quickly once the race is over. See that picture up top? That’s what the entire street looks like for nearly two hours once the race is over. You can come and sit in your car or you can tailgate some more. Some people get in their cars and try to leave, but then end up going nowhere and wasting gas. Plan on taking your time. You probably need to drink water and sober up a bit anyway.
  7. Bring an umbrella. The forecast for Sunday says there’s pretty much a 100% chance of rain. The big question is: WHEN? We don’t know. Even Sunday morning, no one’s going to be 100% sure. Expect at least one set of showers Sunday morning, well before race time. As long as they’re done by noon, they should be able to get the track dry by 2:00. Any prolonged rain (more than 30 minutes) after 2:00 could cause for the race to be postponed until Monday.
  8. In case of a rain delay, your race tickets are still good on Monday. Your parking is not. You’ll need to negotiate with your host how much to pay for Monday’s parking.
  9. Bring sunscreen. Even if the skies are overcast, you can still get a sunburn from prolonged exposure. You won’t look any sillier wearing sunscreen than you do with that straw hit bearing the IMS logo.
  10. Consider bringing a change of clothes, especially if you have tickets for the Snake Pit, which promises to be a muddy mess. Even if you’re not in the mud, changing out of your hot, possibly wet, almost definitely smelly clothes will make your ride home more comfortable.

SPECIFIC TO PARKING WITH US

  1. We have limited space. If you want to tailgate to either side of your vehicle, that takes up a spot we might otherwise “lease” for the day. Therefore, we will ask for additional compensation.
  2. No, I don’t share my coffee.
  3. I may park a couple of cars inside the fence. If I do, you’ll have to be extra patient getting out after the race.
  4. PLEASE don’t stick your hand over the fence to pet the dogs. You can’t trust them.
  5. Yes, you may feed the humans, but not the animals (even though they’ll ask with big brown eyes). The dogs are too old and fat for human food. The humans are just hungry. That especially applies to the teenagers.
  6. No, Kat is not here. She has the good sense to leave and not take any of us with her. Which is another reason you may want to feed the humans. We’re probably hungry.
  7. I’m not pulling out the camera this year. I don’t have the stamina for that. I’ll use my phone to take a photo if you want, or use your phone if you don’t want to wait on me to process it. Flashing me your boobs is totally allowable if the kids are not in the yard.

As much as I fuss about the race, I do hope you enjoy the day. Know that every year is a little different, though. Take your time. Plan well ahead. Be flexible, especially with the weather. And don’t come running to me if you get struck by lightning. That’s not part of the track’s evacuation plan.

How To Win The Race [2011]
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Just For Fun  /  Photography
Outside the Indianapolis 500
May 29, 2016
Outside the Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 is a party that starts long before anyone gets to the actual race.

 

charles i. letbetter - outside the Indianapolis 500

Veteran race-goers know: reserve your parking space in advance, come early, and bring plenty of food.

Today is the 100th running of the greatest spectacle in motorsports: the Indianapolis 500 and we’re right smack in the middle of it. Actually, we’re not in the middle of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, we’re just outside. If you’re familiar with IMS, you know there’s a 40-acre parking lot on the North side of the track: the North 40. Half-way up that lot, on the East side, is a gate. We are across the street from that gate.

Parking cars on the lawns in our neighborhood is a long-standing tradition. People who have been attending the Indianapolis 500 for years have strong relationships with homeowners around here and like to park in the same places each year. They have our phone numbers and call sometimes several weeks in advance to make sure that they can secure their favorite spot on our lawn. This year, demand has been especially high. It is just after 9:00 AM as I’m typing this and already every available space on our lawn is either full or reserved. The same holds true for most our neighbors.

Of course, when people get here this far ahead of the race, which isn’t scheduled to start this year until 12:19 PM, one looks for ways to pass the time. Many tailgate. Some reserve extra space so they can sit and chat with friends and family. Some play games. There is always plenty of activity outside the gates right up until roughly 30 minutes before the Indianapolis 500 gets underway.

All that activity makes for great people watching any year, but this year it is especially entertaining. So, we’re taking a few pictures during the day and posting them a few at a time. Understand, we don’t actually know any of these people. If you see someone you recognize and they were supposed to be somewhere else today, that’s not our fault.

The Indianapolis 500 is a unique race simply because of its size and spectacle. We can’t go in but we can show you all the fun happening outside.

Before The Race:

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AFTER THE RACE

Once the race is over, the rush is on to get to the car and get out as quickly as possible. Of course, “quickly” is a subjective term. Some do best to take their time and let the alcohol burn off a bit. Some have difficulty finding their party while others are pretty sure they are the party. Any way you look at it, though, the effects of being out in the sun are evident on everyone who passed. As you’re looking through the photos, be sure to check the faces in the background as well. Sometimes those we didn’t focus on were more entertaining. We avoided the worst, though. There were a few who, while they would have been easy prey for the camera, were so drunk and/or dehydrated that taking their picture would have been a bit cruel. I’m sure they’re suffering enough this morning without waking up and finding their drunken selves on the Internet. We also tossed in a few pictures of some of the mess people leave behind. The Coke lot always gets trashed the worse, but I didn’t want to walk all the way down there.

Again, if you see someone you know, tag them and let them know you found them being silly, or angry, or shoving a whole water bottle in their mouth (not kidding, it’s in there). It was an exciting race with a lot of interesting people.

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Current Issues  /  PotD
One Giant Party
May 26, 2016

I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade… And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party. —Ron White

 

charles i. letbetter - one giant party

The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 is cause to party, but there are some rules

This is no ordinary race week. This is no ordinary race. The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 brings more people to Indianapolis than any other event, ever, and in many places across town, the party has already started! Whether you’re at the Coke Lot or one of the events at Pan Am Plaza downtown, or right here in our backyard at the North 40, everyone has one primary goal: To have a good time.

Unfortunately, there are always some people who go a bit too far. I woke this morning to a headline reading, “Man Shot Several Times At Speedway Strip Club.” That’s not the kind of partying anyone needs. Last year, some brilliant jackass thought it would be cool to burn down a whole line of portable toilets in the Coke Lot. That’s exactly the kind of nonsense that ruins the event for everyone. If you’re going to party, ya’ gotta follow the rules.

The party starts well before the race, of course. We’re expecting a larger-than-ever turnout for Carb Day tomorrow. The big draw is the Journey concert at 3:30 PM and I’m expecting to be able to take the dog out, sit in the yard, and hear the whole thing just fine. Fellow-Okie Blake Shelton is here Saturday afternoon, and we’ll probably have a decent turnout for that as well. Then, for better or worse, there’s Saturday night at the Coke Lot. One the party starts, it doesn’t stop until well after Sunday’s race is over.

Before you head our direction, though, there are some things you should know, even if you’ve been here every year for your entire life. The  Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has updated their policies as to what will and will not be allowed through the gate.  IMS also announced yesterday that there will be more security at this race than ever before.  Those of us who live in the neighborhood are very happy to know that federal agencies are lending a hand in keeping everyone safe. With some 300,000-plus people on hand, the race is a prime target for those desperate for attention.

Some of the things you can expect to be different this year are:

  • An increase in security checkpoints, especially the day of the race.
  • An increase in the use of special K-9 units. You’re not sneaking anything past these dogs. We suggest you not try.
  • More  vehicle searches as you’re entering the grounds. Anything suspicious will be considered reasonable cause.
  • ESG Security is searching bags and coolers, not IMS Yellow Shirts. Yellow Shirts are being utilized  to help people get where they’re going more efficiently.
  • IMPD is scanning vehicle license plates as they enter the grounds. They say they’re looking for stolen vehicles, but we suspect there’s more to it than that.

If you’re just coming in for one of the concerts, there are some special rules you should probably know as well:

  • No selfie sticks
  • No drones
  • No stickers (not kidding!)
  • No professional cameras (another reason for me to stay home)
  • No lasers

This size of the crowd this year likely means that the party is going to be larger than ever in the neighborhoods surrounding IMS as well. As Kat was coming home yesterday she noticed that prices for lawn parking are higher this year for those North of 30th street. I’m sure she’ll be talking with our neighbors about raising our pricing as well. I know we’re limiting the amount of lawn we give to parking this year.

Thousands of party people park in our neighborhood for these events and enter through the East gate of the North 40, directly across the street from our house. We don’t mind too terribly much, partly because you’re paying for the privilege. Still, if you’re going to park off-site and walk into IMS, there are some additional things you should know:

  • Traffic is going to suck worse than ever. Everything is sold out for Sunday, which means somewhere around 150,000 more people trying to get in than last year. Georgetown, Lafayette, and 30th street are going to be a nightmare starting around 3:00 AM. Plan accordingly.
  • No one in the neighborhood really likes being awakened at 3 AM, even if you’re giving us money. Please, keep the noise down at least until the sun is up.
  • SLOW THE FUCK DOWN! Every year, we see too many redneck sons of bitches who apparently think they can secure a last-minute driving spot by showing how fast they can maneuver residential streets. Don’t be that jackass. Someone’s likely to get hurt.
  • Watch out for children. One of the great things about our neighborhood is that we’ve seen an influx of families with children over the past 12 months. There are little ones running all over the place, which is very different from previous years. Many of them are small enough to not be seen easily and when things get hectic, as race day always does, keeping an eye on everyone is challenging. Keep an eye out, please.
  • Speaking of children, please be careful about what you feed them. The guests we have parking in our yard are always generous about sharing their food with our children who are always hungry. I’m sure others are the same. However, as their parents, we would be most appreciative if you didn’t give them whole bags of Hostess donuts and other such sugar-filled treats. Our children aren’t accustomed to that much processed sugar and it makes them rather crazy. Get them hopped up and we may well send them with you.
  • Don’t ask to use our restroom. You’re welcome to our lawn, not inside our houses. Some of our neighbors have rented portable toilets for the event for your use, including some right outside the East gate. Bring ones, though. Those potties aren’t free.
  • Watch where you park. Certain sides of the street are off limits (there are signs). The right-of-way between the sidewalk and the street is also off limits. Park there and you WILL be towed. We have a neighborhood busybody (not me this time) who is quick to call police when she sees a parking infraction. You don’t want to have to walk home.
  • Exit quickly. We’re pretty much trapped here all weekend. We know that and have prepared accordingly. However, by Sunday evening, we have cabin fever and need to get out, if for no other reason than to buy more toilet paper. We can’t do that until everyone’s gone. Please, don’t lag or dilly-daddle. IMPD does their best to get everyone on their way and out of the neighborhood within two hours after the race. Don’t be that straggler whose vehicle is still on our lawn at 9PM Sunday night.

I know that’s a lot to take in, but if we’re all going to party together there have to be some ground rules. We don’t want anyone getting hurt or running afoul of the law. Have a good time, enjoy the concerts and the race, and if you’re going through the East gate of the North 40, drop by and say hi!

Party on, Garth!

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Shoveling Through Another Monday
May 23, 2016
charles i. letbetter - shoveling through another monday

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. —Phyllis Diller

 

charles i. letbetter - shoveling through another Monday

When you’ve had such a good weekend, why does the universe feel the need to ruin that with a Monday?

Shoveling through digital tons of information seems to be the modern equivalent of going into work on a Monday morning and finding your inbox stacked five feet high. I have a feeling only government offices still use actual inboxes, given their penchant for wasting paper, but most everyone going to work today is going to find one of their first tasks to be shoveling their way through the detritus whether that be actual bottles left from consumed beverages or mountains of information that were blissfully ignored. Perhaps, like me, you have plenty of both.

I think one of the first things needing to be removed from the pile and set to the side is the fact that Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe won the pole position for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. I know most of the people reading this couldn’t care less about the 500, but what makes this story worth shoveling out of the pile is that one year ago today, the day after qualifying, Hinchcliff crashed into Turn 3, right here in my backyard, and nearly bled to death. With head and spinal cord injuries, it is amazing that he is even driving a golf cart, let alone rounding the 2.5-mile oval at speeds averaging 230.760 miles per hour. The strength and determination required to pull off this kind of comeback should be inspiring for a Monday morning.

Apparently the Billboard Music Awards were last night. I didn’t watch them, but if we’re shoveling we probably want to include this in the save pile somewhere. I can’t say anything authoritative, since I was sound asleep through most of it, but Billboard has posted their choices for 10 best performances of the night. Apparently Madonna did a tribute to Prince, Celine Dion sang in tribute to her late husband, René Angélil, and Britney Spears performed a tribute to herself. Or something like that. I do know that you should probably avoid the comments section of any performance you might see. The trolls were out in force last night and spread their hate and nonsense across the whole show.

Did you know that the used sneaker market nets over $1 billion annually? WTF? I thought it was strange when a “vintage” sneaker store popped up in a local mall a couple of years ago, but the number of people collecting limited release shoes has grown into a full-fledged part of the fashion industry. Does it make a lick of sense? Not really, but it does make for great conversation. Oh, and before you go shoveling your old sneakers out of your closet, one of the conditions to keeping the prices on these shoes stupidly high is that they’ve not actually been worn. Business Insider has a great piece on the industry. People who spend this much on shoes they can’t wear have no room to be making fun of geeks who buy toys they’ll never play with.

For those of you who enjoy shoveling politics, especially if you are my age or older, you’re going to either love or hate or love to hate this next one: The US is getting cozy again with Vietnam. Let that sink in a minute. During his visit there yesterday, President Obama announced the lifting of a decades-old arms embargo to the island nation where so many thousands of troops died in the one war the United States unquestionably lost. There’s a good, or at least understandable, reason for the move, though: China’s getting feisty in the region. While the President denies such reasoning on an official basis, Vietnam has been rather public in its concern regarding how China has been throwing its weight around in the South China Sea. Specifically, with island bases encroaching ever closer, China could send planes from one of those islands and bomb Hanoi in less than an hour. Vietnam is scared and we’ve seen this before. Be concerned.

Finally, today is #WorldTurtleDay. In the never-ending stream of special days and tributes, this is one that doesn’t annoy us quite as much. I mean, who can get angry about a turtle. In fact, I’m guessing a lot of us resemble turtles with the pace we’re moving today. These are some of the longest-living creatures on the planet, though. If moving a little (or a lot) slower is the key to a happy and longer life, then maybe we should start paying attention to the lessons they have to teach. Turtles are incredibly cool, even if they aren’t mutant teenagers chomping down on pizza.

Most of what I’m seeing this morning deserves to be shoveled right into the dumpster. There is an incredible amount of meaningless noise that serves no other purpose than to be a distraction. Shoveling to bulk out of the way is our best hope of sorting out what’s really important. I won’t say that it will make your Monday any better. Some of what I’m seeing rather sucks if one is deep in the stock market or heavily involved in retail. Still, just getting rid of the piles of stuff at least creates the illusion that you’re doing work or something like that.

With all that comes at you today, just keep shoveling and try to not throw out your back in the process.

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