Carburetion Day
Our 2016 trip to the Indy 500. Starting with packing the Nav, getting our alternate navigation system installed.
At the track, Friday is Carburetion Day. Historically, it was the last time that teams could adjust their fuel systems to the latest environmental conditions (humidity, temperature, etc). Nowadays, with computerized injection systems, that isn't needed but Carb Day was kept for Indy Car practice, an Indy Lights race, a Pit Stop competition between the Indy Car teams and, later in the day, a concert (today's was Journey but it was too hot for us to hang around for that).
The parking lot was the most crowded that we have ever seen on Carb Day. The track set a record for attendance, and, for the first time in history, the Indy 500 is officially sold out. No general admission tickets will be sold on race day.
The pics in this set include our view watching the Indy Lights race and the Pit Stop Challenge, then a walk through the garage area (with our special badge). Kathleen said "follow the Photo guy!". Well that worked. Got a few good pics of one driver and a couple less so great pics of others (see if you can spot them). Many of the garages were already closed by the time we arrived but I managed to get a few shots of the technology of the race cars as their crews worked on them. Of course, there is the mandatory selfie. and a pic of "beer can" art on the Yard of Bricks in the Plaza.
The pics are under the Photos tab, 2016 Indy 500 Carburetion Day. Enjoy.
Tomorrow is the driver's meeting, running of historic race cars, autograph sessions for the Indy Legends (former champions) and the Indy 500 Festival Parade downtown. There will also be another concert. We'll do the driver's meeting and watch the old cars, maybe visit the garages again, but we'll skip the other festivities. We have to get ready for Sunday, a very early day for us.
Drivers' Meeting
Today was the "Drivers' Meeting". In reality, it's a show for the fans (nice going Indy). All of the drivers attend. The champion's and owner's rings from last year's Indy 500 are presented alone with a few other awards. Then, the field of 33 are called out individually to receive their Starter's Ring, emblematic of their success in making the field for the 500. Following that the chief steward of Indycar gives the drivers their "instructions" (they instructions are actually given in a private meeting with the drivers). Then, the drivers board vans for a quick trip into center city Indianapolis to participate in the Indy 500 Festival Parade with bands, floats and all the trimmings.
We didn't attend the parade this year. Instead we went into the infield and toured the very large Chevrolet exhibit. Boy, those Corvette Z06's are something else. I've included a few pics in the gallery. There are long range pics of a few drivers moving to the vans, the Borg-Warner trophy being prepped for transport to the parade, many of the cars in the Chevrolet display, including many former pace cars.