Hello Internet. This week, my buddy, Hoff, invades the blog-space to emote at you about the 500. Hoff is a big part of the reason I started this blog (well getting Hoff to follow the IndyCar Series during months that aren't May is). Anyway, it's awesome. Read on!
-- Guido
PS Twitter Predictions for the #Indy500orBust coming up after Carb Day. Stay tuned to @ScoringIndy on Twitter.
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Hello Internet! With
a lack of much real data to look at during May Guido asked me, Hoff, to step in
and write something a little more... soft for you. Before I delve into what I think Indy’s all
about let me give you a little background on myself. I grew up on the westside of Indianapolis and I've been going to the race so long that I can’t remember which was my first. (I feel like I remember Emmo winning in 1993 but that might have been from TV) I’m
not a huge racing fan (It took me longer than I care to admit that there were, in fact, other IndyCar races) I now live in Iowa.
This last point is more important than it might seem at
first. I live in Iowa. Guido asked me to jot down some feelings
about the Indy 500 today and this fact, living in Iowa, now completely colors
the way I view the race.
When I was a kid it was about exactly what you would expect
it to be about it. Fast cars, loud
noises, and toy cars. Never forget the
toy cars. At age 10 this was a crucial part of raceday. As all things do this changed as I got
older. There were the years where I’d
rather run around and talk to girls, the years where it wasn't cool to like
racing, and eventually the years where I admitted to myself that I did like
racing.
What I’m getting to is that, while the Indy 500 has meant a
lot of things to me over the years, now more than anything it’s Back Home Again in Indiana. As a 10 year old Indianapolis native I wasn't even paying attention to what the old guy I had never heard of was singing but
as a 28 year old living in Iowa (told you this was important) it
brings tears to my eyes.
The Indy 500 is going home.
It’s spending time with my dad, who is a very quiet guy, until you get him to the track. It’s he and I going on the never-ending search
for beer (real beer, not yellow fizzy water) that
comes in cans. It’s falling asleep on
the couch watching the tape delayed (Yeah, ABC runs the race on tape delay in Indy) race
that you just returned from. It's
tradition. These aren't the traditions
that most people think of when they think of the 500 but they’re the ones that
are important to me.
I don’t know if I've given you a very good idea of what the
race is if you've never been, but I’m not sure I can. For an event that sees a quarter of a million
people show up every year it’s very personal to me and I don’t think I’m alone. If you’re thinking of going next year I
suggest you do it. Grab some family and
a best friend or two and start your own traditions. You probably won’t get to kiss the bricks but
after a few years (and you choose the right people) that
won’t matter.
-- Hoff
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