Indy 500 qualifying and Dadlopniking UPDATE: Successful operation Doctor

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
05/19/2019 at 11:32 • Filed to: Dadlopnik, Indy 500

One of my good friends and I have been attending the Indy 500 together for 13 years now. This will be my 23rd 500 in a row, but the first 10 were with other people. One thing we’ve never done, and frankly I’ve never even considered doing, was go to qualifying for the 500.

Well, if you follow IndyCar racing, and I know there’s a few of you here who do, there has been a LOT of excitement about qualifying this year. Three entrants will be bumped and go home. McLaren is back this year, but with their own team this time, trying to get Alonso in the show. There’s a new qualifying format this year too.

Well, my buddy started talking about going a few weeks ago, and bringing his almost 5-year old along with him. Last week, he decided he would go for it. Well, my oldest has been bugging me to bring her to the 500 for a couple years now. I don’t think she’s ready for that, but my buddy and I decided we would go down together and bring the kiddos with, and sit in the infield with them.

We live outside of Chicago, so the plan is to depart by 8 am, get to Indy by lunch. We’re going to find a spot in one of the infield mounds and eat lunch there. There should be 5-6 hours of qualifying still to go. We’re going to be loaded for bear with snacks, water, and toys for the kids. Hopefully they can last until the 5:50 gun. Then we’re going to book it for home. Probably be in bed after 10.

It’s going to be a really long day, but it should be a good one. I hope the sight and sound and feel of an IndyCar going by at 230 miles and hour blows their fragile little minds. I can’t afford to get into go-karting with my kids, and I’m not sure I’d want to anyways, but I really hope she ends up a racing fan.

This picture is from the sprint car race I took her to last summer. She got to see her first race, at the same place I saw my first race. The dirt oval at Wilmot Raceway. I’m planning to take her back this summer, with her little sister this time.

Update:

We made it to the track around lunchtime. We loaded up the wagon with our coolers and chairs, and started walking into the track on the north side between turns 3&4. On our way in, a very nice track worker in a stretched golf cart stopped and asked us if we’d like a ride in. Of course! He deployed the wheelchair ramp, we loaded up the wagon and hopped on. He brought us all the way in and around to the spectator mounds at turn 3. What amazing hospitality!

We picked an open spot on the exit of 3, and set up during Scott Dixon’s first qualifying attempt. We got settled in time for Hinch’s first attempt, and wer e watching him on the big screen behind us, when a gust of wind kicked up and Hinch bit the wall hard. There were a tense few moments while they pulled him out of the car, but he was fine.

Amazingly, his team had the backup car ready and Hinch was back on the track within a couple hours. Unfortunately, despite several attempts, Hinch was not able to get locked into the field yesterday, and will have to make one final attempt today to try and get in the last row.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures, as the sun made it impossible to see the screen on my potato. Here is the best race car picture I got.

There was a ton of action to watch, and a lot of feel-good stories took place. Pippa Mann and her team of Dirt oval racers made the show. Insane Aussie James Davidson bumped his way solidly into the field, as did Indy newcomers Dragon Speed and their driver Ben Hanley.

Fast Freddy Alonso bumped his way in multiple times, but never got above last place and kept getting bumped back out. Kyle Kaiser, Sage Karam, Pato O’Ward, and Max Chilton are also on the outside looking in, hoping to make the last row later today.

As for the kids, they did pretty well. My daughter got whiney towards the end of the admittedly very long day. My buddy’s son was happy as a clam the whole time. They both decided they were going to push the wagon back at the end. Impressively, they made it the roughly block long length of the gravel path before declaring themselves done :)

We stopped for dinner at a rural drive-in in west Indiana and had pork tenderloin sandwiches and milk shakes. We drove all told over 400 miles to watch 4-1/2 hours of qualifying. Exhausted but happy, we collapsed into bed at 10:30, having pulled out of the driveway at 7:30 am. Totally worth it!

DISCUSSION (33)

vondon302 > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 15:37

Eenjoy! Been to the 500 a few times but never qualifying.

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 15:41

And it looks like you already have a headset - which is a definite must for that!

Some years ago, I went on a golf trip down to Indy around this time, and we played the course there. For about 4 holes, you go under the track and come out in the infield, then go back out and play the rest of the course.

Practice was going on at the time, and the noise was getting on my nerves after just 45 minutes in the infield. Was still pretty cool to be playing golf next to cars going 200 mph.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 15:42

The only Indy 500 I’ve ever been to was in 1976, and they called the rain at lap 102 after a two-hour rain delay. I went down from Oak Park with my mom in a motor home and parked it somewhere outside the track (I was 10, don’t remember many of the details). I think one of the most fun parts of the weekend was watching all the people arriving, sort of like a giant parade, but with lots and lots of beer. I remember taking a van tour of the track, and the guide pointed out all the black spots on the wall and told us which drivers made them. We had seats above and behind the pits. It was really quite awesome. 11/10, would do it again.

Chariotoflove > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 16:05

Ambitious! Sounds like a blast. I hope it’s as fun as it sounds.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn
05/17/2019 at 16:51

I highly recommend coming back. In addition to an unbelievable event that is the race itself, the people watching is superb.

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW
05/17/2019 at 16:51

Yeah, I’ve got the headset for her. I will need to buy an additional one when it’s time to bring her little sister with.

shop-teacher > Chariotoflove
05/17/2019 at 16:52

Me too!

shop-teacher > vondon302
05/17/2019 at 16:52

We will!

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 17:10

Sounds like a great trip - have a good time!

RallyWrench > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 17:12

This is the best, hope all goes well and they love it! I’ll never forget the first time I saw a CART car go by at Long Beach as a kid. I want to get my oldest to the local dirt track this summer.

vondon302 > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 17:12

Btw that's an impressive run! Meant to mention that

shop-teacher > RallyWrench
05/17/2019 at 19:43

I will certainly report back on Sunday :)

Yeah, get that kid to the track!

shop-teacher > WilliamsSW
05/17/2019 at 19:44

Will do!

smobgirl > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 20:01

I’ll be watching qualifying from home! Hope y’all have a blast.

f86sabre > shop-teacher
05/17/2019 at 20:43

Perfect plan. Between ontrack actions and the fan zone I’m sure there will be enough to keep them entertained. Ice cream helps too.

shop-teacher > f86sabre
05/17/2019 at 23:38

Good call with the ice cream.

shop-teacher > smobgirl
05/17/2019 at 23:38

Thanks! I'm sure we will.

vondon302 > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 11:41

Nicely done!

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 11:54

Nice! (I havent gotten any email if you sent it btw )

f86sabre > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 12:04

Well done! Glad to hear the kiddos had fun. The folks at the Speedway are generally amazing and super friendly. It is a great place to spend time. Also cool that you finished it off with a tenderloin. That’s doing it well.

shop-teacher > f86sabre
05/19/2019 at 12:07

It was a damn good day!

shop-teacher > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
05/19/2019 at 12:08

Gah! I totally forgot! Can you give me the address again so I don't have to dig it out of last week's comments?

shop-teacher > vondon302
05/19/2019 at 12:08

Thanks!

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 12:11

Sure, its gh05ttwej at the google (its a zero not an Oooooo )

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > f86sabre
05/19/2019 at 12:12

Mmmmmm....ice cream

shop-teacher > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
05/19/2019 at 12:24

Sent! Before I forgot again :)

XJDano > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 12:24

What a day.

shop-teacher > XJDano
05/19/2019 at 12:25

It was a long one, but a good one.

phenotyp > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 12:32

Taking my daughter to her first race was such a great experience. This looks like a perfect one for y’all. Cheers!

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 13:22

Replied!

shop-teacher > phenotyp
05/19/2019 at 14:22

It was pretty great!

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > shop-teacher
05/19/2019 at 21:17

Great post. Thanks for sharing the experience.

I’ve been to a few races. Never made it to Indy though . I’ll just live vicariously through you. Please k eep posting.

shop-teacher > John Norris (AngryDrifter)
05/19/2019 at 21:38

Glad you enjoyed it.

I can't encourage you enough to come to the 500 one of these days. The experience is amazing. You can just show up before the race and scalp a ticket in front of the track for face value, or sometimes less. Don't over think it, just go. You won't regret it.