Monthly Archives: May 2021

Fans of IndyCar and the Indy 500

As we count down to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, I thought it would be fun to once again remind ourselves of some of the differences between true fans of IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 and casual fans of the sport. So here are some ways we differ. Hope you enjoy!

1. A super fan will wake up long before the sun rises to hit the road in order to attend a race weekend. It makes no sense to go to a race and not watch every practice and qualifying session. A casual fan would rather attend her sons ballgame and stroll into the track just before the green flag.

At the Indianapolis 500, the super fan has arrived before the bomb and enjoys vintage cars on track, the singing of Back Home Again in Indiana, Balloon real ease and many other prerace traditions. The casual fan is still waiting in the concession line minutes before the green flag.

2. A super fan refers to the drivers by their first name and acts like they actually know the driver (we feel like we do).  The casual fan often has no clue who the super fan is talking about because sport figures usually go by their last names and the casual fan is trying to figure out who the heck Tony, Charlie and Scott are.

3. When hanging out at the hotel pool after a hot day at a speedway a casual fan might be tempted to yell out “Polo” to a popular game kids are playing in the pool. A super fan will have a completely different answer and yell out “Andretti”.

4. A super fan knows the drivers birthdays and will often tweet birthday wishes. While discussing this at dinner Kristen couldn’t believe how many of the drivers birthdays Lisa and I knew without looking them up. Okay I will admit we didn’t always remember the exact date but between the two of us we knew the Month for many.

5. A super fan won’t go to just any restaurant while attending the Indy 500. Charlie Browns, Mug n Bun, Dawson’s and the Foyt Vault are all a must. Casual fan just wants to hit Cracker Barrel because it is close to the hotel.

6. A super fan gets all geeked out when her blog is mentioned by the king of IndyCar bloggers- George Phillip of Oilpressure.com – even more so when she wins the annual trivia contest. A casual fan is shocked that there is more than one person blogging about IndyCar.

7. A super fan has her own scanner and regularly checks in with Debbie who works for Racing Elecronics to make sure she is good to go before the green flag. A casual fan hopefully remembers to bring ear protection.

8. A super fan knows and recognizes the radio announcers. A casual fan scratches her head wondering how on Earth you know what the radio announcers look like.

9. A super fan will rearrange the IndyCar magnets on her car putting the driver with the most points in first. A casual fan sadly does not have any IndyCar bumper stickers or magnets on her car.

10. Perhaps our favorite and the one we laughed over the most. A super fan follows the drivers pet dogs on Twitter. During the Iowa weekend (2017) Norman Pagenaud tweeted reminding us to vote for Simon for the ESPY’s. Kristen could not stop laughing when I showed her the tweet. She laughed even harder when she learned he wasn’t the only dog I follow. Chevy Clausen is another sweet pup I follow. The best part was it didn’t even dawn on me that she would find it funny or weird that I follow dogs on twitter- don’t we all? When we told Lisa she said she also followed Norman and of course had voted for Simon.

11. A super fan refuses to attend weddings or graduation parties on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. A casual fan actually plans parties on that Sunday and doesn’t understand why the super fan refuses to attend.

12. A casual fan does not talk to strangers in a bar. A super fan notices their IndyCar shirt and approaches them asking all sorts of questions about who they like for the race.

13. A super fan talks along with the radio, tv and podcasts answering questions and pointing out facts along with the announcers. The casual fan is amazed people can talk about IndyCar for that long.

14. A casual fan may or may not recognize Mario Andretti. A super fan will pull out a homemade autograph book that includes pictures from the Andretti winery and end up having a 15 minute conversation with the racing legend.

15. Super fans wake up on Memorial Day Sunday saying Merry Christmas. Casual fans are greatly confused because Christmas is in December. Well that’s not necessarily true if you are a race fan. Our greatest day of the year is Indy 500 day.

I’ve put this fun list together twice before. You can check it out here and here. If some of these seem dated that is why. Today we will celebrate my sons graduation. I was very careful to make sure the party was on Saturday and not Sunday. While I don’t often attend the race in person, you can be sure I will be watching every second of it. Hope you enjoy our racing Christmas.

Do you have fun stories your friends and family don’t understand about your passion for the 500? I’d love to hear them.

Music of the 500

On Monday after I finished my post on qualifying I began a new post (this post) focusing on the songs about the Indianapolis 500 or that we hear during the 500. If I were more tech savvy I would put them all in a download so you could add them to a playlist. Maybe by next year I can figure that out. I had a few songs in mind and googled songs about the Indy 500 to find others. With the post taking shape in my mind I moved forward. I found some songs I liked and added them to my draft. little did I know that Beyond the Bricks would be covering this exact topic on their show.

Lol. Great minds think alike. Not only did Jake Query and Mike Thomsen cover this exact topic on their show Monday night. The song they “liked” the best was the same one I couldn’t wait to share with you. Indianapolis by Menudo is amazing. Well amazingly hysterical. You really need to see the entire video. It is ridiculously hokey and inaccurate in many ways but does speak to the fact that the Indianapolis 500 is a big deal around the globe. This young Puerto Rican band has some good footage of the race and some really awful dancing. However, it’s a new classic in my house. Jake Queary seemed especially fond of it. Make sure to check out the Beyond the Bricks podcast here.

This awesome “classic” by Menudo https://youtu.be/6WcwYOTGuuA

I had originally, before Query and Thomsen stole my thunder 😉🤣, planned to open up with the most iconic song of the Indianapolis 500, sung by the fan favorite, Jim Nabors. When Jim was first asked to sing for the opening ceremony he believed he would be singing the Star Spangled Banner. When he learned he would actually be singing Back Home Again in Indiana he had to write the words on his hand so he wouldn’t forget them. He did such a wonderful job singing he returned for the next 35 years, seldom missing. This song always brings me to tears before the Indianapolis 500. It’s one of my favorite traditions.

https://youtu.be/7wcgaRkHAWY Jim Nabors sings Back Home Again in Indiana for the last time.

In 2014, Jim Nabors sang this iconic song at the brickyard for the last time. After two years the Speedway invited Jim Cornelison to sing. He did what the previous artist couldn’t do and made the singing of Back Home Again in Indiana once again a favorite pre race tradition. Cornelison has a different flair than Nabors but nevertheless the song once again brings a tear to the eye when you hear it. I hope Jim is around for many years at the 500.

https://youtu.be/Og7fgVLj-r8 Jim Cornelison sings Back Home Again in Indiana 2019

The 500 by The Singing Hoosiers is a favorite of mine. While listening to Beyond the Bricks I learned this song was written in 1961. It sounds so much older. I assumed it was written in the 30’s or 40’s. I absolutely love it regardless. It has this great nostalgic feeling to it and makes me smile every time I hear it. As much as Back Home Again might bring a tear to my eye, The 500 makes me smile and I break out my jazz hands. Give it a listen, I’m sure you will love it too.

https://youtu.be/KeBr1WqaxMk The 500 by The Singing Hoosiers

This song about AJ Foyt, I’m not as familiar with but he is my favorite and I needed to include it.

https://youtu.be/FYELYsjCB30 I’m AJ Foyt by Rob McCuen and the Ruins

I learned about this song a couple years ago while working on George Phillips trivia contest. Didn’t win that year but I did this year! Every year George puts out this impossible trivia contest. I spend hours working on it and find other interesting things, like this song about Joe Leonard. I enjoy the contest so much and am especially proud to finally be able to say I’ve won.

https://youtu.be/n14mRnQcXSg The Legend of Joe Leonard

Not nearly as exciting but still a familiar sound is the theme song used by NBC sports for the Indy 500.

https://youtu.be/_K8Ql3zMVmU Indy 500 theme song for NBC sports

Here is the classic introduction with the Delta Force theme song. If this doesn’t get you excited for May, nothing will.

1988-2001 Delta Force theme song intros. https://youtu.be/5d19ISXfiLA

There are many more songs dedicated to the Indy 500 and dozens that reference it. Jake and Mike discuss some of them so again check out their podcast. I hope you enjoyed hearing some of my favorites and I really hope the Menudo video made you smile.

I plan to have another post here Friday. Hopefully Jake and Mike don’t steal that idea too.

If You Haven’t Cried During Qualifying Week You Aren’t Doing It Right

Wow! What a crazy weekend for us in the Nolen house. My oldest son, Matthew, graduated high school and of course the ceremony was right at the start of qualifying. As we sat in the auditorium and waited for the ceremony to start I had one AirPod in so I could listen to qualifying. First thing they did was announce the graduates that would be serving in the military. Matthew enlisted in November with the Air National Guard. Somewhere in the sea of emails we have received from the school about Covid and new procedures and class tardiness due to bad internet connection and Prom and graduation, I missed the one on Senior awards and so Matthew was not recognized during the graduation ceremony. That broke my heart. My son deserves to be recognized for his service and I missed the opportunity to make sure that was done. I was crushed. No mom of the year award for me- again. Thankfully, Matthew was not upset and we are so proud. So after shedding a few tears at graduation we headed home and I turned on qualifying as soon as I was able. By the end of the day we knew the top nine- Dixon, Herta, Kanaan, Carpenter, VeeKay, Castroneves, Palou, Hunter-Reay and Ericsson. We also knew the bottom five- Power, Kimball, De Silvestro, Enerson and Karam.

Listening to qualifying before graduation.

Sunday morning I wrote a predictions and hopes piece for my blog. Read it here. I was fairly close with my predictions and my hopes were crushed.

I also really enjoyed listening to how hopeful and optimistic Charlie Kimball was before his attempt to make the field. What a class act. I really wanted him in the field. I tweeted something out and Curt Cavin quoted my tweet and agreed. I told my husband what Curt said and when Steve responded I couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or making fun of me for liking that Curt agreed with me. Steve responded he was sincere and that it is cool to have the “Voice of The Indy 500” quote your tweet. I explained that Curt Cavin is not the Voice of the Indy 500 and Steve was greatly confused asking isn’t he the guy from Trackside with Kevin Lee. Bless him, he listens as I babble about IndyCar. I explained to Steve who/what/is the voice of the Indy 500 but also loved that Steve knew who Curt Cavin is and is familiar with the title the Voice of the Indy 500. Curt Cavin, in our house you are the “Voice of The Indy 500” and the expert on all things IndyCar. 😉

For those who don’t follow my blog, Steve doesn’t follow IndyCar so it’s just good to know he listens enough to recognize names and phrases.

So after a sleepless night I’m sure for the five drivers fighting for the last three spots it was finally time to see who was in and who was out. The three that made it in were the three I predicted, not the three I hoped for. Sage Karam made the best run and solidified his place in the field. Will Power was slower than Sage and then had a fairly hard hit with the wall. I wrongly assumed that was it for Power and that he would be on the outside looking in. Power amazingly held on to the second spot in the last row. Simona would earn the last spot in the field. Sadly, Charlie Kimball and RC Enerson did not have the speed to make the field. Charlie made the last attempt as Simona watched from her car. When we realized that Charlie did not make it and also that Simona and Paretti Autosport did I started crying. I’m honestly not sure if I was crying tears of sadness for Charlie or joy for Simona. Simona hugged a few crew members but made her way straight to Charlie and gave him a hug. It was a sweet moment. Sure hope to see Charlie back in a car soon and definitely for next years 500.

RC Enerson also had a very good outlook saying this was not the end of their story, referring to himself and the Top Gun Team, but the beginning. The team had nothing but good things to say about RC and they are hopeful to be in a race this season.

We didn’t have much time to let sink in what happened at the bottom of the field before it was time to turn our attention to the top three rows. The shootout for the top 9 cars was about to begin. Probably one of the most frustrating things was pointed out on Twitter by Paul Daly- where is all the data? I was watching on Peacock so I’m not sure if watching on NBCSN would make a difference but speeds and average speeds were shown briefly at best and was hard to follow exactly where cars were tracking. Since NTT data is the primary sponsor you would expect we should have the very best. It wasn’t awful but not as easy to follow as past years with the tracker running on the bottom of the screen.

The fast nine went out and things went as expected. Rinus VeeKay then had a great run and Ed Carpenter fell just behind VeeKay. As the only Chevys I thought perhaps they would top the charts. Tony Kanaan was slower but then Colton Herta was on the provisional pole. I was not rooting for Scott Dixon but when it came down to Herta or Dixon I was pulling for Dixon. Dixon had amazing speed and won the pole. I really wanted TK or one of the Carpenter cars. Colton just has such an easy time and with four wins already I just want to see him have to work for it more. I feel the same about Dixon but being the veteran racer I feel he appreciates it more. I was laughing saying to myself that as much as I currently love VeeKay a day is coming where I will be rooting against him too. Once VeeKay is picked up by Penske or Ganassi and heads down a similar path to Josef Newgarden I will turn my attention to the next young rookie.

So now the field is set for the Indianapolis 500, the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I predict that Scott Dixon will be dominant all day and will be drinking the milk at the end of the 500 miles. I hope though that Tony Kanaan or someone on the Carpenter team gets that honor. As excited as I am for race day, I’m already feeling a bit let down as my tv is silent and I’m missing the long practice days. It’s for the best as I have a graduation party to prepare for but still miss the constant roar of the engines.

I hope everyone has a good week as we prepare for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. Check back for a couple posts during the week to help build our excitement. Thanks for reading.

My Predictions and My Hopes

As we await the final day of Qualifying we find five drivers on the outside looking it. No one ever suspected one of those drivers would be Team Penske driver, Will Power. Power is joined by sage Karam, Simona De Silvestro, RC Enerson and Charlie Kimball.

Prediction– Power, Simona and Karam will make the field and Enerson and Kimball will be left out.

Hope- Simona, Karam and Kimball are in. Nothing against Will Power but I love a good upset. Also hopeful that RC will have a chance to return and make the field next year.

The Fast Nine include Scott Dixon, Colton Herta, Tony Kanaan, Ed Carpenter, Rinus VeeKay, Helio Castroneves, Alex Palou, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marcus Ericsson.

Prediction- Scott Dixon wins the pole, Alex Palou starts 9th. Honestly, with the exception of Palou moving to ninth and bumping RHR and Ericsson up a spot I think the fast nine will look pretty much the same.

Hope- Tony Kanaan wins the Pole. Helio, Ed and Rinus take spots 2-4, Herta, Palou and Ericsson take spots 5-7, Dixon gets 8 and RHR is 9th.

I think my predictions will be pretty close unless something crazy happens. My hopes need the crazy to happen for them to come about. It is Indy though- anything can happen.

Known Fact- It will be an exciting, fun day for 33 drivers and thousands of fans. It will be a heartbreaking day for two drivers and thousands of fans will feel that heartbreak with them. No one wants to be left out of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Sights, Sounds and Smells of Indy

I’m not sure why but I was very aware of the sounds and smells while at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this last weekend. Ironically IMS asked on Twitter today which is more important to you the sight or sound of the cars. Most responded that they go hand in hand. I agree I’m incredibly thankful I don’t have to choose and also that I am able to enjoy all my senses but I did wonder what was most important the sights or the sounds. Of course somewhere in the mix is the smells. They add a lot to the experience.

Edit- since I first started writing this piece I’ve seen so many people mention the smells. I guess after not being able to attend last year we are all so appreciative of all the ways the Speedway touches our senses. There is nothing quite like the smell of IndyCars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sights

  • The enormity of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  • Cars flying by
  • Flowers moving in the wind created by the cars from cameras during the broadcast.
  • The beautiful Pagoda
  • The improvements Roger Penske has made from paint to flowers.
  • Blue sky- or clouds moving in.
  • Twitter or Facebook updates
  • Flags waving, both from the stands and more importantly from the flag stand.
  • Massive crashes and seeing drivers walk away uninjured.
  • Balloon release
  • Flyover
  • Winners drinking the milk.

Sounds

  • The cars
  • The cars
  • The cars (c’mon we all love the sound)
  • Public address
  • Play by play on radio
  • Cheering
  • Flyover
  • Crashes
  • Taps- the crowd is silent
  • Back Home Again in Indiana
  • Command to start engines
  • The cars 😉🏎

Smells

Okay I’m not good at describing the smells but between the heat on the pavement when you arrive, the smell of the ethanol and tires as you enter the track and of course the concessions there is nothing quite like it. I breathe it all in deeply. I’ve been to a monster truck event and the exhaust is way to suffocating but when outdoors and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the smell of the ethanol, along with the rubber on the track is diluted by enough fresh air to make it the perfect mix. I inhale deeply and feel my stress melt away on my exhale. I love the smells of IndyCar just as much as the sights and sounds.

So I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you love the most? Thank goodness most of us are able to enjoy them all, including feel and taste. Hope you get to enjoy them this beautiful Month of May!

Race Day in May- GMR Grand Prix

Matthew is glad to be done with High School.

We arrived in Indianapolis on Friday afternoon just in time for qualifying for the GMR Grand Prix. It was Matthew’s last day of High School so we did not leave as early as we would have liked. He couldn’t miss his last day. Of course traffic around Chicago didn’t help and we were even rerouted around Lafayette. It was all worth it to be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We met up with Lisa and made our way to the box seats near turn one of the oval. It was a perfect day to be watching cars on track. Such a fun qualifying day. Not the usual suspects in the fast six and eventually it was Romain Grosjean on the pole. Josef Newgarden, Jack Harvey, Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin and Conor Daly were the top six. So fun.

We then left the track and enjoyed a glass of wine at the Foyt Vault before dinner at the pizza place in the building that had been the 1911 grill. The pizza was great.

Back to Lisa’s house where we met her sweet pup, Spike. Lots of catching up and then getting ready for race day.

Saturday- race day

Arrived at track around noon and made our way to the Pagoda Plaza. Spent time there talking with friends, old and new. Caught up with Mike Silver and took plenty of photos. As we neared the time for the green flag we made our way to our seats. We sat in the Northwest Vista. The seats were great.

So as we settled in for the start of the race the boys grabbed a Mountain Dew and cherry pepsi. Lisa had some cinnamon whiskey and I was the classy one with a box (small) of wine. Makes me laugh every time but I do enjoy it.

Green flag dropped and no big surprise that we had an accident in the first turn. Sadly, Conor Daly was involved as his step dad, Doug Boles, watched from nearby. Conor seems to have the worst luck. Grosjean was not involved and was able to maintain the lead. I haven’t watched the race on TV yet but believe that after Grosjean’s first pit stop he came out in front of Rinus VeeKay but Veekay was on warmer tires and made it passed Grosjean.

The race continued without any more yellow flags. As I was watching I realized I could see way down to the seats in turn one of the oval where I sat with Matthew for his first trip to the speedway. I let me eyes wander to the main straight where I sat with my dad on my first trip. We watched AJ Foyt retire and take his final lap on the track. I teared up thinking of those special times and looked to my boys thankful that we were back home again in Indiana enjoying our May traditions.

After some time reflecting I turned my attention back to the race. I love listening in on my scanner and I have to say listening to the Television broadcast team during their commercial breaks is great. You never know what you might hear. This time it was Paul Tracy singing Milli Vanilli Blame it on the Rain. A couple sprinkles fell but not enough to change the race outcome. I usually love a rain race but with Rinus leading I didn’t want anything to mess that up. The racing itself wasn’t edge of your seat racing but it was for me as I cheered for Rinus. I have quickly become a fan of this young driver and was even wearing my VeeKay shirt. I was just counting down the laps and hoping he would win. After 85 laps Rinus VeeKay did take the checkered flag and won his first IndyCar race. I’m guessing he heard my cheers from the other end of the track. I was thrilled.

Five races and five winners. Just another thing I love about IndyCar. My boys enjoyed the race and we all hung out a bit after watching the interviews on the video boards. Eventually though it was time to leave and we headed out. I’m not sure when Matthew will return with us to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but I know he will. It’s a tradition they enjoy and while college and the Air National Guard might not allow visits in the next few years we will be trying our best every year to return.

We enjoyed a lazy night and prepared for our usual Mother’s Day traditions a week late.

Sunday- My Mother’s Day

We always celebrate Mother’s Day in Indy so this year we just postponed our day. We went to Charlie Browns for breakfast where we stuffed ourselves. We then went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum and happened to walk in right behind Ryan Hunter-Reay. I recognized his voice before I saw him and said hello. He didn’t respond so I called to him twice more- he was less than two feet from me. He didn’t even turn around. I just rolled my eyes and the boys and I laughed. We have never had a kind response from RHR. We even met him in the back of a grocery store when he was doing an autograph session. I thought he’d be thrilled that someone sought him out. We had our 500 tickets with his picture. He barely acknowledged us. As much as I brag about the IndyCar drivers to others and how accessible they are. Hunter-Reay does not belong in that category. He was there with Becky and the kids and the kids were fun to watch as they found their dads picture on the winners wall but Ryan continued to be Ryan. Needless to say our impression of him did not change. I understand wanting to be with your family and not be interrupted by fans but Ryan doesn’t do himself any favors by being so aloof.

I’ve been watching since 1985.

After enjoying the exhibits I talked with many of the workers to try and get some help on George Phillips Trivia contest. Then the boys went to buy my Mother’s Day gift. We decided on Paul Page’s new book and then went to the clearance shop to look there. On our way in we ran into George and Susan Phillips. We talked, took pictures and I even had George take a look at my answers so far. He just told me a few I needed to double check and said he heard them talking in the museum about the questions. He told two of the answers to them so I ventured back in to also learn those answers later. I’m afraid I kept George and Susan talking too long and hope I didn’t delay their drive home by too much. I am grateful to run into them though. Susan has been battling (and winning) pancreatic cancer and it was good to see her and even pray with her and George. Their story and positive outlook is inspiring. Today they actually are celebrating their wedding anniversary and that is a fun story too. Check out their blog at Oilpressure.com.

Matthew, Zachary and I grabbed a few more pictures and our traditional whatchamacallit candy bars for the drive home. We laughed and joked about past trips, favorite racers and our silly traditions. It was exactly as Mother’s Day should be.

Mother’s Day is best at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Growing up my family never made a big deal over Mother’s Day. We did have a family gathering but it was more about family than celebrating the moms. My mom also did not expect much more than a card or homemade craft and we never went overboard with the preparation for the day.

Once I was married and Steve and I began planning a family Mother’s Day drastically changed for me. In November 2000 I suffered a miscarriage. I had a second miscarriage in March 2001. I hated Mother’s Day in 2001. No one acknowledged that I was a mom or what I had gone/was going through. In January 2002 our daughter was stillborn. Once again I dreaded Mother’s Day.

In February 2003 our son, Matthew, was born. As Mother’s Day came around I was emotionally in a better place but still frustrated remembering past hurts. Zachary was born in November 2004. I don’t even remember that Mother’s Day with two little ones demanding all my attention. What I do know though is that every year I expected more and was always disappointed. No one necessarily did any wrong but I was putting too much expectation on the day and was usually frustrated with everyone by the end of the day. One year both boys brought me home plants from school. Matthew promptly knocked his over in the car, spilling dirt everywhere. Zach managed to get his into the house but then the cat ate it and threw up on the carpet. Ugh! This is not how I imagined Mother’s Day to be.

In 2014 I changed the way we celebrated Mother’s Day. We went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the inaugural GP of Indy. The race was on Saturday and on Sunday, Mother’s Day, the track was open for the first practice on the oval. Very few people were at the track. We ran into a few friends, watched cars and had a wonderful day. I loved it!

For the next few years it became our tradition to spend Mother’s Day at IMS. Sunday was no longer the first day of oval practice but we still made it work. 2015-2019 we would start our day with a delicious breakfast at Charlie Browns. After we would go to the IMS museum. While there we would work on George Phillips (Oilpressure.com) trivia contest. The boys would laugh at me asking everyone I saw if they knew the answers. After we saw all there was to see and questioned everyone I could we would look through the gift shops. When we entered the sale shop I would point out a few things I liked, give the woman working a few directions and leave the store. The boys would pick out some gifts for me. They would be rung up and placed in bags. I then returned and paid for them. We would then exit the store and the boys would present my gifts to me by the fountain outside the museum. As they got older they made the purchases themselves surprising me with much more than I ever expected. Perhaps one of my favorites was a Justin Wilson print. It was way to expensive and when I told the boys that they disagreed saying the money was going towards the Wilson children’s fund so it was worth it. I still smile remembering that day. Over the years we have become friends with Brenda, who often works in the sale store and she enjoys seeing us every year and laughs remembering the young boys she first met.

I absolutely love our Mother’s Day tradition. I never feel let down or disappointed, I plan the day and am at my favorite place. The boys have grown to love our tradition too. Last year was extremely disappointing to not be able to attend a race weekend on Mother’s Day. This year we are postponing Mother’s Day one week. We had my mom over for lunch and had a sweet time but if anyone wished me a Happy Mother’s Day I reminded them that I would be celebrating next weekend.

I can’t wait to have our traditional Mother’s Day weekend. My oldest son, Matthew, has enlisted in the Air National Guard. He was due to have a drill weekend and wasn’t going to make the race. He just turned 18 and will be graduating, I was so disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to join us. Who knows if he will be able to next year between college and the ANG. So unfair to miss last year and then have this year also not work out. Well Matthew received word that the Guard weekend was cancelled and he will be joining us after all. That is all this mama wanted. I can’t wait for a race weekend with my boys.

So if you hear a crazy lady wishing all the moms a Happy Mother’s Day next week, just laugh and know it’s me celebrating at my favorite place with my wonderful sons the way we like to celebrate. I learned that Mother’s Day doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone and the day still brings some hurt for me but I’ve found a way to make it special for us and a tradition I hope will continue for many years to come. I’m sure the college years will change it up a bit but hope for a return as the boys settle down. Eventually, when grandchildren are added to the mix it will be even sweeter.

It’s the Month of May!

Is it May yet? Yes! What a month it has been and cars haven’t even hit the yard of bricks yet. So unlike last year, this May if full of anticipation for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 and so much has already happened before cars and teams have even arrived in Indy. Let look at what has already happened this May.

Always fly my IMS flag in May

May 1 – Before we can get too excited about the Indy 500 we had a double header at Texas. The Genesys 300 took place on Saturday. Scott Dixon won the race and is now only one race behind Mario Andretti for wins. It was Dixon’s 51st win.

May 2- The Xpel 350 was a slightly longer race than Saturday’s. It appeared perhaps Scott Dixon would tie Mario Andretti when he took the lead early in the race but it the end Dixon was fourth and Pato O’Ward earned his first IndyCar win.

Both races were enjoyable. I perhaps enjoyed race one more than others having picked Dixon for my fantasy league. I am again leading. The race itself though wasn’t overly exciting but a couple yellows and watching oval rookie Scott McLaughlin earn a second place win was enough to keep my attention. Race two started with a huge crash. Poor Conor Daly took the green flag, passing the start finish line upside down. Thankfully no one was injured. Sebastien Bourdais was involved again and was out of both races due to someone hitting him from behind. It was a tough weekend for Bourdais and the Foyt team.

After a fun start to May we learn of some sad news. Three time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser has passed away at age 87. Unser is one of only 10 drivers to have won the 500 3 times. He was also the winner of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 13 times. It is said everyone has an Uncle Bobby story but sadly I do not. I never had the opportunity to meet the man. He will be missed in the racing community. I expect there will be a nice tribute to him during the 105th Indianapolis 500 broadcast.

May 3- Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee begins nightly shows for the month of May. If you don’t already listen to this radio show I highly recommend it. You can easily listen at your convenience to the podcast. It’s a great way to keep up on the latest news. My boys laugh at me all the time as I join right in to the conversation talking back and asking questions that can’t be heard but yet are still often answered. That’s been especially true the last few days as I keep asking if Stefan Wilson will be in the 500. That one was answered.

After Trackside a new show called Beyond the Bricks will take the place of The Talk of Gasoline Alley. Now everyone knows that no one can replace the incredible knowledge and stories that Donald Davidson would share on Toga but since Donald has decided to retire a new show was started. I’ve only made it about half way through the first show so all I can really say so far is I’m grateful to Jake Query, who hosts alongside Mike Thompson for saying a heartfelt thank you to Donald from everyone who enjoyed the show. I have so enjoyed learning of the history of the 500 and fun extra stories when Donald would go off on a tangent. It was like sitting at your grandpas knee and he shared about the old times. I’m grateful for the podcasts so the wealth of knowledge Donald had will not be forgotten. I’m looking forward to listening more to Beyond the Bricks but will miss The Talk of Gasoline Alley. Donald, enjoy your retirement.

May 4- We learn some great news on Star Wars day. Stefan Wilson will return to Andretti Autosport with Lohla Sport for the 105th Indianapolis 500. As huge fans of Stefan’s late brother Justin we have always enjoyed following Stefan’s career. We’ve been fortunate to meet him on several occasions and found him to be just as kind and genuine as his brother. When he lead in the 102nd 500 I’m sure many heard my cheers. Hoping for great things for him this year.

Another amazing thing happened on the 4th. Robert Wickens was back in a race car. He drove sport car equipped with hand controls and was able to put his visor down and do what he loves best- drive fast. Wickens still hopes to return to IndyCar but is open to Formula E or Sports cars. I can’t wait for the day he is racing again.

So now as we have some time off before the GMR Grand Prix of Indy I’m guessing we won’t really noice as news will keep rolling in and excitement builds before fans return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. It’s May folks! The most wonderful time of the year! This year we get to enjoy it.