Dan's 2003 Speedway Journal

Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Race Day
Sunday - May 25, 2003

I had 3 friends visiting for race
weekend. I had lined up 4
tickets in the top row of the
N.E. Vista. Unfortunately, we
only ended up with 3 of these
great tickets. So, I had to
figure out where I was going
to sit. To make a long story
short, I hooked up with a race
fan who reads this web page
and he sold me a E stand
ticket. E Stand is in the first
turn.

I was so wound up the
night before the race, that
I didn't get to bed until
late. My three guests had
all managed to go to bed
at a respectable time and
were up early and on their
way to the speedway at 8.
Yours truly managed to
arise at 9:30 and I left the
house at 10 a.m. The race
starts at 11.

I decided to ride the
shuttle busses from
downtown to reach the
track. I had not used
those in 10 years or
more. I parked easily in
a garage and caught a
bus which transported
me and several others to
the corner of
Georgetown and 16th
and Crawfordsville Rd.

The Stealth bomber flew over
my head as I walked toward
the speedway. Very cool.
One wonders what it uses for
propulsion as the bottom is
flat and there is no indication
of jet engines. It happens that
the jet engines are on top of
the aircraft. This is one of the
features that make it a stealth:
the plane hides its own heat
signature.

I reached my seat
in section 26 row
M in time to catch
the start of the
race. Unfortunately
I missed all the
opening
ceremonies.

ENTE
RING
TURN
1

LOTS OF
PEOPLE SAT
ALONG THE
VIEWING
HILL IN
TURN 1
INFIELD

EXITING
TURN 1
AND
HEADING
TOWARD
TURN 2

ROBBIE BUHL
HAD SEVERAL
MISHAPS DURING
THE DAY,
INCLUDING THIS
SPIN WHILE
EXITING THE PITS.

Sammy's
engine
let go
on lap
194

GIL DE FERRAN
TAKING HIS
VICTORY LAP
WITH HIS
FAMILY IN THE
PACE CAR... er
VEHICLE.

It would have
been embarassing
if Gil would have
fallen off that
truck and gotten
hurt. They should
have removed the
pickup cover.

THE
BACK OF
THE IMS
TICKET
OFFICE

Race fans
are allowed
to cross out
of the infield
at this spot
after the
race is over.

The race
ended at
2:15pm. I took
my time
leaving the
stands, then
browsed some
of the race
trailers across
the street.
Penske had
some good
looking shirts.

I made my way toward the
shuttle busses. There was a
big line that moved fairly
quickly. The bus had me back
to my car fairly quickly, but
not near as fast as it had
gotten me to the track. I was
back home by 4:15. We
cooked out and watched the
Indianapolis telecast of the
race at 7 pm. It was a good
race on tv and live.

J o
u r
n a
l
I n
d e
x.

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