Back From Indianapolis

I'm back from the Indianapolis 500 and very pleased with my visit. My wife and I drove up from Cary, North Carolina and arrived in Indiana May 18. It was great to catch up with some old friends, including one of my heros, Donald Davidson (pictured sitting with me at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum), the chief historian of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The beautiful weather the entire week made our stay exceptionally enjoyable. After the race, it is always amusing to me to hear people critique it and assess it as "good" or otherwise. Here's the deal. The Indianapolis 500 is always a great race because there more than any other venue, you are watching an incredible history being written. Helio Castroneves' third victory after his legal hassles is a terrific story and places him in some special company with greats Wibur Shaw, Louie Meyer, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser. Here's a point for you I haven't heard anyone else raise: of all the drivers that have won three or more Indianapolis 500s (Foyt, Mears and Al Sr. won four) only one was born outside the United States. Helio, who danced with the Stars.
 

 
Let me remind you also that I had five articles in this year's centennial era Indianapolis 500 program. If you haven't checked it out, you really should. Dawn DeBellis and the IMS creative services team are an extraordinarily talented group that produce some absolutely awesome material, including all the track's celebratory signage such as the screen wrap image of the old wooden pagoda affixed to the steel and glass 21st Century "pagoda" that is a wonder to look at today.