Your first Indy 500 & number of races since:

[Scuff]

First 1974
Last 2010
36 consecutive

[andy5446]

32 years old, and 22 500 mile sundays in may. moved back to indy from colorado... about 3 hours ago. just in time

[sabin_24]

First 1996, then 1998 to 2011 consecutively. Will be there again this year. It'll be my 16th.

[indyracefan]

I think I may have already posted in this thread. Can't remember, so here goes...if I have already oh well.

My first was 1973...all 3-days. I haven't missed one since 1981. This will be my 35th, 30th consecutively.

[Bucknut]

My first Indy 500 was in 1990 and I haven't missed one since. This year will make it 23 in a row.

1990: Watched from the inside of the backstretch just to the south of turn three.
1991: Paddock Penthouse
1992: Second Turn Terrace
1993-95: North Vista
1996: Paddock Penthouse
1997-Present: Northeast Vista

[roach]

Pace Lap @ my first 345*:



* - It rained.

[Big Oz]

My first was in 2005... It was LONG overdue!

Missed 2009 and 2010.

This year will only be my 6th.

But I've watched (in person or on TV) the last 26.

[RioBravo]

I am proud to say this will be my 40th race.

[MoparsRule]

1965 and have not missed since. I have had tickets in N W vista since 1971.

I am proud to say this will be my 40th race.

Awesome x2!

[11rowsof3]

Wonder what the average age is when kids start going if their parents are Indy 500 "lifers". I started going with my grandpa at age 9... my oldest son started a few years ago at age 10 and I'll be taking our youngest this year, also age 9.

9-10 seems about right to "get it", not want to leave early, get too worn out, etc. and also remember it. I can remember the SMELL of the Indy 500 when I was 9. A mixture of burning fuel, rubber and I kid you not, I have never smoked but to this day if I pass someone on a concrete sidewalk that is smoking.. that smell takes me back to 1982.

Thoughts?

[aaron5572]

First: 1992 (Technically, I was a 4 month old baby)

Real First: 2010
Last: 2011

I'll be in Turn 3 again this year

[Ren Butler]

Wonder what the average age is when kids start going if their parents are Indy 500 "lifers". I started going with my grandpa at age 9... my oldest son started a few years ago at age 10 and I'll be taking our youngest this year, also age 9.

9-10 seems about right to "get it", not want to leave early, get too worn out, etc. and also remember it. I can remember the SMELL of the Indy 500 when I was 9. A mixture of burning fuel, rubber and I kid you not, I have never smoked but to this day if I pass someone on a concrete sidewalk that is smoking.. that smell takes me back to 1982.

Thoughts?

I've wondered the same thing, as I now have two very little boys. The older one has been to the track on pole day, when we had lots of room on the grass to roam around -- but race day is a different animal.

I'm tentatively targeting eight years old to bring them to their first 500. I turned seven right after my first Indy 500, and I hardly remember any of it.

[dwaldrep51]

First: 1985 (age 5)
Total 500's: 2010 will be my 14th 500
Consecutive 500's: 2010 will be my 12th consecutive 500 (11th consecutive in the NE Vista)

Updating my original post (#230)

First: 1985 (age 5)
Total 500's: 2012 will be my 16th 500 (age 32, I've caught up to half my age)
Consecutive 500's: 2012 will be my 14th consecutive 500 (13th consecutive in the NE Vista)

[dwaldrep51]

Wonder what the average age is when kids start going if their parents are Indy 500 "lifers". I started going with my grandpa at age 9... my oldest son started a few years ago at age 10 and I'll be taking our youngest this year, also age 9.

9-10 seems about right to "get it", not want to leave early, get too worn out, etc. and also remember it. I can remember the SMELL of the Indy 500 when I was 9. A mixture of burning fuel, rubber and I kid you not, I have never smoked but to this day if I pass someone on a concrete sidewalk that is smoking.. that smell takes me back to 1982.

Thoughts?

My dad took me to the 500 when I was 5 but he said that was a mistake, my 2nd 500 was when I was 16.

My son will be 6 this year and I believe he is still too little for the 500, I'm thinking your 9-10 is about right.

I have taken my son to other IndyCar races and it went alright (Chicagoland when he was 4, Kentucky when he was 5, and this year when he'll be 6 I'm taking him and his 4 year old sister to Milwaukee). Indy is just an entirely different animal (a lot more walking, a lot bigger crowd, and a lot longer day) when it comes to taking little kids.

I will be bringing my kids to Indy Opening Day and Community Day this year.

[JayMoney444]

My Dad took me to my first 500 in 1992 when I was 7. We sat inside turn 4 until 1996 then the SE Vista until 2000. He stopped going after that year and I didn't have my driver's license in time for the 2001 race so I had to watch that one from home.

Started taking my buddies with me in 2002 and haven't stopped since. We get to the track an hour or so before the bomb, park inside, and sit on the backstraight towards the entrance to T3. Great speeds...

Got married in 2009 and this year will be my wife's 5th 500. She absolutely loves everything about it, especially the pre-race ceremonies and opening laps. Back Home Again in Indiana is starting to have some real meaning for her, especially because she knows how it all chokes me up.

This year will be my 20th Indy 500 and 11th consecutive. I can't wait to have kids and introduce them to The Greatest Spectacle In Racing. What a moment that will be...

[buzz]

First 1955

since 56, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 98, 10, 11

So 2012 will make 26

[Formula Indy]

1982 with my Dad (I was 7)
2002-now in a row (once I moved to Indy)

I can not believe I have been to 10 in a row already. Time sure does fly.

[FDX26]

My first Indy 500: 1980
Total Indy 500's: 32
Consecutive Indy 500's: 31

My oldest son (14)

First 500: 2007
Total 500's: 5
Consecutive: 5

2nd oldest son (12)

First 500: 2008
Total 500's: 4
Consecutive 500's: 4

Just told my son's 12U travel baseball coach that no way on God's green earth will we be attending a Memorial Day tournament!!!

[That Guy]

First was 1992. Been to every one since except 2003 and 2004. Also didn't see the Tuesday conclusion of 1997.

[PhillyIRL]

Started in 2005 and haven't missed a year since. If it wasn't an 11 hour drive each way, I'm sure we would've started much earlier.

Good question about the age. I started going to practices here at Nazareth when I was 6 or 7, but that's different because you can walk around too and do other stuff. I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to sit there through a whole 200 mile race at that age, let alone 500 miles.

[MIS#1fan]

First one was in 1994. Sat in turn 4 next to a couple from Albuquerque (sp?) who were big Al Unser, Jr. fans. When Emo hit the wall the gal jumps up and flings her arms out and drives my binoculars into my eye sockets!!! It hurt so much I had tears in my eyes.

The next time I went was in 2002. No injuries that time.

Been threatening to go again ever since, may still pull it off yet this year...

Went again last year, and again no injuries except to my pride when I lost my car keys. IMS sent them to me a couple of weeks later!

Hoping to make it again this year!

[andy5446]

First was 1992. Been to every one since except 2003 and 2004. Also didn't see the Tuesday conclusion of 1997.

ahh right, i forgot about the 97 rain. I sat thru sun & mon. come tues, I was a senior in high school, and if i didnt miss any days, got to skip all finals and graduate a week early. so apparently, thats my tipping point. of course, if ALL the best open wheel teams in the world were there, I would have been taking said finals

[SoDak_IndyFan]

First 500 (1971) 9 y/o
2nd 500 (2202)
Missed 2003
Missed 2010
Will be there this year, still 9 y/o

[shakespeare]

Slumming days:

2004 Took my dad, couldn't afford a hotel in the city (stayed in Seymour), drove in the morning of the race, North Vista
2005 Took my cousin, couldn't afford a hotel in the city (stayed in Bloomington), drove in morning of the race. NE Vista
2006 Took my brother (pitched tent in Coke Lot for three days), NE Vista
2007 Took same brother, who brought friends (pitched tent in Coke Lot for three days), NE Vista
2008 missed
2009 Took brother (pitched tent in Coke lot for two days), NE Vista

With the high rollers:

2010 Flew to Indy in a private jet, stayed in hotel downtown, police escort into Speedway, watched race from 8th floor of Pagoda.
2011 Flew private again, stayed in the same downtown hotel as many of the drivers, another escorted motorcade into the Speedway, met Dan Wheldon in his WR garage, watched race from the William Rast suite.

[MichaelP]

Wonder what the average age is when kids start going if their parents are Indy 500 "lifers". I started going with my grandpa at age 9... my oldest son started a few years ago at age 10 and I'll be taking our youngest this year, also age 9.

9-10 seems about right to "get it", not want to leave early, get too worn out, etc. and also remember it. I can remember the SMELL of the Indy 500 when I was 9. A mixture of burning fuel, rubber and I kid you not, I have never smoked but to this day if I pass someone on a concrete sidewalk that is smoking.. that smell takes me back to 1982.

Thoughts?

Nobody in my family was into it. I ordered my first tickets from IMS when I was 17, which meant I attended my first 500 shortly after my 18th birthday. But I'd been going to Indy car races since I was 14.

[Davydd]

My first independent foray into the Indianapolis 500 would have been after moving to Speedway when I was 15 in 1959. Before that I lived too far away. My parents always went and took us on pole day. My dad always went as a guest of Chevrolet for the race. I got to take part in that after graduating from high school eating catered sandwiches from Shapiros and sitting in Grandstand E from 1963 through 1968. My high school years were spent in the infield. After 1968 I moved completely away, first in the Navy, then to Minnesota raising kids and always broke. I didn't reconnect until 1997. I could have reconnected earlier but I bought a boat and continued my longtime ritual of being alone with my radio tuned to the IMS station with one single rule not to be disturbed. I liked being by myself anchored out on Lake Minnetonka.

[DannyM]

First - 1980
This year will be my 11th, first since 2004
I'm brining a newbie.

[Liz]

Just scanned this thread, couldn't remember if I had responded or not (yes); but it was a trip through memory lane with some of the names of past/present TF'ers. Very cool...

[Doctorindy]

The first visit to the Speedway actually wasn't until 1982. First time there in May would be 1983.

Every year since '83 except 2004 (because of a family illness).

[CaliIRLfan]

My first was also 1979. I'll never forget watching AJ catch Mears before he ran out of gas on the last lap (and barely rolled across the start finish for second place).

Fortunately I've been every year since '79 and can't wait for this year's race!!!!

Happy May everyone.