Practice begins for 101st Indy 500
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Monday was the first day of practice leading up to the Indy 500.
Four rookies also got their first crack at the track.
Those rookies are: Ed Jones, racing for Dale Coyne Racing; Fernando Alonso with McLaren-Honda-Andretti; Zach Veach for A.J. Foyt Enterprises; and Jack Harvey with Michael Shank with Andretti Autosport.
But there’s a lot more to it than what was happening on the track.
Even though it’s May 15, many say it’s finally beginning to feel like the month of May.
“You hear the cars running around the track. There’s no better sound, no better place to be,” said Matt Davis, while watching practice with his son.
“Every time I step foot in this place, it’s electric,” said Scott Norman.
Many showed up with little more than a cooler to get their first look at the race cars on the oval.
“It’s been a long time since last year’s 500,” said Ron Lane.
“The people, the sights. When you got weather like this, it just doesn’t get better in Indy,” said Jack Bowers.
“I grew up here as a kid and remember chasing grasshoppers in the infield, and my dad used to bring me to practice,” said Norman.
And parents are now sharing that experience with their own children.
“She’s excited to get out there and see the race cars go round the track and stuff, so it brings up a lot of memories,” said Jeff Davis, while holding his 4-year-old daughter.
And despite only seeing a few races themselves, the kids already understand what the month of May is all about.
“To see the models of the cars and see the loud roar and and how fast they can go around the track,” said Casey Smith, who was at the track with his mother.
“How cars go by really fast,” said Matthew Davis, while with his dad.
There’s track action every day this week. Gates are open for practice from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.