INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Anyone who’s driven around downtown Indianapolis on a nice night has probably come across pedal pubs taking a leisurely cruise as the riders bar hop. However, on Tuesday, they sped around Monument Circle for a friendly competition.

The HandleBar Hot Lap pitted 36 teams from downtown businesses against each other for bragging rights and more. Hosts for the seventh annual event were Downtown Indy Inc., The HandleBar Hangar, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The competition uses HandleBar pedal pubs for one-on-one races around the Circle in a single-elimination tournament.

2014 Indy 500 Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay helped kick off the competition in an opening ceremony at 11 a.m.

Hunter-Reay says he loves the energy behind the race with events like the hot lap.

“To see a community come together like this, for Indy the whole month of May — it’s just a tradition, it’s so cool,” Hunter-Reay said.

Taylor Schaffer, president of Downtown Indy Inc., says it’s great to see business come together. Proceeds of the event go to downtown Month of May racing décor and beautification.

“All of the proceeds of the race go to helping support the work that we do, really ensuring that downtown is clean, safe, and beautiful,” Schaffer said.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 481 debuted in the hot lap, winning its first-round race.

IBEW Local 481 Member Ryan Cline says he goes to the 500 every year with his family.

“I love the Indy 500,” Cline said. “I grew up just down the road from it. It’s really cool. Love the month of May, and I really look forward to the race. [The hot lap] is awesome, everybody coming out here to celebrate it.”

The winners of the 7th annual HandleBar Hot Lap will get carb day tickets and a team-building event at the HandleBar Hangar, 501 Madison Ave., Indianapolis.