Fans stand outside IMS to watch historic race day
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has not released official attendance figures in decades, but on Saturday, no fans were in the stands. There were plenty of fans outside the fence trying to sneak a peak at the cars, though.
One of the best seats outside of the track was right next to the fence near Gate 7. Mitch Pheggley and his buddies are long-time race fans and they just couldn’t let this day pass with a trip the track.
“I have never seen anything like it; it was kind of an honor to get a glimpse of it all,” said Pheggley.
The noise is about what you would expect on a race day, but not the emptiness of the stands.
“This is completely different. Carb Day has 100,000 people, and it feels like it is race day, ya know, and race day is 300,000, so everything is a little bit different right now,” said Pheggley.
This was supposed to be a historic weekend at the track, with IndyCar and NASCAR running races on the same weekend.
Jake Serd lives in the Champaign, Illinois, area and knew the track was closed to fans but brought his family over just to listen to the race anyway.
“We are definitely living in crazy times. Hopefully these guys can get back to racing with fans here soon. I know it is affecting them as well,” Serd said.
Serd went on to say he is coming back Sunday for the Brickyard 400.
“I’m a die hard NASCAR fan, not so much an IndyCar fan. I have been coming here since the inaugural event in ’94” Serd said.
Typically the neighborhoods around the track are packed with fans, but on Saturday, kids on bikes ruled the streets. Over on 16th Street at Gate 2, close to 50 people wandered in and out of the parking lots, with a dozen or so that stayed glued to the fence listening to the race on the radio and watching the big screens inside the track.
Carson Meyer is a Rose-Hulman student in town for the weekend with his buddies; he has never been inside the track.
“I understand why we can’t see it, but it’s good. I still love racing at least enough to come watch what I can,” said Meyer.
It is no secret that NASCAR fans have not packed the stands here in Indianapolis. Moving the Brickyard 400 to Independence Day weekend was a test run that has been slightly derailed by COVID-19 restrictions.
“There is no one here. It is kind of sad, but at least we can watch it on TV; hearing it makes it all better” said long-time race fan Niki Matheny.
IMS has been cooperative with people who have come out to listen, most of the parking is free and people are practicing social distancing.