Speedway tour guide and racing aficionado J. Craig Reinhardt shares what makes the legendary racetrack special, including its unbelievable history, fast-flying action, notorious moments, and secrets.

Known as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indy 500 humbly began in 1911. Labeled as the first speedway, this two-and-a-half-mile oval is now home to many of today's top races, including the Brickyard 400, the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the SportsCar Vintage Racing Association, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, and its most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. In The Indianapolis 500: Inside the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, speedway tour guide and racing aficionado James Craig Reinhardt shares what makes the legendary racetrack special. He reveals the speedway's unbelievable history, fast-flying action, notorious moments, and its secrets, including facts about the beginning of the brickyard, why the drivers kiss the finish line, how milk became the drink of choice, and much more. The perfect gift for the veteran or rookie, The Indianapolis 500 is a must-have for all race fans.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part 1: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway

1. The Brickyard

2. The Yard of Bricks

3. The Wing and Wheel

4. Yellow Shirts

5. The Pagoda

6. The Scoring Pylon

7. Food

8. Gasoline Alley

9. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

10. Fore!

11. Donald Davidson

12. Tom Carnegie

Part 2: The Month of May

13. "Mr. First in Line"

14. 11 Rows of 3

15. Qualifications

16. Carb Day

17. Concerts

18. Last Row Party

19. Public Drivers' Meeting

20. Legends' Day

21. 500 Festival

22. Coke Lot

23. Snake Pit

24. Armed Forces Day

25. Radio and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing

26. Gordon Piper

Part 3: Race Day

27. Percussion Grenades

28. Spectacle of Bands

29. 500 Festival Princesses

30. Purdue University All-American Marching Band

31. Celebrity Guests

32. "On the Banks of the Wabash"

33. "America the Beautiful" and God Bless America"

34. National Anthem

35. Flyover

36. Invocation

37. Remarks

38. "Taps"

39. "Back Home Again in Indiana"

40. Balloon Spectacle

41. The Command

42. Pace Car

43. Pace Lap

44. Honorary Starter

45. Green! Green! Green!

46. Winners Drink Milk

47. Kissing the Bricks

48. The Borg-Warner Trophy

49. The Borg-Warner Victory Lane Wreath

50. Quilt Lady

Part 4: Epilogue

51. Victory Banquet

52. Herff-Jones Champion of Champions Ring

Part 5: A Lifetime of Memories

Appendix

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Champions

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Records

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Qualifying Records

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Broken Speed Barriers (Qualifications)

Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Pace Cars and Drivers

When The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Opened

Centennial Era

The Fans

Bibliography

Index