Indy is big, bloody big.
There is nothing about this race, or should that be 'occasion', that isn't just that little over the top.
Take the Panasonic Pagoda which looms large over pit line for example. It has nine levels but is actually 13 stories high. The flags on top flutter 60 metres above the track. The building boasts over 6000 square metres of floor space and 1800 square metres of glass. There is no control tower like it.
The most impressive numbers though are the 400,000 fans at race day and the 370+km/h speeds the cars average during a qualifying or practice lap. That attendance figure makes the Indy 500 the biggest one day annual sporting event…on the planet.
The pace of the cars makes this a thrilling spectacle, although for the drivers families it can be a nervous time.
We spent some time with Emma Davies-Dixon, wife of top qualifier (and Kiwi) Scott Dixon. Emma told us she is nervous every time he races on the ovals, but at the same time there was no hiding her love of Indy. It is a race after all, and as a former British 800m champ, she's as competitive as anyone at the Brickyard.
Even though the Dixon's live in Indianapolis, the all-encompassing nature of this race means it is easier to set up camp than try and commute.
Although camping doesn't really describe this home-away-from-home. Remember, this is Indy, where everything is big.
Emma took 3news.co.nz on a behind the scenes tour.
3 News
source: newshub archive
