Diary of a (Raceday) Virgin

It started at 3:45am at the station when we left for the track to begin the long day. We arrived at our suite by 4:00am passing hundreds of RV's and already a line was forming to enter the Speedway. We had Media passes and drove under the track to park behind the great Pagoda. At the suite the milling began as engineers and photogs got ready for our live broadcast starting at 5am. I was allowed to wander for a few moments and get a picture of where my cameras were set up. We were on the 4th floor of the Pagoda, in the Pits and at the Garages. The track is a HUGE place, the oval is 2.5 miles long and the interior (were I was) houses the garages, the media center, the Pagoda, 40 Transport Tractor Trailers, 40 Luxury Tour Buses for the drivers, a hospital, 2 Helipads, The Indy 500 Museum, parking for several thousand vehicles and 4 holes of a local golf course.

My job this morning was to send 5 different sources back to the station using two Transmit Sites. I was the eyes and ears for the Producers and Directors back in sub. We got several drivers, owners and celebrities as they got to the track. We went on the air at 5am and signed off at 11am moments before the race was to begin.

My shift over I was able to get outside and see the speedway in the light. Rain had delayed the start so I transported several co-workers back to the station so they could get home. I returned to the track around Noon and was let right back into the Media Lot off the starting line. I don't know if it was my credentials or that I spoke with several security people that morning and they remembered me but I got right up to the grandstand where Jim Nabors, Jessica Simpson and the rest were set up, they were about 15 feet in front of me (and 20 feet up on the platform). They finally got to the opening ceremonies and the boys started their engines. I stood behind the Penzoil Pit for the start of the race. At first the cars just cruised by doing about 70mph for lap one, it got quiet when they left Starting Lane then came around for Lap 2 averaging 90 mph, loud but not bad and the sound disappeared all together, but then from above me and across the track the green flag dropped and 33 Cars flew past my position in a deafening roar! After that you could hear the cars for miles and all I saw from the pit area was little helmets with wings going zipzipzipzip as they passed. We got to Lap 11 when the rains hit again and the cars were pulled in.

They started up again a little later (using jet engines and terry cloths to dry the track) and 2 co-workers were heading for the vans to grab a nap. They arrived with me at 4am but had to stay and do live hits for the 6pm news. I hitched a ride in one of our Golf Carts to make a trip to the NorthEast Vistas where the wife and boy were watching the race. As we drove off from our suite they looked at me and said, "This is your first time out, let's give you the nickel tour." From the pagoda we went to the Drivers area, here they keep the Transport Trailers and Luxury Buses. In front of every bus was a brand new BMW, Mercedes Benz or Lexus sportscar. Then we hit the Garages were the mechanics work on the backup cars and can work on the Qualified cars during a rain delay (new rule I guess). During this time we heard the cars drop down in speed, "Wreck or rain" said one of my tour guides and sure enough as we are leaving the garage area here comes a green Indy car all smashed up hanging from a crane, we pull over to let it by, "Foyt's car" says the other guide. "Where is he?" I ask, "Right there" points my new buddy. And there he is going into the track hospital (mandatory for any driver in a crash) and not looking too good (actually crying, later telling the press he was not looking forward to seeing his grandfather, AJ Foyt, the First).

From there we went around the whole track, stopping at the museum, the golf course, the family Viewing area inside the oval, driving over the Formula One course (later this month) and then heading back to the suite as it started raining AGAIN!!!!

By the time I got over to the wife and boy they were lost in the sea of fans (over 300,000) hiding from the rain. I went back to my car and headed home after spending 13 hours at the track it was time to call it quits.

The race was finally run, short but we had a winner, and by all accounts some of the best driving we had seen in many a year. When they called the race (around Lap 178 out of 200) they immediately asked everyone to evacuate the track as dangerous weather was heading our way. It hit and hit hard. When daylight appeared Monday morning 8 F-2 Tornadoes had devastated southern Indianapolis mere miles from the Speedway (more on this later).

I had a grat time, the work was hard but the reward was great! I look forward to next years race, just without the tornadoes.