Every time I wake up on 1st of May, this is the song that I immediately starts to play in my head.
It's the Alan Silvestri’s theme song for a Chuck Norris movie Delta Force. But since the year 1988, the motorsports fans around the world today recognize it as the ABC’s intro for the Indianapolis 500, Even though the last time it was used for the broadcast was for the 2001 race.
As popular the song is among the Indy500 fans, so is the legendary commentator Paul Page, who usually took responsibly to narrate the intro for the millions of viewers. That gave him two Emmy's for the coverage of the Indianapolis 500. Another popular INDY-vidual is Jim Nabors, who has performed the famous state anthem “Back Home Again in Indiana” since the 1972 race day. Both of these fine living legends are still with us for this year’s race.
Many legends and popular songs have been made about the Speedway and the Gasoline Alley, also the famous words “Gentlemen, start your engines” have echoed at the Brickyard since 1925. The racing here begun in 1909 and the very first Indianapolis 500 race was held in 1911, over a century ago. But due to war years, the 2013 race is “only” the 97th Indy500 event in the history.
The milk has been spilled more than once only by a handful of drivers. AJ Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears are the only drivers who have won it four times. Three time winners Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti will fight again to make their names on that list. Will either of these fine racers make it to the victory lane this year? Or is it a time for a new Indy500 champion?
The past on the speedway has always been rich in nuances. The drivers of the Brickyard have often stated that the circuit has its own will and spirit. The history has very often proved these statements correct. Fans around the world remember the Andretti family and their curse, Danny Sullivan’s “Spin and Win”, the flying Dutchman Arie Luyendyk’s records of fastest win and fastest pole time, Little Al beating Scott Goodyear by half of a car length, rookie JR Hildebrand crashing in the final corner, just to mention a few of the tales, that will be told for the next generations of auto racing fans to come.
But as much the speedway has given us the great thrills and heartwarming stories, it has also been the place of grief. Ever since the first race in 1911 there have been fatal accidents, demonstrating the dangers of motorsports. The last fatality at the speedway happened in 2010 when a 13-year old MotoGP candidate Peter Lenz lost his life on the Brickyard. But for the Indy500 fans the latest loss was for the 2012 race, when the reign champion Dan Wheldon was not in the grid to defend his 2nd victory at the speedway.
Such has been the nature of the speedway in the past – the highest highs and the lowest lows of auto racing have been seen often at the Brickyard for the past hundred years. The quest for speed has unquestionable danger. It also has incomparable reward. Drama and excitement will be once again guaranteed when the traditional field of 33 cars gets ready for the greatest spectacle in racing for its 97th time. This is the Indianapolis 500.
[Past winners]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indianapolis_500_winners
[Highlights]
Schedule
Spoiler:
