TBK-Light.com

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

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

God Speed to all drivers, make it as exciting, and safe as last year please

I'm sat at the yard of bricks

EDIT: Also, use this as a logo if you want. It's the highest res I could find :/

_________________
"Every day on Memorial weekend, comes the chance to cross these bricks, and live forever. No votes, no politics, no thanks to the Academy. Nothing. Just driver, machine, and pursuit of immortality"

Thanks, I'll use that.

Here's a couple great intros

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

During last years broadcast this gem was shown.

I'll be sitting right at the entrance of Turn 1!

Lest we forget...

_________________
Ducks Angels Sounders Spurs

As much as it's lost it's luster, no other race does it for me like Indy does still. Every May the chills run up my spine and nervous energy builds. Those Delta Force intros always bring back great memories.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus with Apple's permission

Wouldn't you know, the new Corvette Stingray is the 2013 Pace Car.

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

Geiles Ding

Does it still have more power than the Indycars?

Not sure if they use the ZR1 engine on it or the "regular" N/A V8, but IndyCars still beat it with power/weight -ratio.

But either way: MOAR POWAH 4 INDYCARZ!!1!

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

Amen to that, as always.

And I long for my Indiana home...

the home of legedary racing

_________________
Free racing streams for the weekend of May 12-14

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."

looking at 36 cars attempting Indy right now.

Count, Car No, Driver, Engine, Entrant
1 1 Ryan Hunter-Reay Chevrolet Andretti Autosport
2 2 AJ Allmendinger (R) Chevrolet Team Penske
3 3 Helio Castroneves Chevrolet Team Penske
4 4 JR Hildebrand Chevrolet Panther Racing
5 NA Townsend Bell Chevrolet Panther Racing
6 5 E.J. Viso Chevrolet Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport/HVM
7 6 Sebastian Saavedra Chevrolet Dragon Racing
8 7 Sebastien Bourdais Chevrolet Dragon Racing
9 8 Ryan Briscoe Honda Target Chip Ganassi Racing
10 9 Scott Dixon Honda Target Chip Ganassi Racing
11 10 Dario Franchitti Honda Target Chip Ganassi Racing
12 11 Tony Kanaan Chevrolet KV Racing Technology
13 12 Will Power Chevrolet Team Penske
14 14 Takuma Sato Honda A.J. Foyt Enterprises
15 15 Graham Rahal Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
16 16 James Jakes Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
17 18 Ana Beatriz Honda Dale Coyne Racing
18 NA Michel Jourdain Jr. Honda Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
19 19 Justin Wilson Honda Dale Coyne Racing
20 NA Pippa Mann Honda Dale Coyne Racing
21 20 Ed Carpenter Chevrolet Ed Carpenter Racing
22 22 Oriol Servia Chevrolet Panther DRR
23 25 Marco Andretti Chevrolet Andretti Autosport
24 26 Carlos Munoz (R) Chevrolet Andretti Autosport
25 27 James Hinchcliffe Chevrolet Andretti Autosport
26 41 Conor Daly (R) Honda A.J. Foyt Enterprises
27 55 Tristan Vautier (R) Honda Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
28 NA Buddy Rice Honda Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
29 67 Josef Newgarden Honda Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
30 77 Simon Pagenaud Honda Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports
31 78 Simona de Silvestro Chevrolet KV Racing Technology
32 83 Charlie Kimball Honda Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing
33 98 Alex Tagliani Honda Bryan Herta Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian
34 TBD Bryan Clauson TBD TBD
35 TBD Jay Howard TBD TBD
36 TBD Jaques Lazier TBD TBD

No Paul Tracy? Damn.

I thought that last year Alesi said he would be an entrant for this year.

He is a Lotus driver.

Buddy Lazier seems to be close to a ride. He has the car and may work with another team to get an engine.

Go Sato!!!

_________________

Best ever Indy500 Pace car:

Chrysler Newport Dual Cowl Phaeton LeBaron Indy 500 Pace Car '1941

_________________

Kurt Bush will test an Andretti Autosport IndyCar at the BrickYard next Thursday. If he likes it he's goint to aim to do the double start.

Besides that we are already up to 33 confirmed entries: Buddy Rice at SSM and Townsend Bell in the Panther car with "Turbo" Sponsorship (so that's gonna be one of my favourites!)
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ ... 00-drives/