History, Tradition, and Longevity: Why the Indianapolis 500 is More Than Left Turns
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
- F1 snobs are very particular at putting down the Indy 500. It's an F1 reject series, it's just turning left, and so on.
But it's a race older than the F1 World Championship, it's a race where all the legends are honoured every single year, and the fact as well that it is a 230mph dogfight inches from walls. One muck up and you're in a wall.
So why should you give it a chance? Let's have a look.
Enjoy! And remember to like and subscribe for more!
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Katherine Legge qualified. Read the list several times and never saw it. Just numbers. Lots... And lots... of... numbers... I'm smelling numbers. TASTING numbers.
This pinned comment won't stop people mentioning it tho... Good thing the editor exists.
you were 21 minutes too late for that hope
Ah well. If only I was made of eyes.
If only we still had annotations.
@@AidanMillward Protip when looking through a long document or webpage: "Ctrl F" lets you look up text based terms, as long as the document is an actual document and not an image.
@@sulphurous2656 And star ratings
2 day qualifying for the Indy 500 was more interesting to watch than most of the F1 races so far this season.
Yeah, just incredible. Qualifying is more exciting than anything F1 does ever. It is truly the greatest spectacle. What a gift to racing it is. Can't wait for next Sunday.
F1 has been doomed since it was taken over by social media.. shouting commentary, general cringe
I don’t find that to be a fair assessment. F1 and Indy are completely different series and I can appreciate both in their own right.
You’re probably a Mercedes fan who had zero issues with 2014-2020. So many English speaking fans are Brits who are just salty. They had no problem with those years ajd then use the control they have over F1 for change the second it’s not their favorite team. These people are not real F1 fans although they could be racing fans. They don’t care for the artistry and the goal of engineering perfection in a real Constructor’s series.
It used to dominate the Month of May. Hence the term. I can understand why it doesn't operate the same way any more, but Im very disappointed we don't have 50+ cars trying to get into the 33!!
@@don7680 One part on Saturday that really stood out to me was Sato oversteering close to the wall while keeping it absolutely pinned at 230 mph. Fucking epic.
One point i would add about the 500 is that no driver who attempts to enter the race, is guaranteed to start the race, as demonstrated yesterday by Graham Rahal.
And Fernando Alonso trolololololololololololol
@@AidanMillward Both for the same reason , the teams got it way wrong.
I wish this would be the case for F1 races also! It would make it more interesting again, but those idiots even want to prohibit other teams from joining, see the Cadillac situation..
Don't always get 34 entries to have bump day
Going back a bit, the defending Series Champion failed to qualify in both 1993 (Bobby Rahal and his problematic in-house chassis program) and 1995 (Al Unser Jr. and Penske shitting the bed in epic fashion)
Turning left is one thing. Maintaining average 220mph is another.
Doing it for 2 hours and 50 minutes (with some pitstops inbetween, tho) is just insane.
Also not crashing into anything as well
What events would make these races enjoyable to watch though? Honest question, as I have not seen it but I can't really imagine how cars going a constant high speed would give excitement, so I must be missing something!
@@luukstrijbis2079 its hard to describe the experience honestly. There is a huge difference in watching the race on a screen at home and being there in person to see these cars and how fast they really are. Once you go to the event in person you start to see racing in a whole different way. Its not just the cars going around a track at high speed, its the high speed, 3+ Gs in the corners, all the while passing and jockeying for position, and maintaining your car around the rest for the whole length of the race. And of course the crashes are fun too.
I watched the entire broadcast of the Nurburgring 24-hour race and there was never a dull moment, on the other hand it is a challenge to watch 8 minutes of an F1 race highlights considering how dull the "pinnacle of motorsports" has become.
@@slackpanda3643 I'm not a fan of predictability. If someone other than Verstappen wins the championship this year, let me know.
@@slackpanda3643You've never seen Kevin Estre's iconic pass on the grass going over 170 km/h at the 2019 ADAC 24H of Nurburgring, have you?
The racing in IndyCar has been absolutely fantastic this season. There are so many top drivers and you never know who may win the weekend.
Reeeeeallllly want Scotty Mac to win it.
@@AidanMillward nah it's gonna be between Pato or Palou.
@@musyarofah1 naw, I'm waiting for Sting Ray Robb to win 😂😂😂
@@AidanMillward I'd be happy to see him win as well. I don't doubt he'll be there fighting and getting to the front by the end of the race.
@@Lego_Huracan_SuperTrofeo With that name dude was destined to be in motorsports 🤣
To really understand the Indy 500 you need to see it in person. To be between turns one and two at the start when the 33 cars come by on the first lap is amazing
Exactly where I was sitting for the 100th running some years back.
Incredible.
@@donaldschumaker I was there that year too
Yep can attest to that I sat in the south west terrace in 2014 and watching 33 cars inches apart coming through turn one is a moment you don’t forget I always liked the 500 before but since I saw just how close and how fast they run I have an all new respect for them and love the race so much more
Over the years I've grown to understand the oval racing more and more that what makes it so difficult. For viewer it may not seem as difficult as driving on tracks with multiple left and right turns, but it's actually extremely exhausting experience. You're on full speed almost all the time and you have to maintain absolute consistency thru the whole race. You have only two corners to make up time with successful drive thru them, unlike in multi-turn racetracks where you have plenty of opportunities to make up time if you screw up once. Then you have the fact that you have to keep yourself from getting tired of it, since it can feel extremely repetitive after some laps and that can lead to mistakes, which you can't easily make up back.
Add in Indy is exceptionally difficult because of wind and how your tires are heating up and cooling down as you go through the corners. I think Rossi did a nice video talking how different the car behaves on each turn because of tire temps.
You can drive somewhat around a missed setup when circuit racing. On paved oval, you miss setup there's no way to win
Exactly!
I’m from Germany and only cared for roadcourses and the Nordschleife always was the holy grail for me.
I made fun about nascar and Indycar all the time.
Nowadays(and especially since I picked up iRacing ovals) I think ovals are way more exhausting to the mind and body, at last in my little computer game.
On roadcourses you have variety all the time and it’s much easier to stay focused because you have more different things to do.
On ovals you have the same 2-4 turns that you have to get perfect everytime, without a longer straight inbetween.
It’s unbelievably straining on the mind!
On roadcourses I often listen to podcast and TH-cam videos while driving, especially in training.
This is absolutely not possible for me on ovals or I’ll miss the braking point.
And with how bad F1 got since Michael Schumacher quit and then later the hybrid cars came I enjoy NASCAR and INDYCAR much more these days. I’m just really sad that Indy also goes for the Hybrid BS..
@@rolux4853 Indy is 12:4 road courses to ovals now anyways. So for those of us who prefer road courses, that's the majority of the calendar.
(And the 500 is excellent and worth a watch, even if one dislikes ovals)
Go back and watch the Michigan 500 that Nigel Mansell won in the mid 1990's. His remarks after the race will show you how difficult oval racing can be.
As someone who grew up in Indiana, and is both an Indycar and F1 fan, it’s great to hear someone from across the pond singing the praises of the Indy 500.
Lifetime Hoosier here!!!
I’m an Australian and hands down the best racing event I’ve ever witnessed in person was the 2014 Indy 500 it is the best race on the planet
Graham Rahal watched as his teammate bumped him out of the field. He got out of his car, sat down, and cried with his wife and young daughter consoling him. He hadn't missed a 500 since his rookie year. And, it was almost thirty years to the day that his father, Bobby (a former Indy 500 winner) missed the race. Penske Racing wiped the floor in 1994 with an Ilmor engine nicknamed "The Beast," the product of some of the most creative rules interpretation ever. The next year, the sight of Penske's trucks leaving Indy after qualifying because none of his cars were fast enough shocked everyone in the sport. Indy is a race where nothing is guaranteed.
Ask J.R. Hildebrand, the Andrettis, Scott Goodyear, Robby Gordon, etc. about how it feels knowing you've got the 500 won, and then suffered from a parts failure or momentary lapse of concentration or run out of time or were on the wrong end of the CART/IRL dispute. Indy breaks hearts. And yet, to a person, these drivers came back to the Brickyard for one more try.
While people have talked about how Tony George "diluted" the importance of IMS by bringing in NASCAR and IMSA and F1 and MotoGP. But if you look at Indy on a Memorial Day Sunday, you won't see anything but pure, undiluted love for the race.
Great comment. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada
Just watch 2 day Indy quali yesterday, watching them one by one try to be the fastest pulling 360+ kph average in 4 laps is one thing i cant believe i missed in years(thx for 12 hours time difference)
learning about weight jacket too, its another piece of engineering that i want to learn more
Also watching Taku and TK still has it is quite magical too
Edit:
other things that makes me click with Indy as a series is the open pitbox, same with IMSA and certain extend WEC in Sebring the pitstop is not 2 seconds change tire, but the effort in each people is apparent to see, something i like to appreciate
and in Indy500...there is no "he pushed me off" thing, since if they do, they kiss the wall
I've done a video on the weight jacker ;)
@@AidanMillward yep thanks to you I learn a bit, but i still want to learn more technical side of things
still thanks tho
@@dhupee A great channel to watch is The RACER channel, Marshall Pruett does interviews with the drivers, tech videos within Indycar and IMSA mainly, etc. He did one on the weight jacker. His interviews are quite fun to watch and the drivers are really open and genuine in them.
The drivers also have an adjustment for the roll bar stiffness in the cockpit.
Hey Aidan, just a shout out from Lafayette Indiana, about 50miles due north of the speedway. I want to thank you for the great video, your knowledge of Indy's history and the kind words you said about INDY and the 500. I'm 51yrs old and have loved Indy my entire life. It does have that small town feel and the brotherly love that comes with it. The history of Indy is like no other and it's still relevant today. If it wasn't why would Alonso risk everything to try it. Throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at race cars like in F1 doesn't equate to better racing. I wish F1 fans would see INDYCAR does have value. The split definitely hurt and we're still feeling the affects today. But INDYCAR as a series is evolving and does promote some of the best and closest racing and the 500 is a must see for anyone. I love your videos but this one in particular hits home for me!!! Looking forward to your next one. Keep up the great work 👍🏎️
Love these. Its great to see a primarily European racing fan giving Indy respect. Have a great day, sir!
Why not? It's primarily a European race.
@@RRaquello Because Indy 500 isn’t watched all that much in Europe. Let alone IndyCar itself.
@@tim1444 I know, but it's mostly a European series now.
@@RRaquello Driver wise, yes. Track wise, no. People in Europe tend to get attracted to tracks before drivers. Especially long-time fans. Hence why IndyCar is less known in Europe.
@@tim1444 Well, it's a US based series, so why would Europeans watch it any more than they'd watch US soccer? Unfortunately, so few of the drivers are American, so why would American fans be interested? I remember in the CART days there was always propaganda about what a massive following the series had "overseas", only when they went overseas to race, that massive following never showed up.
Note: At the 3:06 mark you state that "Alex Palou was the fastest man ever in an Indy 500 qualifying session". Please note that in 1996, Arie Arie Luyendyk set the fastest qualifying average (236 + mph). However, since he did not do it on "pole day", he could not start from the pole. Back in those days, drivers/teams started fastest to slowest AND in accordance with the day on which they qualified. It is more accurate to say "Alex set the fastest pole speed average (average for a four lap qualifying run) in history. I enjoyed your analysis. Indy 500 number 50 for me next weekend.
Yeah, it was even two double day weekends of qualifying in those days. It should be noted however, you weren't locked in if you had already qualified on pole day. The 33 fastest cars over all days of qualifying got in. If there were 33 cars faster than the fastest on pole day, even the pole sitter could be bumped.
@@Quintinohthree Yep, the "Jigger" Sirois story from 1969 comes to mind. He would have been on the pole with the slowest speed in the field had his crew not waved off his attempt on day 1.
Happy Race Week!
Fancy seeing you here man. Happy Indy500 week to you too!
We always seem to find each other Ian. I'll be in turn 4 row k with my dad this year hope to see you at the track.
@@izzdin6228 thank you!
@@robertstone9988 yeah I’m everywhere lol. Anyway, have fun!
I spent the weekend watching Indy qualifying in person at the speedway
seeing cars go by at 240mph is something to behold!
As a fan of both IndyCar and F1, thank you for this!
I remember watching Chris Economaki doing a driver interview back in the 70's. I can't remember the driver but Chris opened the interview using a metaphor about needing "The precision of a surgeon" to win Indy and the driver replied "Yeah, but being handy in a knife fight helps too".
I've seen every live broadcast of The 500 and never heard a better quote or more concise explanation of the race. Just wish I could remember who said it.
You haven't experienced Indy until you've partied in the Coke lot. Much like McPhillamy Park at Bathurst, that is the truest way to experience and understand the fanaticism that exists.
Can’t wait to enjoy a years worth of beer in the Coke lot next weekend!
Suprised you didn't mention the insane 0.002mph gap between Harvey and Rahal for the knockouk
Another feather in the cap of the Indy 500 is that the first winner, Ray Harroun's Marmon Wasp was the first Single-Seat (racers always had ride-along mechanics before that) purpose-built open-wheel racing car. It is the common ancestor of all modern IndyCars, Midgets, Sprint Cars and, yes, F1 cars.
Yeah, he added a rear view mirror to appease the competition who wanted him to have a riding mechanic. Another first.
Oh and his car can be seen in the museum
I visited Indianapolis in July of 1994, about 6 weeks before the inaugural Brickyard 400.
It was Mario Andretti's final year racing there. His pit stall still bore his name and number. I took a picture of it.
The museum is fantastic as it displayed many of the cars that I had seen win there as well as the Borg-Warner trophy, which I still think is the finest-looking trophy ever made for a sporting event. It's magnificent to see in person.
I also took a bus tour of the track and can say it's much larger than it is on TV.
To me Indianapolis is a racing cathedral and memorial all in one. Looking out onto the track one cannot help but thinking of the human triumph & tragedy that has taken place there.
The very first driver that I saw win there was Johnny Rutherford in 1980. The very first driver that I saw killed there was Gordon Smiley in 1982...still the most violent crash i've ever seen.
It's a place where mortal humans test the limits of science & engineering in the arena of competition to become, in a sense, immortal to the ages.
To me it's the perfect race track located in the perfect area of Indiana. The surrounding farm-like landscape gives the place a very warmish kind of charm that's not often seen at other venues in the states.
I live a little over 3 hours from Indy and I have to 100% agree with you that’s part of that races charm is where it’s located. The charm of it being a not massive Midwestern city gives it an almost small town vibe compared to COTA as an example. Long love Indy
30 year old F1 nut since 97 but still never seen a race live and haven’t felt inclined to in recent years because of the noise aspect which is very millennial I know. But you’ve convinced me fully that next year I will go to the Indy 500.
Qualifying was fantastic! There is nothing like Indy on earth. It is truly the greatest spectacle in racing. Why be just an F1 snob? It's ok to be an Indy fan too, plus the racing is way more exciting. The 500 is the biggest, oldest, most important race on earth. More people on race day than F1's biggest total weekend attendance. Palou won $100K for pole, Ericsson will win over $3M if he wins again.
The highest attendance record for Indianapolis was 350k (In 2016).
The 2022 F1 season saw COTA (440k), Australia (420k), Mexico (395k), and Belgium (360k) best that. Those aren't even records, just 2022 attendance.
It's not to say F1 is better, I think Indy is awesome. But the attendance stuff just isn't really true.
@@seventh-hydra Well, there is this. The COTA number was for the 3 day weekend. AS are all the F1 numbers. The Numbers for Indy are for the race day. For a one day event attendance Indy is by far the biggest.
Honestly, the one biggest obstacle to me fully embracing Indy is the constant self-congratulatory "we're the most important thing in the world."
It's contradicted somewhat by the large number of... I'll say "spectators," who are in the infield, not watching the race, and there solely for the outdoor Memorial Day beer party.
@@sagittated it's not as if F1 isn't itself packed full of scenesters who don't really watch the event.
@@andrewb8074 100% agree. And honestly, that part doesn't put me off so much. It's just that every knock seems more true coupled with the over the top self-congratulations. It's the pompous blowing of their own horns that's my central objection.
I live only 45 minutes north of the speedway. The whole area talks about the 500. Other race happen here but none get the talk of locals like the 500. And we can't even watch it on TV because it is blacked out. We still listen on the radio at family gatherings.
Started watching a bit of Indycar last year, and it's great racing, as exciting (or more for some races) as F1, but with less faff. F1 is all about the faff and glam and basking in being the pinnacle of motorsport. Indy is more down to earth. 10/10 would recommend.
I think it’s also something to mention the ceremony of things, the back home again in Indiana, the balloons flying, the being introduced by each row, all that and more. I wish the Daytona 500 had that type of atmosphere
Well done Aiden. Glad you took the road of “why this thing deserves respect”
It’s not what it once was but, that’s true of most forms of motorsport these days.
@6:39 you say there are no women running this year, but actually katherine legge is running this yr think she qualified 29th (edit 30th)
You are correct, sir
And locked herself and 1 off entry in the first day as opposed to her full time teammates
30th, but considering it's her 1st IndyCar race in 10 years & she beat all of her teammates, that's pretty impressive.
I read the entry list five times. Didn't see her.
Ah well. Can always chop it out, no one will notice XD
@@AidanMillward She's only entering the 500, no other race this year. Sadly, we haven't had a full-time female driver in IndyCar since 2013.
It wasn't until I raced an Indycar at the IMS in ToCa 3 for the first time that I fully appreciated how rediculous oval racing actually is. I never get round to watch it more often but I really should, because I remember going round those corners virtually at 360kph and going ''WOW, this is MUCH cooler than I could have imagined''
I think ever since I unlocked the Indycar championship, I liked the F1 and touring cars, but I LOVED Indycar.
Great video again and thanks for posting something that brought up some cool memories of my childhood.
Great video. Something I recommend doing a video about is USA motorsport culture as USA technically has multiple different motorsport valleys you’ll find in Southern California for motocross/off-road trucks,NHRA and sprint cars, Indy home of Indycar. North Carolina with NASCAR and monster trucks.
A bloody men !!!! Glad you called out the f1 snobbery etc. Really loved how you explained everything and showed how good the series. I love indycar and wish it was respected more. Dario is one the best british drivers but forgotten by british raceing fans cus of that snobbery. Then again I also follow and love BTCC (was at snett yesterday) and other series.
Jack Harvey knocking at graham was mental too.
It was definitely so cool to see my fellow sim league competitor RC Enerson qualify for the Indy 500 this year.
I watched the indy 500 last year, I have watched every indycar race since, indycar is great.
Wow, great video. I've been going to the 500 since 1970, dad's first was 1935, and before that 1919, It is worth your time, effort, and one of the finest racing facilites in the world.
Any motorsport fan who is within a day or two's drive of Indianapolis owes it to themselves to go to at least one 500. At least half of the seats can be had for under $100 and I don't think any standard grandstand seat is over $135. For the global audience obviously travel is much more the financial burden, but it's really something to see these cars in person and to be at a race with 320+ thousand other race fans. Unreal experience.
I was fortunate to participate in the PCA DE on the Indy road course 5 times. It was fantastic to roam the hallowed grounds and drive on the legendary track. You could feel the ghosts of the past and the place oozes with history. We'd do parade laps on the oval and every time I'd drive thru T3 I'd look up in the stands at the place I was sitting in 1977 as my brother, cousin, and I watched AJ win his 4th. And I'd think about how I was up in the stands then and now I'm driving on the track. Chilling. I know my dad was looking down and was so proud.
I grew up loving the years when the stars aligned and it was the longest mixed day of racing I could watch on TV. Wake up early for Monaco procession GP, have lunch for the start of the 500 and then roll through the evening watching the Coke 600 for NASCAR.
Shout out to the people who've done the double of the 500 and 600 on the same day
I hope you're able to make it across the pond some time and experience it in person. It is so much more than a race, it's an emotional experience.
Thank you for giving this race the respect I feel it lacks from some Europeans.
I grew up in the UK as an F1 fan first and found other series afterwards. This is now my ultimate. I flew over for the first time in 2015 expecting it to be a 'once in a lifetime' experience and the event, the scale, the tradition and, mostly, the hospitality that you mention at the end made me go back every time I could. 2022 was my 5th time and I now have lifelong friends in the city who I started talking to purely because they were happy to have someone travel to experience it.
I used to be one of those fans. After several years of sim racing I’ve seen the light. I love F1, but there are so many incredible series out there, and they are amazing for all the reasons they differ from F1. Fabulous content.
Brilliant race that should be seen at least once in a lifetime
“Unspecified virus of unknown origins” as the critical drinker is like to say.
Aidan, it’s great to see a Brit completely understand and perfectly describe the small-town oval racing aesthetic and it’s cultural influence. It absolutely isn’t a bunch of knuckle-draggers going in circles, and oval racing is all about being on the limit at insane speeds with no respite. It’s refreshing to see a non-American both understand but also appreciate the culture and what it means to us.
You are one of the few Europeans who give our racing a chance and try to actually look at it fairly. So thank you
Great overview. I've been going to Indy since '81, and you hit most of the major points very well. I would maybe add that the drivers are seen as being (generally) a bit more "accessible" and "fan friendly" than you used to get in F1. The series has always been very intentional in their efforts to cultivate this attitude.
There are many Indycar drivers that call Indycar the most exciting racing series in the world. I love both F1 and Indy, but the competition in Indycar is fierce! Another great video!
I really believe that being born and raised in Indianapolis made me the rabid Motorsport fan I’ve been my whole life. I was born in 1981 so I witnessed the glory days of IndyCar in the late eighties and nineties. The race is so ingrained in the city here that we even learnt about it in elementary school and took field trips to the track on practice days. I was aware of F1 as a kid but didn’t follow it intensely until late 1995 when it was announced Jacques Villeneuve was going to F1 for 1996. The only thing that sucks about Monaco falling on the same day as the 500 is that I miss watching Monaco because by the time Monaco starts here at 9AM, I’m sitting in traffic to get to the track. Getting 300K-350K people into place really tied up traffic so much that you’re better off paying $20 to park in someone’s yard and walking 2-4 miles to the track.
that's another thing you're not going to find at a typical F1 race: Parking in some local persons yard, maybe crack a beer with them because it's a party, then head to the track. Some of the people who've been going have had the same seats for 40-50 years. Not only is it almost always insanely good racing, it's like coming *home*
I watched the whole 10 + hours of qualifying this weekend and was genuinely transfixed. This is a fun series. Those who knock it, speak form a combination of ignorance and snobbery.
I will always love F1 but Indy is definitely something I can open up to.
I will never understand the need to knock one series down in order to build another series up, as if there can only be room for one. Many of those whining about RBR’s dominance had ZERO issue with 2014-2020 as long as it was their own team/country. These are not genuine F1 fans and have no appreciation for the artistry and goal of engineering perfection that goes into a constructors series.
At the same time, there's people who whined about Merc's domination that are now loving it that Max and Red Bull are now dominating and not really getting the irony/hypocrisy.
Love indy! As a life long Hoosier it is the best tradition our state has to offer. The racing is incredible, the people are lovely but for me by far the best part of yhe race is paying to park in someone's yard and then walking and seeing the track at sunrise. It just takes my breath away every year. This event just encapsulates so much history and tradition.
Boiler up!
Was waiting for this video
Thanks for posting this. As a ;photojournalist/writer I have covered F1, NASCAR, NHRA, sportscars, dirt tracks long and short, and many sizes of ovals, and about 30 Indianapolis 500s and several other INDYCAR races. This race and this series is, hands down, the best, most competitive, and most challenging in the world. And this race isn't just about race day. Those who saw, or take the time to watch the drama of last chance qualifying this year will understand why.
I would like to correct a couple of your statistics. Race day attendance will be somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000, most likely much closer to the higher number. And I understand how this can be confusing, but Palou's qualifying speed this year is the fastest Pole speed ever, it is only the second fastest ever. Arie Luyendyk recorded the fastest every qualifying run, but it was on the second day of qualifications, back when only cars which qualified on the first day were eligible for the Pole position.
The F1 snobs are just angry because they aren't Indy car. 😂😂
"Th3y 0n1y tUrN l3fT"
For sure, what global series could ever come close to 3 plus hours of left turns!
@@soisaidtogod4248 Exceptionally faster turns than any F1 circuit while passing 3 wide at times with a car that is on a knifes edge of the aerodynamic and grip limit. Turning right at Indy is very detrimental for one's health.
Aidan--thanks! Grew up in Speedway and could hear the Firestone tire tests from my house. Dad worked across the street from track and had priceless reserved parking for raceday. Our neighbor worked in the ticket office so never missed a race. Pork tenderloin sandwiches are the local delicacy with towering beer can monoliths everywhere. Still remember Nigel Mansell passing cars where it was impossible to do so--he drove Indy like a road course. Tickets are still cheap enough that anyone can go.
Thanks for this, Aidan. Love your videos. I grew up in the Era of F1 drivers coming to Indy. Too bad that can't happen these days. My son got me back into F1 last year and I've gotten him into Indycar. Open wheel racing has plenty to offer!
People forget that Indianapolis was where several auto brands were built in the early 1900s. The track was originally made for testing those cars.
(Side note @Aidan Millward, 60th Anniversary Bathurst 1000 in 2023. If you don't count the preceeding races at Phillip Island 😉)
Your love of all motorsports is the reason I watch you but very few other f1 youtubers, thank you
It's also been fun seeing Jamie Chadwick learning the Indy Lights car and having some decently competitive races.
I went to qualifying yesterday it was better than any recent f1 stuff. And going to the race next sunday
I have to say I was one of those F1 fans till I saw Alonso give it a proper go in 2017. But it was when he got bumped that I thought "ok, this place is special". I'm spanish and seeing my childhood hero getting bumped was, in a way, rather awesome
The first auto race I ever saw was Indy in 1992 - the closest finish ever. I was hooked on the sport for good. The next year was the first time I saw qualifying, when defending series champ Bobby Rahal missed out. In 1994 team Penske dominated the whole month, but it didn't carry over to '95, with both of their drivers failing to qualify. Indy is just different somehow, and the bananas qualifying this year just adds to it.
I love F1 and don't miss a race, but Indy is another level. Also, I'm glad you mentioned about races finishing under yellow: as a series, I prefer Indycar's balance between sport and spectacle, compared to F1 or Nascar.
Indy is more of an endurance race, where a lot can happen over 500 miles. The elitist F1 fans can piss all over it as much as they want, but it's a completely different type of race, and much more than left turns. It's unique and provides a racing experience that you would never see elsewhere. It's definitely a 200mph dogfight, with many exciting moments over the years. That's more than you can say for a lot of F1 races where you could predict the winner from the start of the race. At Indy, anything can happen.
I am Indianapolis born and raise so I am a bit biased. I love love love the Indy 500 even though I have only been 1 time (traditional family event on race day) but let me tell you that it was spectacular. I always go to see qualifying and love every second of it. With that being said I also love Formula 1, NASCAR and IMSA. The reason I love all racing stems from my love of the Indianapolis 500. It is a great event that inspires many people to follow all types of racing. Lots of left turn? You better believe it but 4 corners that can be at 4 different climates at once (not literally). Just listen to drivers that talk about it and the passion they feel for this one event. Monaco is an amazing event and Le Mans is amazing. They can all be amazing and should be enjoyed by all fans of racing. Cheers!
As a kid in the 70s the 500 was always a huge deal- watching it with my dad was awesome. I had a white Olsonite Eagle slot car- my friend had a blue Johnny Lightning- was really into it:)
I appreciate that you respect other categories/series and do not subscribe to misguided F1 fan snobbery.
I am an American F1 fan (longtime pre-dating DTS since now that is the go to lazy insult from snobbish European F1 fans) who prefers F1 as a fan of the engineering and technical aspect, but I still appreciate and enjoy Indycar.
There is no denying the racing is far better in Indycar and the F1 snobs can try and dismiss Indycar drivers, but nothing in F1 takes as much balls as the Indy 500. Even Schumacher considered it too dangerous and he is my favorite driver of all time.
Aidan, I enjoy your content very much and have been a longtime fan! I only say this because I am sure you would want to know, Palou set the fastest ever Pole time (speed) but Arie Luyendyk has the outright qualifying record from 1996. His time was DQ’ed on day 1 of qualifying so he set the track record on day two when the top 20 was locked. Started 21st after all was said and done.
I live a couple hours from Indianapolis and have been to a couple 500s and got to go to the road course race a couple weeks ago. A truly awesome place if you ever get the chance!
I used to not really like the oval racing in IndyCar, but the more I have learned, they more I have enjoyed it. On the surface it feels like it's just so simple, running around in a semi-circle, but what they drivers have to do, at the speeds they have to do it is simply amazing. Earlier this season, in Texas, the oval race there was simply thrilling. The sheer number of passes was crazy, with cars going up and down the order. It went to the last lap, which was under caution because of a crash the lap before, but it was still amazing, because of the dual between the two cars at the front. Pass me, and then I pass you, and pass me, then I pass you, and then some really creative defense by Josef Newgarden to prevent Pato O'Ward from passing in the last couple of laps was simply amazing. Car placement so perfect that it kept dirty air on Pato that he couldn't escape to get a great exit to make a pass. Brillant driving, and incredible bravery because by the end of the race there was so many marbles on the track that driving too far off the racing line meant you put yourself into the wall. Once you really understand this kind of racing, you really see what it takes to be good at it, and why it's so tough.
I would absolutely recommend any F1 fan to watch the replay of the Texas race. Pato O'Ward was in another world, he passed everyone except the guy following him 2nd place Josef Newgarden. Who ultimately managed to catch O'Ward at the very end. Truly one of the best oval races to watch. This will hook you, because the action and drama was nonstop.
@@Kevinap34 That was a great race that is for sure. I was sitting at the edge of my seat for the last 20 minutes.
I would love to see an F1 TH-camr do something like this the Daytona 500 or just NASCAR in general. Love this video and the information it gives.
Love the fact that the Monaco GP and Indy 500 are on the same day. Although pushing the Monaco GP time back by an hour reduces the opportunity to get the BBQ lit between the races.
thank you very much. qualifications this weekend was nuts.
In addition to the Monaco GP & the Indy 500, NASCAR also runs the Coke 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway which is its longest race of the season. There have been numerous drivers that have attempted to do double duty by racing at Indy, getting in a helicopter & then racing 600 miles at Charlotte. Such examples of drivers include the late John Andretti, Tony Stewart & Kurt Busch to name a few.
As a lifelong Hoosier, I am still obsessed with Indy. All of the traditions and it is the beginning of summer, couldn't be better. Bonus, one of the drivers first name is Stingray. Go Florida man.
My 2c on the race. If you go to the event, don't just look at the races at the speedway but all the racing around it.
On the Thursday you have the Hoosier 100, a 100 lap sprint car race that's held on a horse racing track.
Carb day classic, which holds a short tracks oval race for all the road to indy classes.
Saturday night in a little town just outside of Indy there is the Little 500, 500 lap race around a high banked 1/4 mile with 33 wingless sprintcars. Honestly be race I have ever attended.
The 500 on Sunday
Monday in Cincinnati which is about 2 hours drive away they have the World of Outlaws, atleast thr years I have attended indy these events were on.
I always say don't look at indy as a single event but the centerpiece of a bunch of races all held around Indiana.
"It's just turning left" is a racist slur.
Change my mind.
Hello Aidan: Something I really like about Indy at they all use the same chassis and the choice of a small number of engines. So, no team dominates year after year. Keep up the good work.
The 500 is a legit race, a real test of driver and machine. They pull some gs in the corners, it’s usually quite hot and humid, the cars have to sustain a blistering pace for 2 hours +, and there is constant jockeying for position all up and down the field. It’s as grueling as an F1 race at Baku, Bahrain, or Maylasia in the heat.
There's also a lot more going on than just turning left. There are points you'll see the entire pack weave back and forth across the straightaways, constantly trying to disrupt the airflow for the drivers behind them. They'll weave all the way from the wall to the entrance of pit road, and back. All while going over 200 mph.
Kinda pulled a heart string when you described the Indy area as a "big town" since that's how Bathurst feels like. It's a city yes but does have a country, farm like feel.
as someone who used to look down on oval racing...watch Indy, watch the old Indycar races from Michigan and Fontana, hell, watch the Texas race from a few months ago, oval racing can be damn impressive especially with the high speeds and relatively small cars of Indy
Indy deserves sooo much more respect. I’m European, following F1 since ‘99, only sort of following Indy since later. If I could pick winning F1 title without winning Monaco or winning the 500….I’d pick the 500. Same thing with Le Mans.
About the record at Indy….isn’t that still Luyendijk’s? Or is that the single lap record but this years the over all 4 laps record?
Minor national series is nowhere close to F1.
The record for both single and 4 lap is still Luyendyk's. Back in the day, a car only had 3 chances to qualify for the race. After that, it was disqualified. Additionally, Indy was 2 weekends of qualifying and the pole was decided only on the first Saturday (assuming all cars had 1 opportunity, if it rained for example). So Arie's lap records did not put him on the pole as he qualified on the second day, but he still owns the lap records. Hope that helps.
Arie holds the all time fastest 4 lap average in qualifying, but because he did it on Day 2 of qualifying it's not the Pole record. Indy does qualifying a bit weird now, was a bit weirder back then. You had Pole Day, then Day 2, then a week or so later Bump day. So while he holds the fastest qualifying time ever it's not the fastest pole time ever. Pretty sure that was set this year which broke the record from last year.
He has the fastest 4 lap average but he didnt get pole with it because his car was underweight on the first day of qualifying so had to go into the second day of qualifying where he set his 236.986. So Palou has the fastest pole speed but not the fastest 4 lap avergae. Luyendijk also holds the fastest single lap speed of 237.498 (Palous fastest was a 235.131)
@@TheJunior2305 great, thanks for the update! 👍🏼👌🏼👏🏼
Any true motorsport fan will love and respect both Monaco and Indy. Being in New Zealand I take the same Monday off work every year. Monaco GP and Indy makes for the best weekend of motorsport of the year!
The first Indy 500 I attended was won by Jim Clark. He was the first driver from F1 to race the 500 and cool as the other side of the pillow? His win was secondary memory of the race! I look to that day and remember my Grandpa, my uncle and two cousins, my Dad and
Brother! Three of those men are not able to attend the 500 any longer. I know there is an F1 fan who will have a similar story. I will return with my brother soon and attend the race with my cousin. I know we will cry for the absents of those men and sing "Back home again in Indiana". I know there is an Englishman who will take his son's hand and weep just a bit when singing "God Save the King" at Silverstone!
I believe Danny Sullivan drove for an F1 team but cannot remember which.
Thanks! Great video.
At one time there were two weekends of qualifying. Pole day was the first Saturday. The next day was the hardest day because you had to get into the top 15 to keep your spot. The 2nd weekend was a dogfight to stay in the top 33 . Then you have the last day Bump day. You can have a good time and think you are in and someone will come along and bump you out and its sorry try again next year.
Can't wait for Sunday. There is also the added incentive/jeopardy that the winner gets around $2-3 million, depending on the size of the purse that year.
I think you nailed your list of Racing's staple events. Cant disagree with any of your pics
Alex Palou's pole run was the fastest POLE qualifying average speed. However, it was not the fastest qualifying attempt (as Indy qualifying is a multi-day event). That record is held by Arie Luyendyk at a 236.986 mph average speed (381.39 kph). This year, Mexican Pato O'Ward had an amazing trap speed of 243.142 mph (391.3 kph) at the end of one of the straights.
Fantastic video
As an American, I was brought up to believe that Indy was the greatest race on Earth. F1 is great, IndyCar is fun. Like what you like, don't be a jerk.
My birthday in a few days. So, on occasion, I get to watch Monaco and Indy back to back ON MY BIRTHDAY! I love that.
Wife's birthday is on the 25th so sometimes it happens for her too.
Its sort of the same thing as how NFL fans look down on the CFL and treat the grey cup as if it's no where near as important as the superbowl despite the fact that the grey cup is more than 50 years older than the lombardi trophy.
Nah worse, they're the sport equivalent of Keeping Up with The Kardashians audience. All they care about was the "Dr4m4".
Even in my virtual experience "just turning left" is harder than it seems. I guess you also have to resist the urge to try hand have your foot planted the whole way around also. It doesn't matter who does it, the Rosberg 2016 meme keeps bringing the laughs. 🤣
Indy car is honestly my favorite type of racing. Where else are you gonna find open wheel cars racing on all three types of tracks? Indycar runs at road courses street courses and oval tracks.
If I could give this video a hundred likes I would. Over the years I've grown to love the Indy500, it's so tactical to start and the tension builds and by the end it's just nuts. When it comes to entertainment America does it best. Monaco qualifying is great but as far the race goes, I'm looking forward to the Indy500 much more...And if that wasn't enough the day after Monaco & Indy the oldest event of them all kicks off, the Isle of Man TT.
"the indy 500 is a game of chess played at 200 mph"
~AJ Foyt.
It is a mind numbing waste of 4 hours.
Never really paid attention to anything other than the race, but last-chance qualifying was gripping yesterday
It's the most wonderful day for racing there is for us Americans. In the morning we can watch the thrilling tight quarters of Monaco, in the afternoon there's the high-speed spectacle of the Indy 500, and in the evening there's the prestigious World (Coca-Cola) 600 NASCAR stock car race which doubles as a test of endurance for the drivers.
Just Thank you, Aidan! Said with a cheeseburger in one hand, a Budweiser in my other hand & a shotgun in the other! Ain't I handy?.
I really enjoyed the Nurburgring 24h this weekend. It may not be as prestigious as Lemans, but damn it should be a quadruple crown imo.
ikr?! There's always the Enduro Triple crowns though:
Tin Top Triple: Bathurst, Spa, Nurburgrinng
Euro 3.24: Le Mans, Nurburgring, Spa
24 Hour Triple: Daytona, Le Mans, Nurburgring
It’s too bad that The Split put IndyCar waaaay behind Nascar in terms of US popularity. Those “IRL 500” races had guys who struggled to get developmental series rides contending (or winning) the most prestigious race in the country.
I remember the only drivers that in the early IRL days that could possibly compete with the CART drivers were Luyendyk, Scott Goodyear, and Scott Sharp. I remember having a deep seated hatred for Tony George and I’m still kind of angry at him for instigating The Split. I covered IndyCar as a photographer from 2006-2011 and when TG owned Vision Racing he was always alone and no one except family and team members spoke to him or said hello to him.