I decided this weekend to attend this year’s Indianapolis 500. This is an ideal time for me to attend the race. I’m single and doing well financially at the moment. No wife or kids to worry about. I’m free to spend money on race tickets and spend the whole day at the track. I’ve been a racing fan since I was three years old. I had to make the trip to Indianapolis at least once in my life.
So I phoned the ticket office Monday morning (no wait!). Found out what seats were available in the paddock and the C grandstand. All the paddock seats were too low, so I ended up picking a seat in the C grandstand. I’m about 1/3 of the way between pit-in and the finish line and about 9 rows up. I don’t have my notes in front of me for my exact seat location. If I had to guess, I think I’ll be sitting right by a pillar in the grandstand. For all I know, this seat might suck. I’m worried that since C grandstand is set back from the track, the paddock grandstand might block my view of the finish line. Oh well, at least I’ll be at the track and I’ll learn where to sit next time. Just like Chicagoland last year, I waited until the last minute to buy a ticket.
The ticket cost me $90 plus $7 processing fee. I also paid $20 for parking. Probably could’ve paid a little less by parking in a local’s driveway, but I wanted to have a guaranteed spot. It will be a four hour drive down to Indy from home. I’ll leave at 4AM so I can get to the track by 8 or 9. Then I’ll fart around for a couple of hours before the festivities start. I figure I’ll leave the track by 5 and be home by 9PM. I plan on packing as if I will spend the night in the Indy area, in case the race is rained out. I’ll also have to instruct my parents on how to swap tapes in my VCR to record the Coca-Cola 600 that will be on while I drive back from Indy. Of course, I will tape the Indy 500 so I can watch it later, even though I’ll be in the grandstand.
My Chicagoland Speedway tickets came yesterday. Four tickets, each with a face value of $55. Odd, considering they charge $270 for the package. I plan on attending all the races except possibly the ARCA event. I don’t know if it’s worth the 90 minute drive down to the track.
Considering Indy is less than three weeks away, my ticket for that event should be coming soon. I want to get a ticket to the Milwaukee IRL race, but I have yet to find anything less than $90 for the 400-level I want to sit in. Crazy that Milwaukee charges as much as Indy for any seat, though I will say that the 400-level Milwaukee seats are surely better than what I have for Indy. If anyone in Milwaukee wants to get rid of their 400-level tickets at the last minute for maybe $65, I’m in. I’d be open to 300-level seats too, depending on price. Iowa’s IRL race is also a possibility for me, though that is a 5 hour drive and the $65 price is kinda high (but there are real good seats left).
