My first Indy 500 - on track for 2001 pre-race ceremonies!

In 2001 I went to the Indy 500 for the first time with Amy East and Terry Cook. I had an all access badge thanks to helping Amy with her duties working with ESPN on Bump Day, and the result was an experience that any true race fan would die for and a memory that will last forever. We saw numerous celebrities, the Marmon Wasp, the drivers get their photo taken on the yard of bricks, the traditional pre-race ceremonies, the National Anthem (the contoversial version sung by Steven Tyler), the command to fire engines and the flyover from the frontstretch! Just awesome...

Added 7 Apr 2026