Hey I was thinking of taking my daughter to some part of Indy 500. Probably not the race, I was just wondering which would be funner to watch a practice day or a qualifying day? Are the pits open to everyone? And is the museum open those days too? Thanks all in advance.

Ive taken my kids and grandkids several times over the years ( 8,10,12 ys ). Practice and carb days are best. Look at the track schedule for that day and you can fit in the museum. Nice break on a hot day. (1 to 2 hr ). I like sitting at the S/F line in the shade. Back pack for beverages and snacks. Be prepared for a lot of walking. Easy 3 to 5 miles. No cash anywhere, all card. Ear protection and hat. Infield parking probably less walking since you have to pay to get in anyway. Bring chairs, you can tailgate along the backstretch turn 3 area

Wow thanks. That’s a lot of the info I was looking for.

Pole Day can be fun too; may not have all the drama of bumping like the old days but watching everybody go out for 4 laps totally trimmed out and boosted up can be a pretty intense experience. Find a spot where you have a good look at a Jumbotron so you can see the whole lap. Qualifying days are the only days where everybody shows their hand and no one benefits from a tow, so it's purely down to setup and bravery.

FAST FRIDAY. Day before pole day. Last 2 hours on that Friday are awesome. They have them cranked up.

Carb day is fun, you get a lot of the excitement of being at the track, can sit in different sections, and experience the scope and size of the place without the craziness of race day.

Check the IMS website for museum info and schedules. Early morning pole day you should see all the cars on the track. That's an early start, so not sure how far you are traveling. Lots of days you can find free street parking in the neighborhood to the west of the track, as long as you don't mind walking. As mentioned, bring your own cooler with drinks and food. Prices at the track are expensive. Have fun. PS....check the schedules for local short tracks racing many evenings, too. 🏁

Fast Friday is probably best but it depends which part she is interested in

I’ve been taking my daughter to the race since she was 11 and will start taking my 7 year old little boy this year. I have seats on the start finish line that we give to guests and we sit turn 3…same seats for me since I was 4 years old. It’s not like the 6 hour races when I was a kid. The race is quick there’s days and there is lots of action to watch if you can see down a straight