I'm trying to plan next year's vacation,and I'm on the horns of a dillema.Should we plan for the week before Memorial Day,catching all the big shows[Little 500,Hoosier Hundred,THAT,etc.]and finally,for the first time ,go to the Indy 500,or do Indiana Sprint Week? I'd love to do both,but like everyone else, time and money are factors.Thanks for your time and input.

Wow. Tough call, since I do both. The May trip certainly has more variety. I spend my mornings and afternoons at the Speedway, and evenings at whatever track is racing. That said, I really love Sprint Week, too. Sprint Week seems to be more of a "gathering of the Clan", but often there is that feel during May, just a different side of the family. . . ..

One of my friends did 500 week + SprintWeek. I did MidgetWeek + SprintWeek. I think MidgetWeek was the best of all. I saw three fantastic midget shows (one was rained out), each of which was accompanied by a full sprint show.

I would like to get back to the Hoosier 100 again sometime, but all those other shows are on paved tracks, so I'm not interested. I have been to the 500 twice. I did not enjoy it the first time and only went back because some friends asked me to get them tickets. I have twice gone to dirt shows that weekend, then left town on the morning of the 500. I usually record the 500 on my TiVo and then, if nothing more interesting comes along, watch it at high speed.

I concure, Midget Week ROCKS! Any time you have traditional non winged sprints as your support division instead of stockers you're on to something!

The later in the year, The weather gets better, The Hoosier Hundred has been run once in the last three years (This year).

Its hard to beat Sprint Week period but if you wanna see the 500 thats understandable too.
Chuck

i like the week before memorial day .you can see all the different type's of car's run
this year i saw
sprint's non wing on dirt and pavement
sprint's winged on pavement
silver crown car's on dirt (i miss when they used to run I.R.P on thursday night the week before )
i like this week because i can't see all these at home

Do one next year and then do the other the next!

There is a lot of variety around the Indy 500. I would suggest getting a Bronze Badge. For $100, you get free parking in the infield and access to the garage area for the whole month of May. There are various things of interest inside the track. Always popular is Community Day on Wednesday, with special activities, including access to Gasoline Alley if you decide you don't want to get a Bronze Badge. There are book and memorabilia signings which appear to be announced only at the track. For example, this year I was walking by the Penske trailer on my way to Gasoline Alley and saw that Rick Mears was going to be there at noon for a signing. I returned at 11:45 and was 4th in line. I have also gotten numerous books signed by the authors over the years, free pins, autograph sessions (one time including Mel Kenyon and 2-3 others who I forget). Saturday at 11:00 is an autograph session with all the Indy Light drivers which isn't that long a line. If you love long lines, you can also get Indy drivers autographs. Driver "Hero Cards" are also available in Gasoline Alley, some drivers all week, some just Wednesday and Saturday, some Saturday. Just walking around you are liable to see anyone. This year I was strolling along and Eddie Cheever walked by alone. I almost ran into Johnny Rutherford coming out of Gasoline Alley. You never know what or who you will see.

Away from the track, you will probably have a sprint show at Anderson on Wednesday, Little 500 practice on Thursday (I forget if they also have first round qualifications that day or not), USAC sprints at THAT on Thursday, Little 500 qualifications Friday daytime, the Hoosier 100 and Gas City and Bloomington running on Friday night, the Little 500 and Lawrenceburg, Putnamville and Paragon on Saturday night, then the Big 500.

Not to be missed is the Indy memorabilia show at the Indy Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday, just outside of turns 3 & 4. This year they had Rollie Beale, Tom Bigelow and Ralph Liguori on Friday and John Martin, Bill Puterbaugh, Larry Dickson, Johnny Parsons and Andy Granatelli on Saturday. Each year they have a good number of former Indy drivers available for autographs and a huge memorabilia show.

I am sure I am missing lots of things. The point is that there is a great variety of things going on, and this doesn't take into account the good restaurants and other attractions Indy has to offer. I recommend spending your vacation in and around Indy.