Originally Posted by ThePurple73:
We had gone to Indy for years and years...sometimes spending the month of May.
Watched Indy grow over the years, greatly. A lot changed with the inclusion of the Pacers and Colts I believe.
I am not a native but I think they lost a lot when they changed the infield. From my perspective it looked like it was a yearly thing for Indiana families, BBQing and watching the cars practice.
The cool thing used to be during practice, you could walk around the track and stands and basically sit and watch from anywhere.
The thing that drove us to go home early the last time was the MUSIC on the PA was so damn loud you couldn't even talk to the person next to you.
By taking out the infield parking, partying, and the "lower economically challenged" patrons in the 1990's for a road course, IMS essentially killed the golden goose that was the "Month of May". We all were infield residents long before our current condition @ IMS. I would wager that few of us attendees started, or even today, sit in a suite for practice, qualifying, or the races. The average race fan was shut out at IMS and simply found other places to allocate their disposable income in central Indiana. The Gran Prix race will slowly slide down the slippery slope as has the interest in the Brickyard 400 and the Moto GP due to the lack of a "beginner class" fan base that the infield provided for decades of growth in seats and tickets @ IMS. IMS is not a race, a speedway, or event, but rather a living, breathing congregation of families, friends, like minded fans, and heroes. They have successfully suffocated and poisoned the congregation to the point of being on life support. All that IMS is trying to do now is improve the method of life support rather than seek the cure for the real causes of the decline of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With that said, I will continue to attend the Speedway because I still have a few ramaining family, friends, fans, and heroes to visit in May of 2014.
