[throb]

just wondering what everyones favorite indy 500 moment was that they saw. mine was my first 500 in 1989. we sat in turn 1. it was the most awe inspiring day of my life....i was 9 and surrounded by 300,000 people.....i havent missed a race since....and with any luck will never miss one again....

[LEADERS EDGE]

Originally Posted by throb just wondering what everyones favorite indy 500 moment was that they saw. mine was my first 500 in 1989. we sat in turn 1. it was the most awe inspiring day of my life....i was 9 and surrounded by 300,000 people.....i havent missed a race since....and with any luck will never miss one again....

I'm in awe that I am 10 years older than you. I was there that day as well, but I was slightly unaware of my surroundings.

My favorite Indy 500 moment would be anything that has to do with Danica.

Actually my favorite memories are when I would go to practice or quals. (before I was 10) I would sit behind the team when they where on pit road or just run around like the place was a personal play ground. The Snake Pit was fun for a Seven or Eight year old because you got to see the crazyness but no one messed with a little kid. Sometimes I would hang on the garage fence and wait for drivers.

In 1976 we went to quals. and it was the first time I saw an Air-Brushed T-Shirt. I wanted one with a chopper on the front in American Flag colors with my name on it. Mom wouldn't get it for me and I was devestated. I was sick and couldn't go to the race, but when mom came home she had my shirt. (I still wear that shirt from time to time to bring back memories.)

When the car my dad worked on finished 10th in '79. I just remember the blow out afterwards at Gehlhausens just across the street from the track.

Going to the garages with dad during the summer when he worked on the cars over there. Being allowed to go somewhere that was prohibited during may and riding a bike around the seating area and being amazed how big that place is.

Watching Parnelli get emotional after P.J. qualified for his first and knowing that it had to do as much with all of what they went through with Page.

For me it's the sounds and sights as well as the cars. I have so many good memories there that they would be hard to list.

[Hawker]

I never was much of a Danny Sullivan fan, but the "Spin & win" was pretty impressive. :respect:

[LEERRLEE91]

Going to "carb day" which was still on thursday with my auto class from Western High in Russiaville IN in 1991 and the teacher said I see nothing and know nothing and I will meet you all at the van at 3:30. 18 y/o and pretty much had a free pass to whatever I wanted. I remember entering the turn 4 infield don't remember leaving!!!! GOOD TIME!!!!!!

[richie]

*Seeing Jack Hewitt qualify for the race in 1998 and his tears of joy in the post-qualifying interview

*"Indiana" Andy Hillenburg qualifying for the race in 2000, and same as above

*Stefan Johannson bumping Emerson Fittipaldi out of the field with a few minutes to go on Bump Day in 1995. That completed a shocking shut out of Team Penske and drivers Fittipaldi and Al Unser, Jr. I can't say I was too happy about Al Jr. being bumped out, though.

*Listening to the radio when I was young in 1992 and hearing the exciting play-by-play call of Al Jr. nipping Scott Goodyear at the line.

*The 2006 race finish of Sam Hornish and Marco Andretti

*My first Indy 500 I attended in 1998. Seeing the field come by my seat in turn one for the first time during the pace lap

My first race was in 2007 and lap 1 is absolutely incredible. It had rained early and many people were not in their seats yet so I watched lap 1-15 from the balcony right across from pole sitter Helios pit.

http://www.youtube.com/user/indycars

Indycar.com has loaded 344 videos to their youtube channel. There's some incredible stuff there. Much of which I have never seen. Old newsreels are really cool.

A buddy of ours took me and my dad to my first one... Tony Kanaan was leading the race and a slower car drops oil on the racing groove half a lap before he comes by us in turns 3-4...

Our buddy said to watch out for the leaders and if anything happens hit the deck... Kanaan comes by at full speed, hits the oil in the groove, rockets into the wall directly in front of us:headbang (did I mention we were on the walk-way along the fence?:kookoo)

Well as we ducked for cover and Kanaan was giving us a debris/fiberglass shower, our buddy tried to grab a chunk of the fiberglass (as a souvenir from my first 500) that landed near us and the closest Yellow-Shirt wasn't having any of that, and started stomping at his hands as if he was stomping out a fire...

At the end of the weekend, an IMS track spotter was fired (for not notifying officials that the oil had been dropped in the groove), our buddy's hand was nearly smashed by a Yellow-Shirt, my hearing was gone for the next week, and we left early to catch the USAC sprint race at Eldora which gave us a total of 800+ A-main laps viewed in one weekend. That memory, of my first 500, I'll never forget. :checkered:

1996. Buddy Lazier's Victory Lane interview. He overcame so much physical pain to be in that race and to win it under those circumstances was amazing.

1998. Hewitt. I just can say enough about his run and his pure emotions over qualifying and making the field.

1995. Seeing no Team Penske at Indy. That was one of if not the best Bump Day's in history.

1997. The switch fro those stupid turbo's to NA engines.

1987. Mario's car breaking and leaving him in the pits yet again.

[racephoto1]

Foyt wins number 4, 1977.

[Gregg]

Originally Posted by racephoto1 Foyt wins number 4, 1977.

This gets my vote too.

I saw Foyts #3 too, the race wasn't as good and it was a two day affair but it was my first 500 and I remember it fondly and this was my second favorite.