BRINGING THE ESSENTIALS: Before deciding what things or “stuff” you need to take with you to the track, you need to know a couple of important facts. First, the distance between your seat and your car is likely to be a mile or two. This means you will have a long walk to and from your seat. Be sure you are able to carry or transport your “stuff” for a distance of a mile or two. Also, be sure to take the “stuff” you deem essential, because you are not going to be able to just get up and leave your seat and walk back to your car to get something your forgot to take to begin with.
The “stuff” you take to the track should include at a minimum the following essentials:
RAIN SUIT– If there is a chance of rain, be sure to carry an inexpensive plastic rain suit with you. It may be the only cover you will have, if it begins to rain. Umbrellas are not a good idea. If you pull one out in the stands, you might succeed in keeping yourself dry, but the rain that falls off the top will surely land on your neighbor and it is bound to make you very unpopular.
SUNSCREEN– Even on cloudy days, prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause you to suffer a sunburn. Be sure to carry a small tube.
EAR PLUGS – Many race fans don’t find them necessary, but if you are not accustomed to loud prolonged noise, you should consider packing a pair of inexpensive foam earplugs to dampen the noise.
ALLERGY PROVISIONS – Race day is smack dab in the center of pollen season. If you’re not from these parts, you might discover the high pollen count is enough to overwhelm your immune system and cause you to suffer itchy eyes and a runny nose. Packing some tissues and a couple over the counter allergy meds might save you from sudden unexpected misery.
RACE EDITION OF SUNDAY STAR – Unless you have studied the field of cars in the field of 33, it is unlikely you will know who’s who when the race begins. The Indianapolis Star (Indy’s local newspaper) publishes a special edition of the paper for race day. It contains a score card and a photo line up of the field. From this photo line-up you will be able to tell which car is being driven by Sarah Fisher and which car is being driven by Scott Dixon. The race is a lot more fun when you know who’s passing who.
BINOCULARS – While not exactly essential, bringing a small pair of binoculars with you will enable you to see a lot of things you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. If you have the capacity to carry them, go ahead and bring them. You won’t regret it.
CAMERA – A camera is not essential. But, there is no better way to preserve your experience for posterity than to record it in a photo. For that reason, bringing a small digital point-n-shoot or an inexpensive disposable instamatic might be one of those items that will help you treasure your trip to Indy for years to come. If you’re a photo geek with an expensive DSLR, nothing we would say here would convince you not to bring it, so you might as well through it over your shoulder with everything else.
JACKET – Because it is nearly impossible to go back and get it once you get to your seat, its not a bad idea to where a jacket suitable for a cool day, if the forecast indicates there is a need for it. You can always take it off, but you can’t put it on if you don’t have it.
COOLER – Most everyone brings their own food and drinks to the track. This is the best way of ensuring that you will have exactly what you want when you want it. While the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is saturated with concession stands, they often run out of food and beer before the end of the day, particularly if there is a rain delay. So bringing your own cooler is a great idea. Just be sure that it does not exceed 14″ in height, width, or depth. The guards will not allow you to enter the grandstands with a cooler that exceeds those dimensions, because it won’t fit beneath your feet between the bleachers. If your cooler does exceed those dimensions, you can leave it on the ground underneath the bleachers. Then you can make supply runs between your seat to your cooler, when you need to restock. Don’t pack glass in your bags or coolers. Your coolers and bags will be searched when you enter the speedway and you will not be allowed to bring in any glass containers. Stick with cans, they are they safe choice.
ALCOHOL – If you expect to consume alcohol on race day, please know your options. Alcohol sales on Sunday are restricted to restaurants, pubs and trackside vendors. You cannot buy alcohol from a liquor store, convenience store or grocery store on Sunday. Race day is on Sunday. Therefore, you need to stock up the night before the race, unless you want to depend on the vendors to supply you all day.
MAP OF INDIANAPOLIS – If you’re not a native, get a map and keep it in your car. When leaving the speedway after the race, you may not be able to leave the same way you came in. If you are forced to take an unfamiliar route out of the speedway, having a map will come in handy and you will have plenty of time to study it while you’re inching your way through the heavily congested streets.
POST RACE ENTERTAINMENT PROVISIONS – While there are ways and means of making a speedy exit from the speedway, it requires fast feet, a carefully executed parking plan, and a bit of luck. Therefore, you might want to resign yourself to the proposition that there is no reason to get in your car and leave right after the race. Many veteran race fans take the whole thing in stride and plan for the inevitable. They fire up the grill, get the football, Frisbee or lawn jarts out of the trunk, dip into the auxiliary supply of beer, and enjoy themselves while others sit in traffic for hours. Just bring something to entertain yourself with for a couple hours after the race and you’ll thank us later.