Preparations for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Mile Race – “The Most Important Race in History” – are underway. We are planning some special events for next May and will be making a series of announcements about these offerings in the coming weeks and months. There has never been a more exciting time at the Speedway as we will not only be celebrating our rich history but looking ahead to the next 100 years.
Our top priority is to reach out to our fans. We have taken surveys, introduced our Indy 500 Fan Rewards program and begun holding monthly “Fan Pit Stops” to hear directly from focus group-sized gatherings of fans about how we can improve their experiences at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Our latest communication effort is happening right here – what we are calling our IMS Fan Connection. Through this channel we want to make a direct connection between you and our President and CEO Jeff Belskus. Jeff wants to hear your thoughts and concerns, but mostly how everyone at the Speedway can help you have a terrific experience whenever you visit us.
Check out some interviews with a few of our Senior Account Ticket Holders:
We would like to get started with hearing your thoughts about what we should do to celebrate the 2011 Indianapolis 500. We know you all have great memories, favorite drivers past and present and opinions about which of the iconic race cars that took to the track were truly the most special.
Let’s get started! Please ask questions or make suggestions about what you think the Speedway should do to celebrate the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 – the Most Important Race in History.
It would be most impressive to gather all past winners/their survivors for a picture/ceremonial lap around the Speedway pre-race.
All the winning cars available should be driven around the track.
Would love to hear the different engines (NOVI, Turbin etc)
All living former drivers driven around the track.
PS Thanks for including Jigger in the video.
The aspect of IRL that I enjoy the most is that it’s not stock car racing. I would love to see more diversity in engines, body, and chassis configuration. Keep it going that direction! I did not like the whole feel of Tony George’s removal. I think his years were great ones. Definitely keep up the live music! Carb day has been my favorite day at the track these past recent years. Thank you!
How about the announcement of an American Lemans series race at IMS to celebrate the 100th Indy 500? The Lemans series is at the forefront of upcoming technology. It effectively promotes and utilizes “green” technologies such as hybrids, diesel and E85. I’ve been an Indy 500 ticket holder since 1988, and I enjoy my experience every year. While nothing will ever come close to the pomp and circumstance of 500, an American Lemans series race would bring in international exposure and could utilize the former F1 track.
All past winners need to be present, if healthy. Multiple fly-overs from different aircraft. Allow fans to get autographs on multiple days and times of past and current IICS drivers.
Keep the museum admission and track tour prices right where they are at currently. It’s a great deal to everybody that I know that has gone.
There should be a monument,or plaque or something,to honor everybody who has lost their life at the track.
I would suggest a rulebook that allows for a variety of low-cost production-based motors that can, or are being built by teams of lesser finances. I would also suggest rules that allow for any chassis manufacturer to come in. A pricing cap on each individual item could still be viable.
We would love to have a yearly pass for the museum…we go at least a few times a month. Allow kids in free like it was for the races this year. Billy Idol at Carb day would be awesome. Can we get some Tony Kanaan things in the museum? And keep things the same as much as possible…tradition is what the Speedway means to us.
We would love to have a yearly pass for the museum. We go at least a few times a month. Allow kids in free like it was for the races this year, it makes everything more family friendly. Billy Idol at Carb Day would be awesome. Can we get some Tony Kanaan things in the museum? And keep everything the same as much as possible…tradition is what the Speedway means to me.
Thanks for a great piece.
As a fan I would enjoy an area that fans can bring parts of their collections for viewing.
Of course the museum has a great collection but with 100 years of history I couldn’t imagine what is in folks personal collection. I don’t see it as a swap meet (nothing for sale) but have folks with cars to cards show them off for a day (would be great after the parade or add to carb or community day.
Lets do something with Indy 500 pace cars like a display or show. You would not believe how many people collect Indy 500 pace cars.
Thanks, Jim
Would love to see the vintage cars have more of a on-track presence on Carb Day. More structure, perhaps 10-laps, instead of two or three laps.
Any chance of getting Ken Burns to do a history of IMS series for either PBS, ESPN, Versus or the Speed Channel? A series like that running starting in the couple of months leading to May would be a great prep for the fans and build interest in the event.
I’d encourage there to be highlight replays of races going as far back as possible playing at every bar in Indiana and for at least the week of the race, and maybe all of May.
Versus certainly needs to run a history of the race special or multi-part series.
I think it would be great to have a pre-race intro for all surviving race winners along with a video clip of their victory lap posted on the track big screens.
I think that you need to bring back as many winners as possible and give the fans an opportunity to see them up close and personal and interact in some way, autographs, interviews, etc via the FAN FARE area. Different sponsors could sponsor each driver(s) and give the fans a little more access to them along with the car they drove to the finish line. I think that celebrated non-winners such as Michael Andretti and other owners like Penske, should also be featured and let the fans get a little closer, something the “common” fan doesn’t get usually.
FOR SURE…. sometime during the month of May I would like to see every living 500 Winner together at one time. Beyond that, every winning car that can be rounded up would be great too, as well as every living Rookie of the Year.
Since the Indy 500 is NOTHING without the fans, I would suggest every effort be made to round up the long time legacy fans. Anyone who has been a ticket holder for over 50 years, for instance, should be celebrated. Drivers and car owners come and go…. but it is the legacy FANS that make the 500 special.
Finally…. if you saw the recent Italian Grand Prix you will have noticed the electric atmosphere after the races as fans are allowed on to the track. I think IMS should consider this for a special tradition beginning after the 100 anniversary. I understand this may put a monkey wrench into the winners lap of the circuit…. but weaving though a see of fans might make the Anniversary winners day even more special…. getting up-close-and-personal with the fans.
I realize I probably just gave a round of heart attacks to the yellow shirts… but walking the track after a big race is a super-special thing for the fans.
Would love to see all of the different gtypes of cars highlighted individually, especially the major revolutions like LOtus and rear engine.
Would also like to see a feature on the 10 closest finishes and how they became setup … was it cautions, etc.?
When the Formula 1 race was here, there was a car show on the circle in downtown Indianapolis. It would be nice if there were old cars from prevous 500 mile races on the circle on the saturday night before the race.
special design on this year’s race ticket
blue angel flyover with color exhaust “small airshow”
hot air balloon flyover prior to race
interview ticket holders longer than 20 yrs & play on monitors
indianapolis motorcycle police performance before race
band playing on pagoda before race – maybe KISS
previous winning cars and pace cars parade lap prior to race
driver autograph session exclusive for ticket holders of 25 yrs’
continue jim nabors, florence henderson, taps, triple molly, parade of bands, military march, balloon release
let Helio climb the fence if he wins
raise the winning car at winners circle so the fans can see it
commemorative coca-cola 100 year bottle
race dvd to ticket holders of 25 plus years
My cable provider (NOT COMCAST) offers the VERSUS network for an additional $6.00/ month. In lieu of the pending (likely approved) controlling interest going to COMCAST NBC–of which I vehemently disapprove– mightl future IRL races be televised on NBC as well they SHOULD?
I know in recent years the emphasis has been on celebrities from other fields driving the pace car, but to me, only one man should drive the pace car in 2011, whether he has cars in the field or not– A. J. Foyt.
I know it’s most likely too late for this but I would’ve loved to see a retrospective documentary done by the master, Ken Burns!
I would like to see every winning car that is avaliable driven around the track before the race. I would like to see a special pit badge just for this year with the logo or one that will not be used again for another year. Former pace cars. Also maybe a gift from the Speedway key chain or something little.
Forget the Hollywood celebrities and bring in the former winners and participants of the race. The military gets a bigger reaction from the crowd than recording artists and actors. Let’s celebrate the former drivers and make them feel like their contributions were vast to this great event. How about a super fly over, maybe from ALL branches of the service.
Also, lose the recording artists who have been selected to sing the National Anthem. They do a horrible job. What about the Indiana University alumni group ‘Chaser’ as they are remarkable.
Bring an oldies group into Carb Day for the concert. Us oldies might not drink as much beer as the younger ones, but we have more funds to spend and would like to enjoy a concert for a change rather than leaving the track to avoid the unruly crowd and the noise. Paul Revere and the Raiders would be fantastic, as they do a great concert.
As the “Governor of the Coke Lot” I’d like to see a safe race, first, last, & always.
As for pre race….National Anthem played by the Purdue band, sung by Florence Henderson, with the lyrics on the big screens. Ditto for the words to “Back Home Again in Indiana” as Jim Nabors sings it.
(For goodness sake have a dozen back up microphones…last years National Anthem was embarrassing!)
Emphasize the meaning of the “Memorial Day 500 Mile Sweepstakes” and it’s connection with “MEMORIAL DAY” to honor those brave souls who gave their lives so we can have the freedom to do what we do.
If possible get as many of the living Medal of Honor winners back to be the “collective Grand Marshals”!
Flyover needs to be multi service and “war birds” from the past century.
On a personal note…how about campgrounds with full service hookups for the rollin’ condo crowd?
But above all, remember Tony Hulman, without whom this anniversary race would not be happening!
Have a parade of as many of the past winners cars than will run ON THE TRACK. If possible have the WINNING DRIVER in them.
Hi-’low lying fruit’ here….Does it really matter what the fans want. You haven’t listened to us in the past, aren’t doing it now, and now I expect it is only a matter of time before mechanical bulls are installed at the entrance to gasoline alley. Any attempt at serious professional management is greeted with hysterically ludicris appointments of non-professionals.
On a side note- LINDY THACKSON – the door is closed.
Your only attempts at satisfying anyone during the last year and one half have been to pathetically attempt to satisfy the media, and perhaps gain some advantage. You have failed, and more importaintly, looked extremely foolish doing so.
I think it would be a great idea to put a twist on the tickets. Its something that every single person that enters must have so to everyone it means something different. One of my ideas is to blend an old ticket in with a new ticket. Putting one of the first winners in with the picture of last years winner. Make the ticket look like one of the originals. Technology would allow you to color and make the ticket feel like its a hundred years old. I think it would be great to put last years winner in one of the old outfits and race car with a picture of the original track behind him. Also, in the original days the drivers had their mechanics ride along with them in the race, you can even dress the whole pit crew up in old outfits and include them in the ticket, since they do just a little for the driver. Just thinking how to bring the past alive. Young people like me enjoy Indy racing and have some knowledge of the past, but to know where the greatest event in the world comes from would be great. Add facts to the tickets. From the balloon races, to the original driver and cars, to behind the scenes. I think by doing this you can transport people back to where it all began!
All comments I’ve read are good ideas, but let’s save some for 6 years from now when we celebrate the 100th Indy 500!! That race will be special for me because it will be my 50th and I will have seen half of all the 500s ever run.
It is great that the speedway is having a 100 year celebration of the automobile and the awards dinner sounds fabulous with driver interviews and winner cars presesnt but why only open to the participants of the event? i would hazard to guess many of the participants have no history with the 500 or the speedway they just own a classic car, what about the die-hard indy 500 fan?
It would be nice not to use all the courtesy vehicles but use all the old style cars for the 500 princess and Queen and celebrities. Also bring back all living winners and there cars and drive them around the track so the fans can salute them. I guess what would be the best thing for our 100 anniversary would be make this the best fan friendly experience EVER!!!!!!!!
Fan appreciation discounts is not fan appreciation when you don’t include new items.Fans don’t feel appreciated when the only items discounted are items overstocked or not sold from previous 500′s. This is called a clearence sale!!! I see no appreciation of fans just another money grab instead. Do something unique “Think outside of the Box”
Parade lap by 4-time winners in their winning first win car.
Parade lap by 4-time winners in their first win car.
Been a 500 attendee since 1970…haven’t missed one. This year will be my 41st Indy and i can’t wait!! As far as the celebration goes, many times with events such as this it gets over done and tacky. Stick with the solid traditions honor the appropriate people and your job will be well done.
Bring out the cars from the basement of the museum and put them on display during the Month
I HAVE BEEN TO EVERY 500 SINCE 1959, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 1969,1971,AND1972 (VIETNAM). I THINK
YOU SHOULD HAVE A WAY THAT THE OLD TIME FANS BE
ABLE TO JOIN 500 OLD TIMERS CLUB. YOU SHOULD
HAVE ALL THE LIVING PAST WINNERS PRESENT,AND HAVE A
GROUP PHOTO,WITH THEIR WINNING CARS. YOU COULD
TIITLE IT “STARS AND CARS” OR “CARS AND STARS”
It is kind of sad that fans that came to the race and sat in the in-field for years have no record of ticket purchases. 2011 will be my 54th race in a row and we used to spend weeks camped out on the side of the road to be first in line. Thats a loyal fan.
Continue the process that ended during the shakeup last year of re-releasing all of the old radio broadcasts from past 500′s done by IMS radio. If you have the rights (if not secure the rights) release a DVD box set of the full television broadcasts too
Jeff, why not consider rewarding those who’ve purchased a bronze badge for many years with a “bronze badge loyalty” program whereby if you’ve purchased a bronze badge for 10+ years or so, you would be offered a chance to upgrade to a silver badge?
Hope former employees will have a gathering!
This “blog” has been active for over a month and I haven’t seen any “response” from Jeff Betskus on any of the ideas that fans have suggested here.
We shot a video interview with our CEO Jeff Belskus this week regarding your fan questions. Look for a video, very soon.
Will the exhibition of the previous winners include only the museum cars? How about Roger Penke’s cars? Other privately owned winners?
What I’d like to see for the Centennial Indianapolis 500:
- I’m not opposed to having celebrities, but include them only if they are “A List” celebs. If IZOD can deliver another Jack Nicholson-type celeb, that’s fine, but we don’t need to see soap opera actors, reality “stars”, or Subway spokespersons. Have real celebs or no celebs at all.
- I would love to see all former winners on the track – either driving their winning car or riding in a car for the fans to salute.
- We need a serious history of the 500 available for purchase on DVD.
- The “Historical Stats” section of the website needs to be greatly improved. Add pdf files of the “Daily Trackside Reports” and “Timing and Scoring reports” from past races.
- Make the Media Guide available for viewing.
- Add the decade of the 2000s to the Indy 500 Decade series.
- Have three cars lead the parade laps – driven by A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Jr., and Rick Mears.
- Invite the President to attend – regardless of one’s political persuasion, having a sitting president in attendance would be a great honor for the Speedway and the event.
In my previous post, I meant to say Al Unser (not Jr.) one of the drivers leading the parade laps.
I’d ask you to begin transfering the broadcasts of the old Indianapolis 500s, in their ENTIRETY (not with half the race edited out, like in 1992), to CD collections, for sale to the fans, so that we don’t have to wait 360+ days a year to hear the All Night Race Party rebroadcasts on 1070 AM, The Fan, Indianapolis. As fun as that is, some of us would love to be able to hear those races in their entirety (Danny Sullivan’s spin, as well, was actually missing, apparently accidentally cut out, from the rebroadcast of 1985), and in whichever order we want…and it also allows us to potentially “reel others in” who might hear and ask about what we’re listening to.
You should have a Beatles concert. I recommend 1964 – The Tribute. A excellent Beatles concert. This would be a big hit with the Indy 500 fans.
I want to echo what Chris Kelley said. We want more Indy 500 radio broadcasts available for download (or better yet, available for purchase as CDs). The races currently available for download on this website have been available for over a year now. We’re anxious awaiting more races.
I, too, want to see an historical record book for Indy Car published – and not just for the media – but for the fans to purchase.
My tickets are in NW Vista.Between the two screens in the infield.(The old one was removed forGP)A temporary one needs to be hung from a crane on race day(500).It could be sponsored by some company with the latest, greatest screen. Thanks
I mean’t SW vista. Sorry
This will be my 46th Indy 500. I have worked for various raceteams and I am in the Oldtimers. My real job is in the public. Fans I have spoke to love carb day. ZZ Top was a great choice. Think of this. Reopen turn 1 and put the band/stage in the center of the appex. Grandstand E the Penthouse will give a stadium affect with thousands of more seating, people out of the sun, concessions, restrooms and big screens already in place. Put the stand up from the motorcycle race inside turn 1. That is a 1/4 of a mile of people alone in that infield area. You could aiways put up a temporary wall from the warm up lane for safety. I cannot begin to tell you how many fans said they love this idea and with a band like say Jimmy Buffett and start advertising this way early, what a Card day never to forget. I’m here to help for the love of the Speedway.
AS A DEVOTED FAN OF THE 500. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PAST WINNING CARS AND OHTERS (NOVIS, TURBINES) ON THE TRACK ON RACE DAY FOR THREE TO FIVE LAPS SO AS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PICTURES. ONE LAP IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET MANY PHOTOS. SINCE THIS WILL BE MY 61′S RACE IT WILL BRING BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES, INCLUDING THE RACES THAT I ATTENDED WITH MY DAD, WHO SAW 63 RACES. (1922 TO 1986).
For the fly-over, there are thousand of people that cannot see it because we sit under the penthouses. I thought it would be a good idea to have two parallel flight paths – the second path being just a bit east so that the front stretch people could enjoy it too.
I heard that it is almost certain that IMS will enact a non-smoking policy in the stands for 2011. Mr. Belskus, can you confirm this or provide comments?
Why are Brickyard 400 ticket sales declining? Very possibly because of the hot and humid weather possible on race day. I suggest you follow the path of Daytona and hold the race Saturday night during prime time. Yes, you would have to spend money on lights. This would only bring the track up to speed with other NASCAR facilities. It would also open other possibilities such as the only 24 hour endurance race for Daytona prototypes north of Florida. I would also redo the infield course as it has been deemed “mickey mouse” by some world class competitors. I’m afraid that without lights around the track interest in the Brickyard 400 might continue to wane.
My suggestion for stopping the slide in Brickyard sales is to install lights around the track for a prime time cooler event on Saturday night. This would also allow you to run a 24 hour world class endurance event. I would also redo the infield course to make it faster thus more challenging to world class competitiors.