Frankly, I've never once watched a full automobile race on television, and don't remember being there in person. Except for that possible crash, what could be more boring? Yet, you might want to give the Indianapolis 500 this year some consideration. Chances are that there will be 400,000 spectators tomorrow (Sunday, May 27--they never announce the attendance for this greatest spectacle in racing, according to them), with another 7 million watching on the telly. This is the best-attended sports event in the country, if you count those not sitting. The Daytona 500 only has 250,000, but 20 million on TV. Indianapolis uses Formula One cars (below, top), while Daytona, stock cars (bottom):
As you can appreciate, the popularity of the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR) is smart (and mostly over the top) advertising. You could say that F1 is high brow and NASCAR, lower, but not red-neck anymore. Given current limitations, an F1 would probably beat a NASCAR, but if stock cars can open up to 250 miles per hour, which might be possible, then who knows? Certainly worth a TV event. Speaking of which, on Sunday, start with the Indianapolis 500 at Noon (EDT on ABC), followed at 5:30PM on Fox of the Coca-Cola 600 (NASCAR Spring Cup--they also this year won't report attendance, possibly because this is declining).
Why watch the 97th Indianapolis 500?
1. Gomer Pyle, also known as Jim Nabors, will in person sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" during the pre-race ceremonies, which he has done since 1972, until last year, when he was ill, home in Hawaii. Hear this recording from last year. Nabors earlier this year got married to his partner of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, in the State of Washington. An urban legend maintains that Nabors had a serious relationship with Rock Hudson in 1971, with Hudson changing his name to Rock Pyle. While this was a joke, there was something to their friendship. They immediately, then, though, separated to maintain their careers.
2. See Jim Harbaugh, coach of the NFL San Francisco 49ers, who quarterbacked the Indianapolis Colts in the mid-90's, drive this Corvette pace car leading the 33 F1s:
3. Watch an American win the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in seven years. The highest ranked American in the Association of Tennis Professionals is Sam Querrey at #20. Sam Querrey? The USA did not even make the finals of the World Baseball Classic, which was held in San Francisco. What's happening to us? Anyway, Ed Carpenter (right), an American, who now lives in Indianapolis, sits at the pole position. This means he has the best car, and in Formula One racing, the odds of his winning are thus not bad. Not good, mind you, because his odds are 7:1 (meaning he has about a 14% chance of being victorious), but Mario Andretti, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves are also at 7:1, with Andretti being American, so there is at least a 28% chance that the USA will prevail this year. Unfortunately, Carpenter drives a Chevy, which has not won since 2002. Honda is looking for its 10th consecutive win. Marco Andretti , however, will be in a Honda (below, with his grandfather Mario and in a Honda):
4. No Danica Patrick, but there are four drivers who could become the first female to ever win. Alas, not one from the USA.
5. There could be a violent crash! This might well occur at the very beginning of the race, as cars attempt to reach 200 MPH as fast as possible. Amazingly, no driver has been killed in the race itself during the past four decades. Six, including two spectators, have died since 1973 at related Indianapolis accidents.
As an aside, continuing the above list of most attended American sport events, #5 is the Kentucky Derby (165,000), #7 Dodgers-Red Sox baseball game in 2008 at the L.A. Coliseum (115,300), #8 typical University of Michigan football game (112,000), #10 NBA All-Star game in 2010 at Cowboy Stadium (108,713) and #11 NFL Cowboys versus Giants in 2009 at Cowboy Stadium (left, 105,121--lots of standing-room and many who couldn't see the field). All the above could well prevail globally, as no world event, World Cup, whatever, has reached 100,000 spectators. Incidentally, for the record, Major League Baseball draws more people for the entire season than any other professional sport, by far (73.5 million).
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