5 Things You Need To Know About The “Greatest Spectacle In Racing”
What milk, Danica Patrick and fighter jets have to do with the Indy 500.
Start your summer by cruising with the windows down, wind blowing through your hair and a smile on your face. That’s how Indy fans prefer their Memorial Day too.
What a coincidence,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The iconic Indianapolis 500 is always a big celebrity draw. For the third time in her career, Kelly Clarkson will sing the national anthem and Christian Bale and Matt Damon will wave the green start flag. The two actors are using this huge honor to promote their upcoming film based on the 1966 24-hour Le Mans endurance race. (Different kind of car racing, but it’s still racing). DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES
2. Because life’s too short to have a boring race car. The car for Indiana native Conor Daly, who you might recognize from “Amazing Race,” will be painted to look like an Air Force fighter jet. COPS CAN’T CATCH HIM
3. He starts your mornings off right, so he seemed the logical choice to start the race. Al Roker from “The Today Show” had been pegged to drive the pace car but a last-minute conflict changed his plans. Stepping in is a guy who knows a little about racing, retired NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt will take a break from his broadcasting gig to spin around the track. (NASCAR is different than IndyCar. For more, click here). HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS
4. Joining Earnhardt in the broadcast booth is the first woman to ever lead a lap at the Indy 500, Danica Patrick. Patrick retired from her career in racing last year and has driven both in IndyCar and NASCAR. Another gal to keep an eye on is Pippa Mann, the only female driver in the race. ON THE FAST TRACK
5. Move over Gatorade, milk is the drink of the winners at International Motor Speedway. The tradition that involves the winner swigging milk began in 1936 with Louis Meyer, whose go to drink after a win was a refreshing glass of milk. The act was spotted by an overjoyed milk executive and the rest is history. MILK…IT QUENCHES YOUR THIRST, SAID NO ONE EVER
Wednesday wisdom
Everyone will be buzzing about how J.J. Watt helped a student get a better grade, why Ellen loves baseball and Boston's sports streak. READ
The 5 Things You Need To Know About The Indy 500
The ladies are the ones to watch this weekend at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500.
The ladies are the ones to watch this weekend at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500.
We feel the need, the need for speed,
The Last Night’s Game Team
THE Five Things You Need To Know About The Indy 500
1. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is also known as the Brickyard. It’s called the Brickyard because the track used to be made of bricks, which are still exposed under the asphalt at the start-finish line. It’s a tradition for the drivers to kiss these bricks before the race. We cannot confirm or deny if that’s where cold sores come from.
2. Kelly Clarkson has been a busy woman coming off the season finale of The Voice and host of the Billboard Music Awards. She’ll be at the Indy 500 this weekend serenading the crowd with her rendition of the national anthem.
3. So long, farewell to Danica Patrick. While she was a NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) for the past seven years, she will return to her roots in IndyCar for the last race of her driving career. She holds the record for the highest Indy finish for a woman (third place) and is the only female driver to lead laps at both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 (NASCAR race). Will she take home a coveted win at Indy before retiring from racing for good? CHECK OUT HER NEW GIG
4. Move over Gatorade, milk is the drink of Indy 500 winners. The tradition, which involves chugging milk from a glass bottle after a win, began in 1936 with driver Louis Meyer. His go to victory drink was a refreshing glass of milk. The act was spotted by an overjoyed milk executive and the rest is history. MMM MILK
5. Indiana Jones may hate snakes but the snake pit is the place to be over Indy weekend. The snake pit is in the infield of the race track (which also boasts a golf course) and concerts goers can enjoy EDM (electronic dance music) concerts all weekend. Grab your glow sticks! SCHEDULE
- You can watch the Indy 500 on Sunday, May 27 at 12:15 pm EST on ABC.
Keep it coming
Driving in circles for 500 miles is great but what’s everyone talking about today at the proverbial watercooler? How about why Shaq and *NSYNC were a thing, which sport was left out of the top 100 and when your hall of fame plaque looks like Gary Busey? READ ON
Medal-Worthy Monday
Break the ice this President’s Day by talking sports. If basketball or the Olympics aren’t your thing, bringing up golfer John Daly hitting a hole-in-one while dressed like an American flag should do it.
Break the ice this President’s Day by talking sports. If basketball or the Olympics aren’t your thing, bringing up golfer John Daly hitting a hole-in-one while dressed like an American flag should do it.
Hail To The Chief,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
When taking a risk pays off. Last night, the NBA All-Star Game came down to the wire, with Team LeBron (LeBron James) defeating Team Stephen (Stephen Curry) by three points. It seems the NBA has finally found a format that makes the all-star game competitive. ICYMI – the teams were selected like an old-school kickball game with the two captains picking their teams, regardless of conference.
When you try but fall flat on your face. Not everyone’s performance was as stellar as game MVP LeBron James. During the pregame, there was an odd rendition of the national anthem by Fergie that gave some players the giggles. Top that off with bizarre player introductions by actor/comedian Kevin Hart. Maybe it’s just not Hart’s year to be at sporting events between this and the Super Bowl incident.
Overtime
America’s newest star, figure skater Adam Rippon, has made a name for himself in these Olympics. He was offered a job as an NBC correspondent for the final days of the Games, now that his competition is over. He initially agreed but then changed his mind once he realized he would have to give up his athlete credentials and move out of the Olympic Village.
Sideline stat
Driving the #3 car just like Dale Earnhardt Sr. did in his first and only Daytona 500 win 20 years ago, driver Austin Dillon took home the first win of the NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) season at Daytona yesterday. There were accidents galore with only 25 of the 40 cars that started the race crossing the finish line. Sadly, one of those crashes involved Danica Patrick, who was driving in the final NASCAR race of her career. She’ll drive one last race in the Indianapolis 500, which is not a NASCAR race, on May 27.
Coaches’ corner
Last week we talked about the Swiss free ski team and their unconventional escalator ride. Clearly unconventional runs in the family becauce Swiss free skier Mischa Gasser’s dad decided to ride a bike more than 10,500 miles from Switzerland to South Korea to watch his son compete. His mom took the conventional route and hopped on a plane.
What to watch
Keep an eye on American Olympian Justin Olsen in tonight's two-man bobsled race. Two weeks ago, he underwent an emergency appendectomy in South Korea. He'll not only pilot the two-man sled tonight but the four-man one later this week as well.