Fans work to "beat the heat" at Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Tens of thousands of fans packed into the track for the Indy 500, and all were hoping to cope with the extreme heat of the day.

The official high temperature for the race was 91 degrees, which tied for the second hottest on record. It was 92 degrees in 1937, and it was 91 degrees in 1919, 1953, and 2012.

IMS officials added an extra medical location near the Snake Pit, to make 17 in all.

They had 78 cooling stations and five air-conditioned buses inside as well.

Preliminary numbers showed many track attendees did take extra precautions with the extreme heat.

190 people were treated at the main medical location at IMS, said Dr. Geoffrey Billows, IMS’ medical director.

Of those, about a dozen were taken downtown to the hospital. Those numbers do not yet include the 16 other medical tents throughout the track.

The most serious injuries were heart attacks and some diabetic reactions, as well as lacerations from fights, but most were heat-related.

“Today was not as bad as we’d feared it would be,” said Dr. Billows. “I think some people are following our suggestions, that’s why we haven’t seen higher numbers than we've seen today.”

24-Hour News 8 caught up with a number of people working to stay cool in the hot sun.

Corey Plunkett brought her kids from Martinsville, who spent the day cooling off in a small kiddie pool near the family’s tent.

“We have a swimming pool, a water table, little spray guns, and we have been having fun doing it,” said Plunkett.

Roger Thompson drove all the way to the race from Texas: and spent his race day predominantly in the car.

“This would be the hottest. The hottest one I know of. That's why I’m sitting in the car. Usually I’m out in the stands or up here in the grass. Today, I’m in the car,” said Thompson.

At lap 140, the track temperature was 133 degrees.

The numbers for those treated at all 17 medical locations have not yet been calculated.