Race fans take to IMS early Sunday morning to celebrate spirit of Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — What would have been race day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was instead a fairly quiet Sunday morning with a few dedicated fans paying homage to the tradition of the Indianapolis 500.

IMS kicked off their virtual race day celebration with the iconic cannon blast via social media, but it didn’t take long for fans to show up in person.

“I’ve been coming to the track since 1991. I was 9 years old. I don’t know any other way to spend Memorial Day Weekend, and watching old races stuck at home didn’t seem appealing,” said racing fan Michael Harker.

Harker had pulled into an empty parking lot off of 16th Street with a television, cables, and an American flag balloon ready to watch those old races in front of the track he loves.

And Harker wasn’t alone. A number of fans drove up to the front gates to take pictures and selfies in celebration Sunday morning.

Even for those staying home, IMS is offering plenty of race day activities for the whole family including a virtual “Bike to the 500” where fans are encouraged to practice social distancing and keep the 2.5 mile ride to their neighborhood.

There will also be a virtual “Brunch with the Brickyard” where race fans are invited to make or order track food from home. Several local restaurants are offering packaged racing meals to-go.

Whether you’re at home or at the track, you can still see what other race fans are doing by following along on social media with the hashtag #500atHome.