SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Sunday was supposed to have been the Indianapolis 500, but with the coronavirus pandemic pushing the race to August, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway lay silent over Memorial Day weekend.
Many people found other ways to spent their holiday weekend than their normal tradition of going to the race. But, others didn’t let the pandemic stop them from doing what they always do: tailgate on race day.
“This parking lot is usually completely crammed full of folks,” Jody Conrad said to WISH-TV in the lot outside south chute entrance to IMS. “We had a few more people earlier. But now it’s just us and it just feels very odd to be here.”
“It’s not stopping us,” Hannah Conrad added. “We’re here and just hanging out, having a good time. It’s just, like I said, a good way to tailgate, catch up and reminisce on some of the best times we’ve had here at the Indianapolis 500.”
Several businesses in Speedway also had their race decorations on display and even hosted tailgates of their own outside their establishments. Through it all, the feeling among many in Speedway is a sense of optimism that the race will be just as good in August as it normally is in May.
