Indy 500 News

Indy 500 Chevrolet’s Camaros have a great history and legacy of racing as well as used as pacers cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Over the years, we have seen drivers such as A.J Foyt (first driver to win the race four times), and many other drivers like Jim Rathmann finding themselves behind the wheels of a Camaro.

Setting the pace

Be sure to know that Chevrolet cars have been the official pace cars at the Indy 500 more than any other manufacturers. The first one was in 1948, and since then, there have been 27 Chevys’ serving as the pace cars, and 9 of them were Camaros.

The first Camaro was used as a pace car in 1967, the same year that this line of vehicles debuted. It was a convertible car with white color on the outside and blue interiors, and the tires had some red lines.

However, the tradition of using Indy 500 Camaros as pace cars came to a halt in 1993, and we had to wait for the reborn of the model after 16 years.

9 Indy 500 Camaros on display at the race

With that said, we are going to look at the list of the Camaro official cars used at the Indy 500 and the year they were placed on display.

1.1967 Camaro RS/SS

It was powered by an SS model’s 396-cubit Big Block V8 engine and painted white with blue interiors and redlines on the tires.

2. 1969 Camaro RS/SS

A 396 Big Block engine also powered it and came in a distinctive orange and white painting.

3. 1982 Camaro Z28

It was powered by a special aluminum Small Block V8 Engine, unlike the previous models, and it was termed as the third-generation of Camaro’s cars. It was driven by Jim Rathmann, a former Indy 500 winner.

4. 1993 Camaro Z28

A 275-horsepower LT1 engine powered it, and it featured a combination of black and white painting with multicolored ribbons.

5. 2010 Camaro SS

After 19 years, that’s when Indy 500 Camaro vehicles were introduced back in 2009 Indy 500. It was powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 engine with 426 horsepower.

6. 2010 Camaro SS

At the 2010 Indy 500, this model was the first one to be used as a back-to-back appearance, and it had inferno Orange paint with traces of white Diamond racing stripes.

7. 2011 Camaro SS

The model was driven by the Indy 500 legend, A.J. Foyt, and it came with a white and orange paint theme and was powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 426 horsepower.

8. 2014 Camaro Z/28

Chevrolet Camero Z/28 was driven by Dario Franchitti (3-time Indy 500 winner), and it was powered by a 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine with 505 horsepower.

It also came with 19-inch forged aluminum wheels and carbon-ceramic brake rotors.

9. 2017 Camaro SS

It marked the company’s 50th anniversary and was powered by a 6.2 liter LT1 V8 engine with an automatic transmission and 455 horsepower.

Conclusion

Chevrolet has been producing Camaro sports cars consecutively after three years since 2011. We have had a pace car of Indy 500 Camaro in 2011, 2014, and 2017. Are we going to see a 2020 Camaro at the 2020 Indy 500?

Indianapolis 500 started since 1911, and up-to-date, we have 4 time Indy 500 winners in different races. They include:

• J. Foyt (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977)
• Al Unser (1970, 1971, 1978, 1987)
• Rick Mears (1979, 1984, 1988,1991)

Here, we will look at the three winners and how they were able to win the races in different years.

J. Foyt

Foyt won the Indy 500 in 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977, and he was the first driver to have four wins from the most prestigious race of the century.

1961

Foyt stated that he was under pressure from Tony Hulman, the track owner, to win the race, and he wasn’t sure he could win the race.

That race saw Foyt having doubts about making it to the finish line after his car experienced fuel problems. He actually used another team’s fuel apparatus, something that wasn’t allowed and was later banned after that race.

Luckily, Foyt was second, and when Eddie Sachs went for a late pit stop because of a damaged right rest tire, he was able to come first and finished as the winner.

1964

Three years later, Foyt won the 1964 Indy race that saw him lead with 146 laps and finished by more than 84 seconds.

The win was overshadowed by the death of his immediate rival Eddie Sachs when he collided with another driver, Dave MacDonald.

1967

Another three years, now in 1967, Foyt was taking second place.

But after 196 laps, Pamelli Jones, who dominated the race, had his car failing, and this gave Foyt a chance to take the lead with a two-lap victory.

1977

The last victory came 10 years after he won his third race in 1967.

Foyt and Gordon Johncock were leading the race, and after 184 laps, Gordon’s engine failed, giving way for Foyt to take his last and fourth win at the Indy 500.

He is the first driver to have won the Indy 500s four times, and only two other drivers, Al Unser and Rick Mears have managed to reach his level.

Al Unser

Al Unser was the second driver to win the Indy race four times. He won the race in 1970, 1971, 1978, and 1987.

1970

Al Unser won by 32 seconds after leading 190 laps out of the allocated 200 laps. There was no one stopping him, and this was his first win at the Indy 500.

1971

Consecutively, the next year in 1971, Al Unser won his second race, becoming the first driver to achieve back-to-back race championship since 1953-54 when Bill Vukovich won the two consecutive races.

It was his 32nd birthday, and he marked it well with a back-to-back win.

1978

7 years later, Al Unser won his third race.

Al Unser had damaged the car he was supposed to drive in, but he acquired a new machine and faced no competition.

He won by 8 seconds.

1987

9 years later, Al Unser won his last and fourth race at the Indy 500. He is still the oldest winner at Indy 500, with 47 years old.

He was able to reach the record that was set 10 years earlier when A.J. Foyt won his fourth race in 1977.

Rick Mears

Rick Mears is the last driver to reach the bars set by A.J. Foyt and Al Unser by winning the Indy 500 race four times in 1979, 1984, 1988, and 1991.

1979

Rick Mears won the race after Bobby Unser suffered gear problems. 
He won the race by 45 seconds.

1984

5 years later, Mears won his second race, where he was too far ahead than the other driver with two laps.

1988

4 years later, Mears finished first after Danny Sullivan, who had taken the lead of the first half, crashed.

This was his third title win even though he had faced handling issues that were quickly solved by his crew.

1991

3 years later, Mears won his last and fourth Indy race to be at the same achievement level as A.J. Foyt and Al Unser.

It’s was the most exciting race that saw Mears beat Michael Andretti to win by 3 seconds.

Conclusion

The above three drivers have at least four Borg-Warner Trophy each after scooping this prize as 4 time Indy 500 winners. And that’s why they are regarded as the legends of the game. Who will be able to reach their level soon?

2020 will mark the 104th Indianapolis 500, and it’s an IndyCar Series event that is now confirmed to take place on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

The race usually takes about 200 laps that translate to 500 miles that feature 33 drivers.

Last year, Simon Pagenaud of Team Penske won the race, and he is the first confirmed driver at the race since he will be defending his championship.

Also, we have seen the return of Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula 1 winner who has a great desire to reach the bars set by Graham Hill after he won the Triple Crown.

Alonso has already won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Monaco Grand Prix, and the only race remaining for him to have the Triple Crown is the Indy 500 title win. There are speculations that he is very close to signing with Michael Andretti’s team.

We know it’s too early to be talking about the entry list of drivers at the 2020 Indy 500. However, we have come up with a list of confirmed and speculated drivers.

Here, we will arrange the drivers, depending on the team in which they are in. Note that this is not the final entry list, and for confirmation, you may have to wait until May 2020.

List of confirmed and speculated Indy 500 drivers

Andretti Autosport

• Zach Veach, #26 Honda
• Alexander Rossi, #27 Honda
• Ryan Hunter-Reay, #28 Honda
• Colton Herta, #88 Honda (Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport)
• Marco Andretti, #98 Honda (Andretti Herta Autosport)
• Fernando Alonso (speculated) – He will be looking to join Andretti’s team, and both parties have shown interest. It’s just a matter of time until a deal is put into paper between Alonso and Andretti’s team.

Arrow McLaren SP

• Oliver Askew, #TBD Chevrolet
• Patricio O’Ward, #TBD Chevrolet

Chip Ganassi Racing

• Marcus Ericsson, #8 Honda
• Scott Dixon, #9 Honda
• Felix Rosenqvist, #10 Honda

Ed Carpenter Racing

• Rinus VeeKay, #21 Chevrolet

Meyer Shank Racing

• Jack Harvey, #60 Honda

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

• Graham Rahal, #15 Honda
• Takuma Sato, #30 Honda

Team Penske

• Josef Newgarden, #1 Chevrolet
• Will Power, #12 Chevrolet
• Simon Pagenaud, #22 Chevrolet

Full-time drivers (speculated)

A.J. Foyt Enterprises

• Charlie Kimball, #4 Chevrolet

Dale Coyne Racing

• James Hinchcliffe/Sergio Sette Camara/Alex Palou, #18 Honda
• Santino Ferrucci, #19 Honda

Remaining full-time seats (confirmed)

• Carlin (two seats)
• Dale Coyne Racing (two seats, see above)

Remaining full-time seats (speculated)

• Possible second A.J. Foyt Enterprises entry

Indy 500 one-offs (confirmed)

• Arrow McLaren Racing SP Chevrolet (third entry)
• James Davison in a Jonathan Byrd’s Racing/Hayward Motorsports entry

Indy 500 one-offs (speculated)

• Helio Castroneves in a fourth Team Penske Chevrolet
• Third Dale Coyne Racing Honda
• Sixth Andretti Autosport Honda

Other (confirmed)

• Ed Carpenter is the oval driver for Ed Carpenter Racing and is set to drive in the Indy 500.
• Conor Daly is the road and street course driver for Ed Carpenter Racing but is set to drive a third entry for the team in the Indy 500.

Other (speculated)

• DragonSpeed and Ben Hanley are slated to return to IndyCar in 2020, but it’s just speculation that is yet to be confirmed.
• Tony Kanaan is one of the likely drivers expected to compete at the Indy 500 if A.J. Foyt Enterprises’ second part-time entry ends up being a part-time entry. 

Conclusion

It’s yet unclear about Indy 500 drivers on this year 2020 entry list. We will have to wait for about four months or so until we can have the confirmed drivers of the greatest spectacle in racing.

For you, as a fan, you can prepare yourself by getting your tickets and parking passes early as they sell out fast. If you’re in for a crazy weekend, then you can try camping at the Coke Lot.

If you want to experience the madness of Indy 500, then camping at Coke Lot must be in your bucket list. It’s one crazy of a ride to do so, and there is nothing ordinary about it.

The Coke Lot is located outside the IMS track, and it’s officially designated as Lot 1C. The camping site got its nickname “Coke Lot’ because of the presence of a Coca-Cola bottling plant that is situated just adjacent to the establishment.

What is the Indy 500 Coke Lot known for?

Coke Lot is an open field located to the northwest of the Indy 500 race track, and people frequent there because of intense revelry as well as all-night partying.

The party starts a few days before the race and goes on until the entire race weekend ends.

Here is where you’re going to find campers, tent campers, and RVs, and we bet with the atmosphere that has been here for the past years, you’ll be obliged to partly like hell.

While at the Coke Lot, you can expect to be surrounded by zombie-like friends who could be marinating the booze, gorging on nachos, or sometimes having to sing out their favorite songs or the desire to mate.

5 rules to survive at the Indy 500 Coke Lot

You need to have some precautions and rules if you want to survive at the Indy 500 Coke Lot. Check them out…

1.Beware of the hooligans

There is always drama at the Coke Lot. That’s why we recommend you stay away from a group that seems too violent or provocative. Don’t associate yourself with people that keep throwing insults at passersby since a brawl is inevitable, and in such a scenario you could learn through the hard way.

2. Don’t buy drugs

Avoid junkies or peddlers trying to sell you drugs as the darkness falls. You need to be at your best-focused mind ever if you want to survive at the Coke Lot.

3. Stay alert and courteous

You can join the crowd as they party or drink, but be on the lookout for your safety. Stay vigilant and always be polite, or you may end up being thrown out of the mix in a nice or not nice way.

4. Make friends with public servants

The first people to make as your friends should include paramedics, firefighters, and the omnipresent police. Play smart and give them some snacks so that when you find yourself in trouble, they can quickly identify and help you out.

5. Carry your own must-haves items

Some of the must-haves include sunscreen, lots of tissue paper, foods and beverages, adequate water, and enough cash. Just be yourself and enjoy the weekend without going higher than the bars you had set for you and your family.

Conclusion

Indy 500 Coke Lot is the most notorious camping site for high-end RV owners and family.

Get your tickets ready and make sure to book your spot early at the Coke Lot as space sells out so fast. Avoid drunkenness since sex is unavoidable at the Lot 1C.

Glamping provides the same experience of camping, but with the added benefits of amenities that are found in many luxury hotels. In other words, glamping can be described as glamorous camping.

Indy 500 glamping

Just picture a tent on the infield of a race track with inviting couches, rustic-looking tables, the most comfortable bed, air conditioning, art hanging on the walls, and a fridge.

Yes, that’s what we mean by Indy 500 glamping, and over the years, it has become a very popular trend at race tracks.

If you’re yet to try out glamping, then Indy 500 in 2020 should be your chance to experience something new during your extended stay at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Here, we will look at the different glamping packages that you can find at the Indy 500. Read on, and choose the ideal glamping site for you and your family.

Glamping at IMS

Glamping at IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) provides fans with the ultimate experience of living in a tent, but with the amenities of a hotel.

Here, you’re allowed to stay for a maximum of 5 days, and you can carry along your family members to treat yourselves to an outdoor experience, unlike any other.

You could play family games or do some storytelling under the tents, and it may actually boost a strong bond between you and your family or friends.

Indy 500 glamping is the best escape route for someone looking to have fun and leave all the stress behind from tight work schedules, headaches, and family problems or feuds.

With that said, glamping at the IMS offers two different packages, and they include Tiny Houses and Glamptown/Lakeside Glamping.

Tiny Houses

Are you a race attendee looking to try out a new style of accommodation?

If that’s you, then tiny houses provide you with a unique opportunity to take advantage of exploring a new, innovative, and boutique style of on-site race track accommodation.

What more could you ask for?

It’s more like you’re at your home where you can do as you wish and still experience the Race Day at the Indy 500.

Each tiny house comes with some amenities that include air conditioning, a modern bathroom, sleeping quarters, a compact kitchen, and more.

Tiny house package goes for a price of $4000.

Glamptown/Lakeside Glamping

The other package is the glamptown/lakeside glamping where you have the chance to go for cheaper rates as compared to the tiny houses.

• Queen bed package – $1600
• 4-cot package – $1500
• Twin bed package – $1300

Where to buy the packages?

As it’s the case, most of these packages are always sold out before and after the race. That’s why you can submit your information on the official website to have your name and details added to the waiting list at IMS.

Conclusion

Why book a hotel room when you can get hold of Indy 500 glamping package and enhance your experience at the Race Day.