Why Drivers Risk Indy 500 Heartbreak For A Shot At Immortalized Glory

James Hinchcliffe

INDYCAR Race Analyst 

The Indy 500 is held in the largest sports area on Earth, Sunday is the 110th race since 1911, and it’s the most important race to any driver who has the privilege of even attempting to compete in it. When you stack all those things on top of each other, it isn’t surprising that the Indy 500 intensifies every emotion that a driver feels.

As a driver, you know winning this race changes everything. Your life will never be the same, and you feel that in every lap you do here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You also know that the team has put countless hours into preparing and running the car.

Leading any INDYCAR race always feels good, but there’s nothing comparable to the thrill of leading the Indy 500.

When you take the lead at Indy for the first time, you can’t help but smile in your helmet. You can almost hear the cheers of the crowd through the noise of the engine. Your heart rate spikes, and the adrenaline pumps harder.

I remember leading the 2016 race into Turn 1 at the start, and you could see the grandstands come alive.

After two weeks of staring at them while driving down the frontstraight, largely empty and gray, they are suddenly this vibrant, colorful living thing. The view takes your breath away… for one second! Then you have to focus back on the corner coming at you at 220 miles an hour.READ FULL STORY 

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