Commentary: Speed Thrills

This past weekend, I visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. I have one comment: Wow. I’m not the world’s biggest gearhead. I watch a little NASCAR, and I used to sit down for the Indy 500 every year, until the split in open-wheel racing made it tough for the casual fan to know who was who. But you don’t need to be a racing fan to be awestruck by what I saw Saturday: pure speed. And, for the most part, I was just watching one car at a time whip around the track during qualifying. Someday, I will have to return to see what it’s like to have 33 cars whizzing by at over 200 miles an hour. My visit to Indy has given me new perspective on why fans are drawn to racing. Sure it’s fun to pick a favorite driver, and follow the rivalries and see the wrecks and hear the noise. But I believe what draws race fans most is what inspired men to race in the first place. It’s what makes your jaw drop open the first time you see it. Speed.