Qualifications. Which, to be honest has lost it's fanatical appeal of bygone days. The split between the IRL and and CART in the mid '90s left the race with quite a bit of fall out. Most of the recognizable names were no longer racing at Indy. Only A.J. Foyt was loyal to the organization that made racing.
Arrogantly, Mario Andretti, splitting with CART had the nerve to say that the Indy 500 was world renown because of HIM.
Although the organizations have long ago reunited, Indy will not forget Mario's traitorious comments. Indy made household names of these racers, not the other way around.
Also flying overhead this weekend are the best of the best.
These guys are amazing. The sound of the jets as they fly mere inches from wingtip to wingtip will make your heart stop. Don't worry about your little ol' heart though, because the electrical shock to make it restart will happen when you get a quick glimpse of them flying at breakneck speeds and so low that if you stand on your tiptoes you could swear you could touch them. But do it quick, because they are flying so fast you'll miss them if you blink.
Nothing beats the thrill of hearing them just before they appear. I run out of the front door at the first sound and watch them from my front yard. There have been dozens of times that they have flown so low over our house that if the pilots could take their eyes off their instruments, they could wave at me when I'm out front waving my arms like I'm trying to flag them down to stop in for a cup of tea. Or a beer after their done flying.
It never gets old.
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