A Memorial Day Tradition That Leads To The Indy 500

Memorial Day weekend can feel like two worlds at once: the quiet pull of remembrance and the loud thrill of summer starting. I’m Dan, and on this solo ride I tell the story of growing up in a small Kentucky town where Memorial Day meant driving out to family cemeteries, cleaning up grave sites, placing flowers, and hugging relatives who came back home to pay their respects. It’s personal ride for me today and deeply grounding, and it still shapes how I think about honoring people who served and the family members we miss.

Somewhere between those rows of headstones, I also found my first connection to the Indianapolis 500. I share the moment I slipped into our Plymouth, tuned the AM radio, and heard “Gentlemen, start your engines” through a scratchy signal. From there, the Indy 500 became a tradition of its own, including my first trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1976 and the unforgettable race-day feeling that hits when the cars come roaring down the front stretch.

Along the way, I offer practical Indy 500 travel tips and first-timer advice: expect massive crowds, plan for serious walking, don’t rush, and prepare for weather that can flip from sunny to cold rain fast. I also talk about the pre-race pageantry, the museum and track tour options, and why this belongs on your bucket list even if you’re not a hardcore racing fan. If this story brings up your own Memorial Day traditions or favorite road trip memories, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the ride.

Transcript

Welcome And Solo Ride Setup

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Welcome to Dan the Road Trip Guy. I'm your host Dan, and each week we'll embark on a new adventure, discovering memory and life lessons of our incredible guests. From everyday travelers to thrill seekers and everyone in between, this podcast is your front row seat to inspiring stories of passion, resilience, and the pursuit of happiness. So buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Memorial Day In Small Town Kentucky

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Well, I'm on another solo ride today. Still lining up some guests for this summer. Thought I would share a little story about Memorial Day. Because once again, Memorial Day weekend is upon us. This holiday always takes me back to my childhood. The weekend meant that people who had moved away from our small town in Kentucky would return home to pay their respects to friends and family who had passed away. We honor those who gave their lives in service to our country through the armed forces. For me, it meant getting up early and driving to Jellicoe Creek, Kentucky, where a number of my ancestors were buried. We would also make stops at Bethel and Pinot. I watched each year as my mom would assemble various flower decorations for each grave. Now, as a young boy, this was exciting for maybe 30 minutes. There were a lot of hugs from people, some that I didn't even know, but my parents knew. There were flowers to place on each grave or headstone, and before the weekend, I remember mom would load up the lawnmower, the trimmers, the rake, and other tools. She wanted to ensure the grave sites were properly prepared for all the visitors. For me, this holiday also meant it was almost time for school to be out, and summer would be upon us.

First Indy 500 Radio Memories

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I was probably nine or ten years old when I first remembered being at Jellicrow Creek, going through the normal events of the day, and when noon came around, I would slip off to our sixty five Plymouth Sport Fury. I would tune in a station from Louisville, Kentucky on our AM radio. This is probably my first memory of the Indy 500. The reception was not the best, but I recall the excitement as you heard the words, gentlemen, start your engines. And then the roar of those 33 cars would come to life as they prepared for the grueling 500 mile race. In 1971, the 500 race would begin to be broadcast on ABC, but delayed until the evening. The problem for me was my family only received CBS and MBC, but my Aunt Betty and my uncle Robert, on the other hand, they had ABC. I would always make my way to their house to watch the delayed broadcast, and I always remember I would try to avoid any news of who the winner

Going To The 1976 Indy 500

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was. Five years later, 1976, my brother was living in Indianapolis, and somehow he obtained tickets to the race. This was exciting news for me. I would ride up with my cousin Connie and my brother's friend Eddie Bear Stevens. As a 15-year-old, traveling with the older guys made me feel a little older for some reason. I recall the night before the big race we drove around near the track, and all I can remember are the streets being covered by smashed cans. Beer cans, I am sure. It was a party atmosphere in those days. So in 1976 we got up early that Sunday morning and we made our way, I believe, best my memory recalls, to downtown Indianapolis somewhere, where we chose to park and take a shuttle near the track. It's fifty years ago, so some of these memories are a little blurred, but I think they are pretty accurate.

Why The Speedway Feels Massive

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If you've not been to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ever, then you need to visit at least once in your lifetime. You need to go on race day. It's a place where over 300,000 people gather to watch the greatest spectacle in racing. But if you can't make it to the race, there's a great museum and you can take a tour of the track. Of course, we're all there for the race, but the festivities surrounding this event are something you really have to see in person. There's bands and parade cars, old race cars, you hear military taps, America the Beautiful, God Bless America, the Star Spangled Banner, a flyover by our military jets. And finally we hear the song Back Home Again in Indiana. When those 33 cars round turn four and head down the front stretch, you can't help but feel the emotion. I still get goosebumps as the cars head into turn one. There is no other race like the Indy 500. People always ask me if you can see all the way around the track, and I'm like, uh no. You would be amazed at how big the speedway is. Here are some facts. It's a two hundred and fifty three acre infield. And what you can fit in that infield? Vatican City, the White House, the Taj Mahal, the Roman Coliseum, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, Churchill Downs, and Liberty Island, all at the same time. The entire facility is five hundred and fifty nine acres and sits in Speedway, Indiana. You could comfortably fit all fourteen big ten stadiums inside the Speedway. It's equivalent to around four hundred and twenty-four football fields. The facility grounds are larger than the entire country of Monaco. And with over two hundred and fifty thousand permanent seats and a race day crowd capable of four hundred thousand plus, the Speedway's population on Indy 500 race day is larger than all but Indiana's capital city of Indianapolis. It's 2.5 miles around, which means if you want to walk the straightaway, you will walk nearly a mile. The first race was in 1911, and this will be the 110th running of the race. It's hard to believe I saw the 60th running in 1976.

Race Day Prep And Crowd Tips

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In 1992, my wife and I sat in turn four, which is still the closest finish on record. Allins or junior barely beats Scott Goodyear. Linda was eight months pregnant with Lauren, and it was bitterly cold that day. We found on numerous times, and I suppose we forget this from year to year, when we leave home, it could be very different weather than you find at the Speedway. So our advice, go prepared. We made a switch to a backpack cooler last year, and I highly recommend that. The thing to remember about going to the 500, don't get in a big hurry. Enjoy the festivities, and learn to enjoy the people next to you, because they're gonna be your neighbor in the next seat for several hours. I have great memories at the Speedway with my brother, his friend Mike Park, my friend Greg Pittman, and of course Linda. And of course that first trip with my cousin Connie and Eddie Bear. For years, for more years than I can remember, I've spent the race texting with my good friend Jeff Zerker. I'm not sure why we started this. Maybe we wanted to be commentators in another life. The communication between us goes on throughout the race, and in 2022 we started recording an episode on this very podcast. One year we even recorded while I was at the speedway. You can find that if you look back into May of 2022. If you ever want to tag along with us, I'm gonna show you around the speedway. I'm fairly certain that when my friend Greg went with me a few years ago, we walked around 10 miles that day. Be warned though, I like to get there well before race time, which is typically around noon, so I like to get there between 7 and 7 thirty. But I promise you, it'll be the time of your life, and you can check it off your bucket list. And if it's not on your bucket list, put it on your bucket list. It might be sunny, windy, rainy. In 1976, it was very rainy, and we got very, very wet, but we'll still have a great day, no matter what the weather is.

Traditions, Tribute, And Closing Invite

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I don't know what your traditions are on Memorial Day weekend, but we do pay tribute to those who have given their lives for our country, be it in active service or after they left the service. We also remember family and friends that have gone on before us. I'll always have great memories of visiting those grave sites with my parents. I hope you have a great memorial day. And if you're not doing anything on Sunday around noon, be sure to tune in to Indianapolis 500, and let's see who comes out the winner. Drinks some milk in Victory Lane, and we make plans for next year. That's all for today. See you next time. Thank you for tuning in to Dan the Road Trip Guy. I hope you enjoyed our journey today and the stories that were shared. If you have any thoughts or questions or stories of your own, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to me anytime. Don't forget to share this podcast with your friends and family and help us to spread the joy of road trips and great conversations. Until next time, keep driving, keep exploring, and keep having those amazing conversations. Safe travels. And remember, you can find me on the internet at dantheroadripguy.com.