It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and after honoring those brave soldiers who sacrificed everything for our country, the nation will turn its attention to the two B’s, barbecues and brickyards. For this week’s Sports Explained, we head to the heartland for the Indianapolis 500.
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In the world of car racing, there are two organizations that stand above the rest: NASCAR and INDYCAR. What Daytona is to NASCAR, Indianapolis is to INDYCAR.
It’s called the Brickyard after famed philosopher and weatherman Brick Tamland.
Unfortunately, Tamland’s name was marred when he brutally killed a guy with a trident, so The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hurriedly paved bricks into the finish line so the name and tradition could continue.
The Indy 500 takes place every Sunday before Memorial Day. 500 miles around the oval, can make you do crazy things.
Ricky Bobby would recover and go onto an illustrious career and the mantra he lived by was passed down generation to generation and sport to sport.
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Helio Castroneves has been first more than any other active driver in Indy racing at the brickyard, including back-to-back wins in 2001-2002. His nickname is Spider-Man because of his victory celebration, in which he climbs the trackside debris fence.
GMP Sports has obtained exclusive footage of Castroneves training as a child (oddly enough, despite being from Brazil, his dad seems to speak perfect English).
It’s customary for winners of the Indy 500 to drink a bottle of milk to celebrate.
While many end up pouring it over their heads, it seems most have yet to discover the art of truly winning.
I know what you’re thinking: “200 laps around the track? I don’t think I have the endurance to watch every turn.” Well sure. But there are plenty of things you can do to pass the time.
Like drunk singing, for example:
Indeed, while it may take some time getting used to watching cars circle around,a group of young coeds have started a training grounds for both fans and athletes to prepare for the rigors of car racing.
So get fueled up on Mountain Dew and tune in on Sunday.
Because we’ve reached the end of this column, and you can’t deny it any longer.
You know you have the need. The need. For speed.
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Photo Credit: YouTube/screen capture (Talladega Nights)