What is so special about IndyCar at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

IndyCar, I think, is one the most special pure forms of racing in the world. The thing that attracts me to Indycar and especially the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just the history that happened here. It’s really weird to think I have an emotional connection to concrete and steel but every time I walk in this place, every time I think about it, it just kind of hits me differently. To be part of the IndyCar series, we travel all over the country. But this is the center of it. We race 17 races a year to do this race right here. There are forms of racing worldwide and some of them really push cutting edge technology while some really push tradition whereas IndyCar pushes pure racing. Some people don’t like that the cars look similar, so they don’t seem interesting to somebody visually, but the cars are technologically top notch and the drivers are unlike any other in the world. There’s no other discipline of racing that you have to be good on street courses or permanent road courses with a lot of contour and hills and then ovals especially high-speed ovals. It just makes for such a unique environment where the crews have to be adaptable, the cars have to be adaptable, and the drivers to things you don’t see anywhere else.”  

For this race in particular, teams gather for two weeks trackside and no other event do they call home for that extended period of time. For that, Alex said that everything about this one makes it feel that much bigger. When May 1 arrives, he said everyone starts to get excited because they know what’s coming and what this time of year means. 

The Indy 500, with the exception of 2020, has always been on Memorial Day weekend. The military and the armed forces have been part of the tradition along with Purdue’s All-American Marching Band plus the military flyover… This race is bigger than all the rest. You don’t get that anywhere else. 

This year it’s especially cool because ABC Supply Co, Inc. put “Homes for Troops” on our car. This is the first time I’ve had a sponsor in that category, so it’s really cool and very special to represent a great charitable organization to help troops on Memorial Day weekend. When you see all the troops marching down pit lane behind the band, it’s gonna be extra special this year.

Do you still experience the connection between Purdue and IndyCar?

Purdue’s reach is worldwide. In Indycar, it is even more evident in the paddock. I know I am one of many Purdue alumni working on a team. And more, the Purdue brand is everywhere. We see Purdue gear anywhere in the country. It makes sense at this race because we are here in Indianapolis with Purdue people living in the area - Purdue grads and people’s kids going to Purdue -  but we’ll go to Portland or St. Petersburg, Florida and you’re going to find Purdue people there too. It’s amazing how there’s this connection no matter where you go. And Purdue grads wear their Purdue gear proud. You don’t see a whole lot of other colleges being represented. No one’s wearing their college [gear] unless you’re Purdue.

And no kidding, less than 20 minutes after this conversation, a group of high school students entered pit row for a tour. Two students wore Purdue gear and retuned a “Boiler Up!” when we called out to them.