Qualifying Through The Eyes Of A Fan
By Susan Phillips
When I met George, I had barely even heard of IndyCar racing. Sure I had heard of Mario Andretti, but that’s about where my knowledge of the sport ended. I still don’t know all the technical parts and the qualifying format is a bit puzzling—I can’t even compare to George’s history with IndyCar racing.
Today I decided to go back to what it felt like at the beginning, the way a fan would. I am grateful for the access I have to this sport, but I went out among the fans to remind myself why I fell in love with this sport. I stood outside garage areas, tried to catch up with speeding golf carts, and stood behind the white line in the pit area. I dusted off my old Canon EOS Rebel (circa 2005—purchased so I could take pics of my son playing ice hockey) and headed out to find some drivers. I’m not sure the participants in ANY sport are more accommodating to their fans than IndyCar drivers—this is evidenced in the look on the fan’s face as she asked Ryan Hinter-Reay to sign her arm. I hope you enjoy my photo editorial and remember why we love this sport.
Oilpressure 
May 21, 2017 at 10:58 pm
Great photos, Susan. Thank you for posting.
May 22, 2017 at 9:19 am
The last time I was at IMS for any day in May for anything other than the race (1971) fans only were able to stand behind the fence separating the pits from the stands, and outside the fence surrounding the old wood garage area. We couldn’t even dream about the access available today.
Thanks for this perspective.
June 27, 2017 at 6:59 am
Reagrds,