AMERICA'S CATHEDRAL OF SPEED.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. With another chapter of Indianapolis 500 history approaching next Sunday, I think it's crucial to understand the importance of the race around the world. The Indianapolis 500 remains America's most instantly recognizable race - and certainly its most internationally significant - and one of the three greatest races in the world, along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But from my perspective, the Indianapolis 500 stands alone as the single greatest race in the world, and by a wide margin. The time-honored saying - "The Greatest Spectacle In Racing" - remains true to this day, and a moniker well-earned. This race is dripping with history. From euphoric highs to the most devastating and unspeakable of lows, the Indianapolis 500 is revered around the world by racers and racing enthusiasts of all stripes. 

It's really too bad, however, that at times I get the sense that a lot of our homegrown fans have learned to take The Speedway and the "500" itself for granted. Yes, I think to some degree that's true, although certainly not with the hard-core enthusiasts of the race and The Speedway. As I've often said over the years, if you haven't been to The Speedway, or the Speedway Museum in a while, or if you've never been, you owe it to yourself to go. The homage to the history of the "500" before the race is always special, as are the tributes to the military. And the somberness of the moment before the start - with the playing of "Taps" - is just riveting beyond words. Anyone who has attended the race understands what that moment is all about and feels like. it is simply unrivaled in the sporting world. And with the call to "drivers start your engines" quickly following, the anticipation for the start remains unequaled in the sport of motor racing.

And let me be clear, the start of the Indianapolis 500 remains the most electrifying moment in all of sport. Bar none. There is nothing else that comes even close.

It bears repeating, the Indianapolis 500 remains the greatest single motor race in the world and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is America's - and the world's - Cathedral of Speed.

And that's the High-Octane Truth for this week.

(Photo by Chris Owens/Penske Entertainment)
Chip Ganassi and Scott Dixon at the traditional Front Row photo shoot on Monday morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon delivered a four-lap average speed of 234.046 mph in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing PNC Bank Honda to capture the pole position. Dixon, from Auckland, New Zealand, earned a $100,000 for the NTT P1 Award and is just one shy of four-time Indy winner Rick Mears for the most poles in “500” history.

(Photo by Chris Owens/Penske Entertainment)
Chip Ganassi Racing earned its first 1-2 start at Indianapolis since 2008 as reigning INDYCAR series champion Alex Palou qualified second at 233.499 mph in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing NTT DATA Honda.

(Photo by Chris Owens/Penske Entertainment)
Ed Carpenter and Rinus Veekay at the Front Row photo shoot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday morning. VeeKay took the last spot in the front row for the second consecutive year, qualifying third at 233.385 mph in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet fielded by Ed Carpenter Racing. This is the fastest front row in Indy 500 history, with an average speed of 233.643, breaking the record of 233.233 set in 1996. See more from The Speedway in The Line.

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Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG