Indy 500 parking

My sons got us tickets for the 500 but didn't realize that we would need some place to park and all the Speedway lots are full. Anyone got some advice for us first-timers on what to do as an alternative?

For every race I've been to at the Speedway, I've always parked in the neighborhood just to the west of the track. People charge reasonable amounts to park on their lawns.

In reply to alfadriver:
You were able to just drive up and find a place?

DeadSkunk wrote: In reply to alfadriver: You were able to just drive up and find a place?

People usually have signs in their yards.

For most of the races I've been to there, we've parked in the "Coke Lot". It's a couple of blocks away from the speedway, but it's big and reasonably priced.

We too parked in the neighborhoods. I've been 20x to the 500. They start blocking the streets around 8am so we showed up at 7am or so. We used to exit 10th street and park in the 'hoods south of the track. We were about a mile away and would leave quickly to get ahead of the traffic - never worked.

You can park inside the track but you need to circle the track at 4:30am and then get in line at 5:00am when the cannon goes off. It takes HOURS to get out after the race.

The race is great but I got tired of the traffic. The party is wild . Have fun!

In reply to Tom_Spangler:
The Coke lot (C1) appears to be reserved for campers.

We used to leave Chicago at 4:00am and drive straight to the track. We always brought sub sandwiches and by 10:00am you were ready for lunch. Rain delays made me cry since I was tired.

Another option is driving down on Saturday and parking on the service roads in the grass near the track. It's a huge party - I think 4 hours sleep is about it.

DeadSkunk wrote: In reply to alfadriver: You were able to just drive up and find a place?

In addition to what 310 pointed out- we came in via a different way, too. We came in W30th from the east (the next big road north of the track). Traffic seemed pretty light. Left that way, too.

One caveat- our last two trips to the track were for the F1 race- which is about 60% of the 500 attendance.

Get there early- driver nap while passengers set up tailgate.

We also took a long nap after the race next to our car. Nice cool grass.... Lots less traffic.

Congrats on your first (planned) trip to the famous "yard of bricks". I leave you with this one bit of advice (having been to the 500 and Brickyard 400 several times) while planning the parking. Many lots will allow you to pay to park and have room for you, provided you arrive early (plus as others have said park in someone's yard). Look at the map and plan your departure route according to this: ALL lanes of 16th street will be directed to travel EAST away from the track. ALL lanes of GEORGETOWN Rd will be directed to travel SOUTH, and then turn EAST onto 16th street. SO, you want to park outside of turn two for the fastest departure from the track. Yes you may have to walk further to get to your seats, BUT that walk could save you hours of waiting stuck in your car.

alfadriver wrote: One caveat- our last two trips to the track were for the F1 race- which is about 60% of the 500 attendance.

My last 8 trips were for the F1 race, so the same caveat applies. And maybe that's why the Coke lot was open. Though it seems like we parked there for the last 500 I went to, which was 2003 or so.

In any case, we'll be there this year for the 100th, too. No idea about parking, my cousin who lives in the Indy area already got us passes. He's the local expert, so he handles all that stuff.

In the late 1970's my dad was a fireman in the pits. We were allowed into the track on Saturday afternoon and had to stay in an area and not roam around. We had to sleep in our cars or in a sleeping bag next to our car - no tents or campers.

At 5:00am the cannon woke us up - I have great memories standing outside the gasoline alley fence watching the teams rev up their Engines at 7:00am - the smells and sounds were intoxicating for a 14 year old gear head.

You'll have to walk a bit, but there are plenty of options available in nearby neighborhoods. I've had good luck with the neighborhoods immediately west of the track. The earlier you can get there, the closer you'll be able to park (and the lines will all be shorter).

If you're bringing a cooler into the track with you, make sure it fits within their size restrictions. It really is a special event in a special place. Enjoy it!

Where are your seats? Remember it's a mile walk just from the north side of the track to the south side. I sit in turn 4, and I usually camp at the school on the north side of the track. That's not a bad walk. If I'm just there for the day, I'll typically park on Falcon Street, which is the road you want to be on to get away from the track and on I-65.

You can either have a lot of walking or a lot of sitting in traffic, waiting and not moving. I don't mind walking. Typically after the race, we'll go back to where we were camping and make hot dogs and wait for traffic to die down.

Speedway High School - trust me on this one. One of the only lots you can actually get out of in a reasonable amount of time after the race (if that's important to you). It's also paved.

I'll be camping in the Coke lot-- this will be my 27th Indy 500 in a row.

As others have said, the neighborhood directly to the West of the track usually has parking available in people's yards. DO NOT go East of the track---- the neighborhood gets very bad, very quickly.

Bring comfortable shoes--- as regardless where you park, you will be in for a whole lotta walking. Plan on hanging out for a few hours after the race---- no point in fighting the traffic. This year will be massive, and there will be 350K+ people looking to get out. The traffic should be amusing.

We always cook-out after the race, and leave just before dusk----- we sail right out of town with no issues.

They allow you to bring food and beverages in with you, so packing sandwiches, fried chicken, etc is a good move. They have concessions, but the lines will be long, and the food mediocre at best---- although the pork tenderloins are pretty good.

Have a blast! It's an event unlike any other.

In reply to Cactus: Our seats are in the area between the start line and turn 1, I think. Inside the track,too. That probably limits the number of entrances.

You use to be able to buy a police escort in from the football stadium, to a special parking area. It does cost more, but you don't spend forever waiting to drive in. It was an awfully nice experience.

I went two years on the ex-SWMBO's dime, sort of. Free tix, hotel, police escort bus from hotel, etc thru her work. I remember passing all the traffic on it's way there thinking "no berkeleying way if this weren't included". I'm glad I got the bucket list crossed off.

Good luck, bring ear plugs. And forget the seats, go to the infield and hang out on the hillside.

The neighborhood directly southeast of the track is full of good ol' boys who will let you park in their yards for $10 to $25, and it's an easy walk to the track. We parked in a guy's yard on N Luett Ave (south of 16th) last year. I asked him why we should pay him $25 when his neighbor only wanted $15, and he said, "A, I won't let other cars box you in, and B, I'll watch your car all day and if I see someone breaking into it, I'll beat their ass," and he wasn't kidding. $25 well spent!

Earplugs aren't as necessary now as they used to be. Turbos do an awful lot of muffling. I still bring mine, though.

Agreed--- I only used earplugs when the IRL was first launched. Those Aurora V8's sounded horrid--- blatty and loud. These days I do just fine without--- and the cars finally sound good again! (although still nothing like the turbo CHAMP cars from the 90s)

Your seats may be great, or not so great. Fortunately, there are jumbotrons around the track now, making it much easier to follow the race than before. The infield is fun----- if you don't want to watch the race. That's where the college kids will be---- partying, doing beer bongs, and passing out on one another. Not quite as raunchy as the old "Snake Pit" days, but still a freakshow. Speaking of freak shows...... if you'd like to witness things you'll never be able to forget----- walk through the Coke lots after midnight on Saturday----- it's madness.

I used to go to the speedway for a ton of events. For the 500 and the NASCAR race, the crowds are biggest. If you are not averse to a long walk, take I-65 to the 38th street exit, park at the Lafayette Shoppes at 38th and Georgetown, and hike down Georgetown to get to the track. When you leave, you'll walk past a bunch of stuck traffic, and be on the highway within minutes of getting in the car.

For other events, this info is invalid, it's too easy to either park in a track lot, or even find free, on street parking.