While most of my peers were excited for the start of May simply because it means we are almost out of school, I am excited for this month for a completely different reason. May in the state of Indiana is a very special time. May is the month of all things racing. A time where people from all over Indiana, and all over the United States for that matter, come together to witness the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. That’s right. The countdown to the Indianapolis 500 can now begin.

If you’ve never been, you should strongly consider attending this year. I know you may think that you won’t like racing, but race day is about so much more than cars. There are around 300,000 people in attendance every year which makes for some great people watching. You’ll see people in American flag speedos and cowboy hats as drunk as can be. The people you will meet at the race are unreal. My family has had tickets in between the third and fourth turn for my entire life, so we have gotten to know the people who sit around us really well. Wherever you sit you will end up learning about everyone else’s lives and making some new friends in the process.

If people watching isn’t of interest to you, then maybe the food will convince you. It's basically fair food on steroids. Gigantic tenderloins, foot long corn dogs, and frozen lemonade are a few of my favorites. There is also endless beers sold, ice cream, burgers, and the list goes on. It is so delicious and totally worth ruining your diet over.

There is absolutely nothing like hearing the roar of the engines as the race begins and rooting for your favorite driver. If you don’t know anything about racing, don’t worry, you can always just choose the prettiest car. I know 500 miles sounds like a lot, but it goes by so fast and before you know it the race is over. I get that it sounds boring at first, but don’t forget there are bound to be a few crashes. It is absolutely wild to see some of the massive crashes that happen every year with cars colliding into one another, catching on fire, and overall causing a scene.

Still doesn’t seem like something you would enjoy? Maybe the Snake Pit is more your speed. The Snake Pit is a concert that occurs within the race track during the race. So while thousands of people watch the race you could attend a concert featuring Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Deadmau5, Diplo and GRiZ. The Snake Pit is known for being an absolute blast and a totally crazy experience.

If you always attend Race Day, consider attending some of the other events throughout the month of May. Below are the official events that will be happening:

May 11: INDYCAR Grand Prix Practice & Qualifying
May 12: INDYCAR Grand Prix
May 13-14: Gates Closed
May 15: Indianapolis 500 Practice
May 16: Indianapolis 500 Practice
May 17: Indianapolis 500 Practice
May 18: Indianapolis 500 Fast Friday
May 19: Indianapolis 500 Qualifying
May 20: Indianapolis 500 Qualifying
May 21: Indianapolis 500 Practice
May 22-24: Gates Closed
May 25: Carb Day
May 26: Legends Day
May 27: 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500

Some of these events are much more low-key and could be a better suit for you. Regardless if you attend one day, every day, or just watch from home, don’t let May pass you by without getting in the racing spirit. To learn more about all the events going on, click here.