May 31, 2016 3 min read

It’s not officially summer yet, but it feels like it thanks to temperatures in the 80s and the observance of Memorial Day. The long weekend lets us honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It’s also my favorite weekend of the year because of the Indianapolis 500. This year marked the 100th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and my 15th year in attendance. Indy has been a tradition in our family and that of our friends for more than 50 years. It began with a group of guys going out for time trials and then again for race weekend and evolved into an annual road trip for family and friends.

As a kid, I listened to the great Jim McKay narrate qualifying, knowing my dad and his buddies were there watching Foyt, Rutherford, Unser and Andretti compete for the pole. Back then, we had to wait for a tape-delay broadcast of the race to air at night. Janet Guthrie made history as the first woman to race at Indy in 1977, forcing a change to the traditional call of, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” Danny Sullivan thrilled with his “spin and win” in 1985, and Arie Luyendyk set a track speed record of 237.498 mph in 1996.

Over the years, I’ve cheered for Rick Mears and Emerson Fittipaldi, but my all-time favorite is Helio Castroneves. We were both rookies when he won in 2001 (him as a driver and me as a spectator). I saw him win again the next year and climb the fence after his third win in 2009, and I agonized right along with him as he nearly won a fourth Indy two years ago. This year, it was heartbreak again as he was running up front but got hit from behind toward the end of the race.

The Andrettis know a thing or two about heartbreak at Indy. Although Michael has won several titles as a car owner (including this year), he never won Indy as a driver. His father, Mario, won only once. Grandson Marco said, “I believe this place chooses the winner.” How else could you explain this year’s mayhem in the final five laps, with drivers dashing into the pits for a splash of fuel to make it to the famed Yard of Bricks? Alexander Rossi came out on top as the first rookie to take the checkered flag since Helio in 2001.

Indy is steeped in tradition on the track and in the stands, with generations of families attending together. This year, our hearts were full of love for this event and sadness that some loved ones who enjoyed the race for so many years were no longer there with us. I hope to see many more exciting races and maybe be lucky enough to watch Indy finally choose an Andretti or see Castroneves become a four-time champion.

Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.