Postponed Indy 500 puts short-track drivers in spotlight

GAS CITY, IND. — The roaring engines and flying dirt pellets briefly brought Gas City I-69 Speedway back to life Sunday. It wasn’t the same.

The grandstands were empty. Track organizers only allowed a few crew members per team to comply with Indiana’s social gatherings limit. Gabe Wilkins even brought a car with the freshly painted word “covid” next to his No. 19.

And despite being on centre stage with nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway still silent, everyone sensed something was missing. Seventy-five miles away, the Indianapolis 500 was devoid of a crowd, the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana,” even A.J. Foyt on its traditional race day.

“I went to my first Indianapolis 500 in 1969, and I love the 500,” track promoter Jerry Gappens said. “So it sure hasn’t felt like Memorial Day weekend. We’re not the Indianapolis 500 but at least we have racing and that’s a good sign.”

Dirt tracks, like this one in northeastern Indiana, have served as the lifeblood of automobile racing for decades. Some of the sports biggest stars began their careers at places like Gas City, rolling cars off haulers and working with family members in parking lots to solve problems.

Now, with the sports world revving up again, these sorts of venues could become a central component in establishing how to put fans back in the stands.

Leisure sports are leading the way with golf courses rapidly reopening, celebrity foursomes becoming all the rage and outdoors sports such as fishing, hiking and cycling surging in popularity as state’s relax stayat-home orders.

One reason people flock to those sports today is that social distancing can be more easily achieved in non-contact outdoor sports.

But as Americans look for additional options to get out of their homes amid the global pandemic, automobile racing offers a unique position because spacious speedways can get fans into the track while keeping them spread apart.

The already strict safety requirements in place for teams helped NASCAR return to action last week and three Cup races already have been run, all without fans. IndyCar plans to open its season June 6 at Texas, also without fans.

If the state’s five-stage plan proceeds as hoped, Indy could host the first major events in front of crowds — three races including the Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 4-5.

It would be a stark contrast to Sunday when five IndyCar drivers biked around the 2.5-mile oval.

Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Marcus Ericsson and Felix Rosenqvist, both of Sweden, took it a step further by waking up early and cycling 20 miles to speedway on a warm, sunny, quiet morning without much traffic. Ericsson enjoys cycling so much he rides three times a week and made a four-hour jaunt Friday, the day Indy usually holds its final practice. He’d rather be doing his job. “It’s strange, especially when the weather is perfect. It’s a perfect day for the 500,” Ericsson said. “It’s sad in a way, but it’s still nice to be here.”

He expects to return for IndyCar’s July 4 race on Indy’s road course and definitely plans to be back for the rescheduled 500 on Aug. 23.

But until the fans return, nothing’s going to feel normal.

“I guess you can run the scenarios though your mind but until you run through that situation (without fans) you don’t know,” Bishop said.

“The thrill of victory is to hear the hoots and hollers and boos from the fans.”