Tradition or Show

Regular readers will know how much I love the Indy 500. From the pre-race ceremonies to the winners photo shoot, the Month of May is a highlight of the racing year for me.

I find it hard to describe my feelings on the morning of the race. Only the Daytona 500 creates the same level of tension, apprehension and excitement.

A huge part of what makes the Indy 500 so special is the tradition. The tradition of the venue, the Month of May, the show, the race.

The track may change, new road course, updated facilities but as a venue Indy holds on to its traditions, the Pagoda, the bricks.

The event may not take the whole of May any more but again the traditions are there, Carb Day, Bump Day and so on...

On race day, "Drivers to your cars", the baloons, Jim Nabors, great to see him back by the way, GSYE, all of the pre-race build up, the 3 by 3 rolling start, through to the winners milk...

The Indy 500 is steeped in tradition while also looking forward to who will become the next driver to win the great race.

It is with this appreciation for and love of the traditions that I internally debate the merits of finishing the race under yellow.

On one side you have the argument that 250, 000 fans at the track and millions more on TV have watched the most important and prestigious open wheel motor race in America only to see it end behind the pace car. The DW12 is so good at drafting and overtaking that a last lap move for the win is inevitable, and what a finish it would be. Who wouldn't like to see the 500 end with a photo finish to match this years Indy Lights race? If the race was run by NASCAR we would have three attempts at ending the race under green, three G-W-C's, so why doesn't the Indy 500 do something similar? More chance of a dramatic finish for the headlines and news bulletins.

The answer is simple... tradition!

This is not Daytona, this is Indianapolis and that's not how its done here.

The same traditions that dictate the winner drinks milk of all things also prevents such gimmicks from infecting the 500. What is so right for NASCAR is so wrong for the Indy 500. Note I said the Indy 500 not the Indycar Series, as you could argue G-W-C are a good idea at other Indycar oval races, but not at the 500, tradition says so!

I am genuinely split. Doing everything you can to end the race at racing speed would be good for TV and attract fans who watch NASCAR week in, week out. For a sport trying to reassert its place in the American imagination a dramatic finish to the most important race of the year would be just what the doctor ordered. Fans would love it, TV would love it, therefore sponsors would love it. However Indy is a place of tradition, and tradition says the race is 500 miles long regardless of what happens. Is it time for tradition to take a back seat to the show or do the traditions continue?

Having watched the last two Indy 500's end under yellow and having seen the excitement the Indy Lights race created maybe it is time for a new tradition.

However it is with the traditions of the Month of May in mind I congratulate the winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500, Tony Kanaan!