Making Friends at the Indy 500

This is the second of three posts about my incredible time at this year’s Indy 500. Last time I told you about my once in a lifetime experiences in the garages, down pit row and on the starting grid before the race.

Well, you can’t move in circles like that without bumping into a few stars on the way from place to place.

For a start there were all the wonderful people with whom I shared a campsite…

And this very friendly Speedway motorcycle police officer…

Some of the better known stars were there and gone before Rich could even get his camera; like team boss, Bobby Rahal, or Indy 500 drivers, Pippa Mann and Helio Castroneves…

Helio’s somewhere in this media blur

Others pretended they didn’t recognise me in the crowd…

Other duties prevented Patrick Dempsey from hanging out

I know you’ve spotted me, Townsend Bell!

Or made out they were busy with the business of racing (if you can believe it?!)…

Will Power ‘talking with his engineers’

I can see you too, Charlie Kimball!

The back of Team Boss Roger Penske’s head

Seriously though, I did actually meet some of the drivers…

Sebastien Bourdais seemed a bit bemused

Justin Wilson was kind enough to give me a ride in his golf cart

Former (and hopefully, future) Formula 1 driver Max Chilton was very cool
(Although those guys behind him look a bit dodgy)

Not to mention a few of their mascots on the grid…

Sebastien Bourdais mascot’s was less bemused than their driver

Graham Rahal’s mascots wanted to party

And as I revealed in my last post, the 2014 Indy 500 winner, Ryan Hunter-Reay, greeted us as he made his way to the grid. Now that was cool!!

“Hey, how’s it going?” Ryan Hunter-Reay asked us as walked to the grid

This post was inspired by the photo theme On the Way from Michelle (of the Daily Post) and Fun from Dale (of Spun With Tears).

Finally got that shot of Helio Castroneves

Rich gets his man… Who’s that celebrating with this year’s winner, Juan Pablo Montoya and his family?
Roger Penske, that’s who… and this time you can even see his face!

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