Weekend in Indianapolis - What to do?

[Werner]

Hi there,

I'll be working in Detroit the next 2 weeks and plan to go to Indianapolis from there to see the track and the Hall of Fame museum on the last weekend in Oct.

Anything else worth visiting while being there on a weekend?

Cheers

Werner

[Chris24]

Probably best to ask Fax as he is a regular visitor to Indy.

You could always try to get to a Detroit Red Wings NHL Hockey game whilst you are in Detroit. Upcoming home games are as follows

Sat 23rd - Anaheim Ducks 7 pm
Thur 28th - Phoenix Coyotes  7.30 pm
Sat 30th - Nashville Predators 7 pm
Mon 8th Nov - Phoenix Coyotes 7.30 pm

Sure you would have a great evening at the Joe Louis Arena,  600 Civic Center Drive, Detroit

Not that i would be jealous or anything. 

There is also alot of short track ovals in the Indy area , there may be some racing on at one or two of them that weekend. I will ask my mate who has a better idea on those those tracks than me.

[nopanic - neil]

Not been to the Indy track, but have been to Ford's plalce at

http://www.thehenryford.org/visit/index.aspx  or see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Henry_Ford

http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/visit.php

went there over 10 years ago, but seem to remember was good, lots to see and only have to see what u want.


If your going over the last weekend of October, then what you may be amazed at is how much the Americans celebrate Halloween.

Oh yea, wrap up warm, it can be a bit cold there already

Have fun.

[Werner]

Hi Neil,

thanks for this - I did the Henry Ford Museum 4 weeks ago on my last stay in Detroit - and found a nice car there ... the 1967 Le Mans winning Ford. On the description they claim that the dent in the roof was only there to accomodate the tall driver Dan Gurney 

I'll be in Indy on 30/31st Oct

Cheers

Werner

[Canada Phil]

Hi Werner
             The Speedway  museum is good and there is an interesting Resturant close to the track with a Mini on a pole. Has all sorts of race related stuff on the walls. I will try and find the name for you.
 If driving from Detroit you will pass Auburn which has a fabulous museum.
1 hour time difference between Michigan and Indiana.
How long is your project? Toronto is about 4 1/2 hours from Detroit.
Phil

[Boorish Grobian]

Hi Werner,
Of course IMS its museum are essential, make sure you take the track tour, and go upstairs to the speedway photo studio, its fantastic, spend an hour or so just going through the photo archives.  The museum displays were terrific last time I was in there a couple of month's ago.  Clark's '65 winner is in a Lotus corner with his 1963 car and Graham Hill's 1968 turbine.  A re-creation of a Gasoline Alley garage circa late fifties-early sixties, including Foyt's 1961 winner in the stall is very nice.  NASCAR stock cars and Moto GP bikes are also on display these days (Tony Stewart's first Brickyard winner, straight from victory Lane to the museum, bugs, tire debris, and windshield tear-offs still in place.  Kevin Schwantz's 1993 500cc title winning Lucky Strike Suzuki).  And of course Rudolf Caracciola's entire trophy collection is still a conerstone of the collection
Do lunch at Charlie Brown's near the speedway,  a complete dive, but you'll likely run into a Bettenhausen or Andretti in there having runny eggs or pancakes, and for dinner do St.Elmo's Steakhouse downtown, annually rated one of the best steakhouses in the US.  Not sure if the Colts are in town when your there, but a NFL game in Indy (the Colts) or Detroit (the Lions) is well worth the effort
Agreed with Chris, in Detroit?  Catch the Red Wings at "The Lou" if at all possible,  My wife, Kirsten (who many of you have met)  is a Detroit native (she eats sleeps & breathes Red Wings Hockey, we see them several times a year in Detroit and Columbus)), and her family all still live up there, I'll ask them for some must-see's for you.  But yes, the Ford museum is one one of them.
Fax

[Werner]

How long is your project? Toronto is about 4 1/2 hours from Detroit.
Phil

Hi Phil,

this time I'm staying 2 weeks - until 5th Nov. But I will most likely be back for another 2 weeks stint before the end of the year. Do you live in Toronto?

[Werner]

Hi Werner,
Of course IMS its museum are essential, make sure you take the track tour, and go upstairs to the speedway photo studio, its fantastic, spend an hour or so just going through the photo archives.  The museum displays were terrific last time I was in there a couple of month's ago.  Clark's '65 winner is in a Lotus corner with his 1963 car and Graham Hill's 1968 turbine.  A re-creation of a Gasoline Alley garage circa late fifties-early sixties, including Foyt's 1961 winner in the stall is very nice.  NASCAR stock cars and Moto GP bikes are also on display these days (Tony Stewart's first Brickyard winner, straight from victory Lane to the museum, bugs, tire debris, and windshield tear-offs still in place.  Kevin Schwantz's 1993 500cc title winning Lucky Strike Suzuki).  And of course Rudolf Caracciola's entire trophy collection is still a conerstone of the collection
Do lunch at Charlie Brown's near the speedway,  a complete dive, but you'll likely run into a Bettenhausen or Andretti in there having runny eggs or pancakes, and for dinner do St.Elmo's Steakhouse downtown, annually rated one of the best steakhouses in the US.  Not sure if the Colts are in town when your there, but a NFL game in Indy (the Colts) or Detroit (the Lions) is well worth the effort
Agreed with Chris, in Detroit?  Catch the Red Wings at "The Lou" if at all possible,  My wife, Kirsten (who many of you have met)  is a Detroit native (she eats sleeps & breathes Red Wings Hockey, we see them several times a year in Detroit and Columbus)), and her family all still live up there, I'll ask them for some must-see's for you.  But yes, the Ford museum is one one of them.
Fax

Hi Fax,

thanks a lot - I'll follow your advice while in Indy - especially ST. Elmos Steakhouse sounds tempting

[Boorish Grobian]

Hi Werner, hope you enjoy your stay over here.  IMS is easy to find, its over on the west side of Indy, just north of the airport off I-465, take the Speedway-Crawfordsville Rd exit and follow it east toward the city, about two miles down the road, you'll run right into the intersection of 16th St and Georgtown Rd, and the main entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, pass through the tunnel under the short-chute between turns 1 & 2, and the Museum is right in front of you. Admission to the Hall of Fame & Museum is something like five dollars.  The standard track tour I think is bout Five or six dollars, and there's a more expensive "grounds tour", where they also take you back into Gasoline Alley, and up into the Pagoda tower, etc. they don't always have this one available, but definitely do it if they are offering it the day your there. The neighborhood around the speedway (appropriately enough named "Speedway") is old and very blue collar, not much else to see or do over there other than IMS (and some seedy nuddie bars), but Indy has a vibrant dowtown area, lots to do down in the city.  Detroit less so downtown, no major US city has been devasted in recent years by the econoimc recession more so than Motown, and its dowtown area is mostly a ghostown.  But Detroit still has some nice ethnic neighborhoods, like Greektown, and you can always go across the bridge to Windsor Canada, there's all sorts of silly trouble to get into there.
Fax

[Werner]

Hi Werner, hope you enjoy your stay over here.  IMS is easy to find, its over on the west side of Indy, just north of the airport off I-465, take the Speedway-Crawfordsville Rd exit and follow it east toward the city, about two miles down the road, you'll run right into the intersection of 16th St and Georgtown Rd, and the main entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, pass through the tunnel under the short-shoot between turns 1 & 2, and the Museum is right in front of you. Admission to the Hall of Fame & Museum is something like five dollars.  The standard track tour I think is bout Five or six dollars, and there's a more expensive "grounds tour", where they also take you back into Gasoline Alley, and up into the Pagoda tower, etc. they don't always have this one available, but definitely do it if they are offering it the day your there. The neighborhood around the speedway (appropriately enough named "Speedway") is old and very blue collar, not much else to see or do over there other than IMS (and some seedy nuddie bars), but Indy has a vibrant dowtown area, lots to do down in the city.  Detroit less so downtown, no major US city has been devasted in recent years by the econoimc recession more so than Motown, and its dowtown area is mostly a ghostown.  But Detroit still has some nice ethnic neighborhoods, like Greektown, and you can always go across the bridge to Windsor Canada, there's all sorts of silly trouble to get into there.
Fax

Hi Fax,

yes, I share your point of view about Detroit - 4 weeks ago I was teher for the first time and downtown is really a ghost town. I found the Greek Town but didn't make my way across to Windsor yet.
In case I get bored in Indy I'll settle for the "seedy nuddie bars"
BTW: I plan to go from Detroit to Indy by car - I'll try to rent a Corvette for the weekend so I'll arrive in Indianapolis in style

Cheers

Werner

[Canada Phil]

Hi Werner,
              The bar with a Mini on a pole. Union Jack Pub 6225 West 25th Street Speedway Indiana.;
It is West of the track close to Interstate 465 (the ring road)
On your way i suggest a visit to http://www.welcome.to/acd.museum  in Auburn Indiana.
Phil
       

[chop456]

If you happen to see Tony George, please punch him in the teeth.

Thanks in advance.

[nickliv]

Twice

[Boorish Grobian]

Trust me guys, when we were at the Bricktard 400, and down in the pitlane before the start. I was looking for him to give him a pop in the chompers.  Would've been worth getting arrested for.
I should mention there's some nice Le Mans stuff in the museum as well, the 1965 winning Rindt-Gregory Ferrari is in residence, as is the 1979 Klaus Ludwig-Wittington brothers winning Kremer Porsche 935.  The '66 winning Mclaren-Amon GT40 was there for many years but is now gone, as is the 1987 Stuck, Bell and Holbert winning Porsche 962, which was there for several years as well.  I suspect they have both gone to their respective homes in Dearborn and Stuttgart.
Fax

[Werner]

...1979 Klaus Ludwig-Wittington brothers winning Kremer Porsche 935. 

Great, a car from my hometwon and my favourite team for which I cheered many years at Le Mans. I look forward to see it

No Corvette available for rent at Detroit Airport today, so a Dodge Charger will need to do it for the trip to Indy. Good Stereo in there...