IMS Fan Fest rolls through Bloomington 40 days before Indy 500

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The greatest spectacle in racing is just weeks away, and fans across the Hoosier State are already revving their engines.

The spirit of the speedway rolled into Bloomington on Tuesday, giving IU students and local families a taste of racing tradition right in the heart of town, complete with cars, pit stop demonstrations, and of course, the iconic Borg-Warner trophy.

“I walked by, and I thought it was really cool and now it makes me kind of want to go,” said IU student Nolan Herron.

“This helps get our local Bloomingtonians and our students get really hyped for the race,” said Mayor Kerry Thomson. “I think the more Hoosier pride we can have as a state, the better.”

The idea is by bringing a bit of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to communities across Indiana leading up to the 500, a new generation of fans may fall in love with racing and all the traditions that come with it.

“Seeing the trophy, I know the milk bottles are big here too,” said Matthew Janis, an IU student from New York. “Seeing that in person is really exciting.”

“When you bring some music and some activity, it’s a great way to have some really good conversations tonight with young folks who I hope go back and evangelize the Indy 500,” said IMS President Doug Boles.

Boles said race ticket sales are strong, up roughly 10,000 from this time last year. But to sell out the grandstands before race day this year and for many years to come, Boles said he’s got to find ways to keep fans of every age interested, and college students are a target demographic.

“One of the things we know works really well is music, and that’s why the Snake Pit is so important for us,” Boles said. “We’ll get 25,000 young adults under the age of 25 almost, who come race day and are there for the music. Our challenge is, we got them there, now how do you convert them to an Indy 500 fan?”

Even in just a few hours, Fan Fest seemed to be helping IndyCar attract new fans.

“Kind of brings us together as a campus as well, showing kids walking by that this is what Indiana’s all about,” said IU student Jake Lax.

There is one more Fan Fest opportunity this year before the 500. It’s happening on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis on May 1.