NASCAR in Indy: It's All About Respect

Most people you ask don't believe in magic. I do, because I've seen it. Where at you ask? You can find it at 4790 West 16th Street in Speedway, IN.

On March 15, 1909, construction began on a project that would later become the greatest race track in the world. It made it through the Wars in the 1940's and was cleaned up after being abandoned for four years.

When you walk through Gasoline Alley, you hear whispers of names like Foyt, Unser, Mears, and now Castroneves. These names race through your mind as you take each careful step across the bricks.

Growing up around the track my entire life, I have come to realize that this track is truly something remarkable. Not everyone gets to experience these kind of things, even though the track can host almost a half-million people for a race.

I love to meet new people at the races, especially those who are visiting for the very first time. You can almost relive the experience they are having through your own mind.

The fact is, there is no greater feeling than walking around the track at 5 in the morning on race day. Everything is eerily quiet, and peaceful.

When the idea of racing stock cars at Indy came about, there were many naysayers lined up ready to tell us why it's a bad idea. Without giving it a chance, many people were against the idea.

The fact is, besides the Goodyear tired debacle last year, the race has been a success. The race may not be as fast paced as the Indy 500 or have the same side by side racing, but the drama is there.

Any race car driver will tell you if they could win one race in their life, they would want it to be here. While Daytona is rich in recent history, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is celebrating 100 years of history, which spans all over the globe.

What is really great about this is that the NASCAR drivers, crew cheifs, teams, and mechanics all respect the track and it's glorious history. The museum inside is a constant reminder of how special of a place this is.

Everyone respects the track when they come here, and everyone at the track appreciates that. The respect goes all the way around, full circle, or in this case, a rectangle.