It was eerie yet comforting to be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday. There were a couple of groups tailgating in the new parking lot on the northwest corner of 16th and Georgetown. The facility, of course, was locked. The sign above was attached to the fence at gate 1.

I have been at the Speedway many times when there was no track activity to go to the museum or just hang out. I never thought I would see the track quiet in May.  It just feels wrong. The Speedway is preparing for welcoming fans and taking as many precautions as they can. It has only been a few years since security checks began and we have adapted to that. This is just one more layer to get used to. I hope this one is just temporary.

Definitive lines  have been created at the entry gates with designated spots six feet apart. This is probably similar to what each gate will look like.

 

I went over to Main Street. There were a few more signs of life there than when I visited a week ago. I plan to make a couple trips to the track next weekend as well.

Amid the silence and weirdness of the empty tack and grounds on a weekend when it should have have been buzzing with activity, the sign over Gate 2 offered some promise of better days ahead.