Roadtrip: Indy 500 Preview

Memorial Day weekend means Indy. To people around LA, that's one daring archaeologist. To the rest of America, it's 33 daring drivers.

The Indianapolis 500 starts at 10 a.m. (Pacific) this morning in the world's largest spectator sporting facility. With over 250,000 seats, the track has almost triple the capacity of the Coliseum or Rose Bowl. Expectations are high this weekend thanks to the unification of two rival auto racing series. LA Times columnist Bill Dwyre calls it "the first real running of the Indianapolis 500 in 12 years."

This Angelino decided to check one off the bucket list and sojourn to the Brickyard. Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Calabasas anymore. Wheatgrass? Pinkberry? Pilates? Ha. A real Indy experience means camping on the grass, downing a few corndogs, and racing go carts.

I'll be sharing more about the roadtrip once the checkered flag waves. Until then, flip on ABC (channel 7 is KABC-Los Angeles) at 9 a.m. Pacific for the Pre-Race show. An hour later, Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, and fan favorite Danica Patrick will see the green flag.

For more on the race's top story lines, check out Dwyre's column on Roger Penske's quest for win #300 and the Skip Myslenski's profile of Danica Patrick. Lonnie White has your Vegas odds.