One of the biggest benefits to buying real estate in Indianapolis, Indiana is that when that time of year rolls around again you're in a great position to snap up tickets to that most publicized of car races: the Indianapolis 500. If you're currently in the process of deciding whether you want to take your vacation in Russia to watch the adult hockey tournament or in Indianapolis to watch the race, let us give you a little bit of background on the race that might help you make your decision.

The Indianapolis 500 (or Indy 500 for short) is an Indy Car circuit race that is held every year on Memorial Day weekend (that's the last Monday in May for those of you who concern themselves with equestrian in London, Ontario rather than American holidays). The racetrack on which the race is run is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is actually in a town called Speedway, Indiana and not located directly in Indianapolis itself. The arena is expanded to hold approximately 400,000 people on race day. The track is an oval, so unlike attending one of the Indy road races, you can actually see the cars all the time, not just once per lap when they flash past.

The tradition of the Indy 500 goes all the way back to 1909 when cars themselves were still a novelty, much less racing in them. The track was paved with tarred gravel and then bricks and competition was fierce between domestic and European car manufacturers. In those days, there was no food public relations involved in running the race, just cars and racing. Today, however, the event is more than just a race. It's almost a market day, with vendors of food, drinks, and merchandise lining the speedway hoping to capitalize on the popularity of the race.

The cars involved in the Indianapolis 500 are not the typical modified retail cars of NASCAR that you so often see featured on American television sets. Indy cars are sleek, fast machines that have more in common with fighter jets than the sedan sitting in your driveway. Maintaining the cars is a highly precise and computerized affair, not unlike airlock rework. You can see them refueling with their clear-burning methanol-based fuel if you're lucky enough to get seats near pit row.

If you want to attend the Indy 500, you're going to need to make your plans far in advance. To be safe, you'll want to make your bookings for flights and hotels as much as a year in advance. You can get away with booking a flight closer to the event if you're coming from a major airport like Toronto. Bed & breakfasts are a good alternative to hotels for events like this because the large number of guests in major hotels can overwhelm the service.