Highs:
-Getting to meet people you'd only talked to on message boards, e-mails, IM and chat rooms. Years ago, before Classracer, there were two other boards (Marie's board, and Dale's board). Dale had a chatroom that many of us used to gather on nightly and talk from 1999 up til a few years ago. I made it to Indy in 2001 and was great to meet people from there from outside my area.
-Seeing cars in person that you'd only seen in pics or read about.
-Class Eliminations. Watching all the baddest of the bad bang heads at the same track, same time, and all the talk about "who did what elsewhere" was put to rest.
-Seven to eight days away from home, a vacation that may not have exactly been relaxing, but awesome nonetheless.
-Racer gatherings in racers trailers/parties/houses, hearing all the stories, truth, fiction, and flat out fibs (LOL).
Lows:
-None during the three years that I raced there (2002-03-04). Maybe seeing thr disapointment on friends faces after a DNQ or blown engine. The fact that Indy has become watered down over the past few years. The fact that a racer can win Class and not make the show, making a Class Win mean less. Class win money is almost non-existant (I won a hundred bucks each of my three years, and might even be less now).
The best high of all, for me: Winning Class at Indy.
"Entry Fee: $300.
Crew Pass: $85 each
Motel Bill for the week: $600
Two propane tanks for the grill to cook for a week: $20
Fuel used to tow to Indy, be there and back: $250-$300
Getting the Wally for Winning Class at Indy:
PRICELESS!
(* = money as of 2002 through 2004 prices.)