For 2022 I was able to return to the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational, one of my favorite events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. An added bonus was the Vintage Ten Thousand Road Rally, put on by the folks at Artomobilia, which included a short drive from Carmel, IN to the track, admission to the track, plus a chance to drive a lap around the IMS road course.
One of the highlights of this year’s event was the Ragtime Racers. A group of vintage race car enthusiasts that travel from event to event showcasing 1920 and earlier vintage race cars. I’ve always been a particular fan of older cars as more of their mechanical bit and pieces are out in the open and easy to see. That makes for some interesting photographs as well as interesting questions for the car owners about what exactly it is that you’re looking at (yes, at the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational you can can literally get “up close and personal” with both the cars and owners).
Plus, the Ragtime Racers take their per-1920s race cars out on the track. It’s great to see the drivers, wind blowing their beards and mustaches, cranking on the steering wheel around the turns. Riding mechanics leaning into the turns to get that little bit extra speed. Modern cars don’t allow you to see much, if anything, of the driver. These vintage racers are literally catching bugs in their teeth going around the track. Fantastic!
If you have never been to the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational, I would highly encourage you to check it out in 2023.