GAS CITY, Ind. – The roaring engines and flying dirt pellets briefly brought Gas City I-69 Speedway back to life Sunday.
It wasn't the same. The grandstands were empty. Track organizers only allowed a few crew members per team to comply with Indiana's social gatherings limit.
Gabe Wilkins even brought a car with the freshly painted word “covid" next to his No. 19. And despite being on center stage with nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway still silent, everyone sensed something was missing.
Seventy-five miles away, the Indianapolis 500 was devoid of a crowd, the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana," even A.J. Foyt on its traditional race day. “I went to my first Indianapolis 500 in 1969, and I love the 500," track promoter Jerry Gappens