The Indy 500

Auteur

Ray Hartjen is a writer, musician, and songwriter living in Southern California. In a professional career spanning five decades, Ray has pivoted on many occasions, from investment banking to pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics to SaaS software. One constant throughout his career, however, has been storytelling.

Ray is a frequent source of quotes for the national media on both the consumer electronics and retail industries, and he has spun his fair share of yarn as a contributor to many online outlets, on topics ranging from sports—particularly hockey, racing, and football—to sales and marketing. He also regularly writes on his site, rayhartjen.com. Ray’s previous books include Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma and Immaculate: How the Steelers Saved Pittsburgh, both published by Morgan James Publishing.

Texte du rabat

The Indy 500 chronicles the tradition, pageantry, and on-track danger of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Not only is it the biggest auto race in the world, but with over 350,000 spectators, the Indianapolis 500 is annually the largest single-day sporting event in the world.

Interrupted only by world wars, the Indy 500 has been a Memorial Day tradition since 1911, and race car drivers from around the world flock to test themselves and their cars against the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and their fellow competitors.

But first they must qualify for the thirty-three-car starting field.

The Indy 500 chronicles the 108th Indy 500 in 2024—the key players and events of a year-long journey, from the last laps of the 2023 race won in thrilling fashion by Josef Newgarden to the checkered flag at the end of the 2024 race. With thirty-four cars entered for just thirty-three spots, it delves into the drivers’ and race teams’ quest for speed leading up to qualification and highlights the challenges faced by both highly funded race teams and upstart longshots.

Once the race begins, so does its lap-by-lap danger and drama. Any small mistake, either on the track or in the pits, could not only end a driver’s race but could also result in a tragic on-track crash. The 2023 Indy 500 ended with a last-lap overtake for victory. Would 2024 see a repeat?

The Indy 500 is a collection of stories from the 2024 Indy 500, and while the characters might change, the thrilling storylines and themes persist year after year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.