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Rain Ruins Another Practice Day At Indy

SPEEDWAY, IN:SPEEDWAY, IN: An all-day rain washed out practice Monday for the 2010 Indianapolis 500, the first Indianapolis 500 practice day to be completely rained out since Thursday, May 8, 2008.

Rain fell steadily on the Speedway throughout this morning, and IZOD IndyCar Series officials canceled the day’s track activities at 2:30 p.m.

The last Indianapolis 500 practice day to be completely rained out was Thursday, May 8, 2008.

A total of 42 cars are currently at the Speedway, and 36 have passed technical inspection. Thirty-six drivers have been on the track to date and have turned 1,972 laps this month. There was one caution for a total of two hours, 35 minutes today.

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):

8 a.m.
Garages open

Noon-6 p.m.
Indianapolis 500 practice

Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Tuesday calls for a 40% chance of…you guessed it…rain. The good news: at this point, both Wednesday and Thursday are looking pretty good.

Even the recent rains couldn’t dampen the spirits of an old friend as a venerable voice returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tom Carnegie, 90, was the track’s lead public address announcer from 1946 to 2006. He visited Indianapolis 500 practice sessions on Saturday and Sunday and called the overcast conditions “typically cold, half-raining.”

The experience brought to mind timeless memories.

“I have sat through many cold, rainy days throughout the years,” he said. “That’s just part of it. And when you have the chance to pause and sit in the rain, your mind goes back to days out here, and it is just a thrill to be here.”

Carnegie said he would try to visit the track as often as possible throughout the month. He wants to rekindle relationships with familiar faces.

“I have seen many old friends,” he said. “And as long as I don’t have difficulty remembering who they are, I’m in pretty good shape.”

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