SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Indy 500 drivers Will Power and Josef Newgarden made their way around Speedway Wednesday afternoon.
The annual Spectacle of Homes winners got a chance to meet the stars of Sunday right on their front porch, while the drivers got a chance to check out those houses that are decked out in Indy 500 decorations.
“I try not to put anything out prior to May 1, because I don’t want people stealing my ideas you know,” laughed Tracy Thompson, the homeowner who got a visit from Will Power. “If you saw my backyard, my back alley bar, you would think this lady is crazy.”
The tradition gives fans an up close and personal experience with the drivers, but the racers themselves say it’s a welcome break from training at the track.
“It’s a long grueling two weeks,” said Will Power. “I always like to meet people who are big supporters of the sport.”
Thompson has been decorating her home for the past three years. Each year she adds a new piece. Even her backyard has a bar dedicated to racing.
“Oh gosh I could, bust this out in a couple of hours,” joked Thompson.
“It’s really cool that it is right in suburbia,” said Power., “I lived here for five years and really loved the place. I’d move back here.”
Power says the decorations and the small town feel of Speedway remind him of his home in Australia.