Indianapolis, IN
NASCAR Must Learn From Indianapolis Communications
The way the weather delays at the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 were handled this past Sunday (May 26) were night and day from each other, and it revealed an area where NASCAR can heavily improve.
As a media member who was there, I can tell you firsthand that the folks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar did an excellent job in keeping us briefed on the situation and what their plans were. They were proactive.
At 6 a.m., IMS President Doug Boles held a press conference. That’s right, I said at 6 in the morning! I’ve never seen a press conference so early, but it was necessary.
All the media and a lot of fans get to the Indy 500 well before 6 a.m., so it made sense to do it at that time. And we all knew from looking at the forecast that weather was going to impact the race in some capacity, so there needed to be a game plan.
Boles was transparent in the presser, and he told us they’d keep us posted on what was going on. Keep in mind this was over five hours before the first lightning delay or rain drop.
The next update from Boles came a little before 11 a.m., a little over an hour and a half before the Indy 500’s scheduled start time. This time he said they would make a decision at 11:15 a.m. on whether to go ahead with the opening ceremonies or delay them and tell fans to seek shelter. He said they were going to be far more cautious than the typical eight-mile lightning radius used at sporting events, because the very old IMS has limited spots to find shelter.
I’m not sure about the first Boles press conference, but Frontstretch‘s Tom Blackburn said that local TV station WTHR and radio station WFNI aired the second presser live. Other stations could’ve as well, but we don’t know if they did or not.
Boles and the IndyCar team even broke news during his second presser, revealing that Kyle Larson was sticking around to run the race despite the delay.
Right on time, at 11:15, the numerous video boards around IMS showed the lightning delay message. After a four-hour delay, the weather was gone, the track was dry and the race started, going the full distance.
Over at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR did not communicate half as well. Frontstretch‘s Stephen Stumpf was there and told me that there were no proactive updates from NASCAR or the folks at Speedway Motorsports, owners of CMS. He said the vibe in the media center was very much that they would resume racing once the track was dry.
Obviously, the track did not dry like anyone thought it would due to the humidity. But that information was not relayed until the race was abruptly called after two hours of track drying.
Justin Allgaier was brought into the media center to do a press conference during the delay, and he was talking about how excited he was to see Larson take over the No. 5 car once the race resumed.
Then, a few media folks heard rumblings the race wasn’t resuming and the rest of the media had to find out from overhearing gossip. About 10 minutes after the Allgaier presser, it was announced that the race was over.
Stumpf, who wasn’t in the media center at the time, gathered the race was over from seeing victory lane being set up. NASCAR didn’t even do a good job communicating to Christopher Bell that he had won the race, as he found out during his interview with FOX’s Mike Joy.
And you wonder why the sold-out Charlotte crowd was angry to the point of almost causing a riot. NASCAR or Charlotte needed someone like Boles in Indy there to give updates. We needed to hear, “Our track-drying efforts aren’t doing much, and if we’re not able to see progress by (insert time), we’ll have to end the race.”
I’m not asking for much, just some better communication and more transparency on the NASCAR side. If fans and media got that, they would be much more understanding of the tough decisions they’re forced to make.
It really feels like NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports dropped the ball in Charlotte, and they should look at what IMS did as a blueprint going forward if they’re going to improve in their communications.
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We have had an active Tuesday that started as early as before sunrise. Then, showers and storms rolled in through the afternoon hours.
We will continue to see some storms over the next day before we briefly return to pleasant weather.
Tuesday night: Additional activity may fire off and slowly move into central Indiana tonight. There does remain a lower risk for severe storms with damaging winds being the primary concerns.
Due to slower moving rain and storms from Tuesday morning-afternoon, we will also have to monitor the potential for some flooding.
Lows will only fall into the low 70s.
Wednesday: Expect on and off showers and storms for Wednesday. There will be concerns for some flooding along with a low threat for severe storms.
This severe risk is south of Indy, and the primary hazards will be wind and some hail.
Highs look to be a little cooler with numbers in the low 80s. It will be a bit humid as well.
Thursday: Pleasant conditions are set to return Thursday with lots of sunshine and less humid air. Highs will be near normal in the low to mid 80s.
8-Day Forecast: It won’t take long for the heat to return going into the final weekend of June. Friday will see highs push into the mid 80s with the muggy meter turning back up. Saturday looks to be a hot and muggy day with highs nearing 90. A few showers and storms will be possible late Friday with better storm chances Saturday. It is too soon to tell if we’ll have a severe threat Saturday. Temperatures turn back closer to normal going into the start of July next Monday.
The family of the late Indiana broadcaster and community activist Amos C. Brown, III is proud to announce the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards. This prestigious event will honor six outstanding individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the media landscape and the community fabric of Indianapolis.
The honorees for the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards are:
CHANGE MAKER: Tina Cosby, Host of Community Connection and Community Public Affairs Director, Radio One Indianapolis
VISIONARY: DuJuan McCoy, Founder/Owner, Circle City Broadcasting
INNOVATOR: Shannon Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, The Mind Trust
TRAILBLAZER: Rafael Sanchez, Multimedia Journalist and Voice of the Indianapolis Airport
LEGEND: Derrik Thomas, Broadcaster and Member, Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame
ICON: Barbara Boyd, Journalist, Member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Philanthropist, Socialite, and Community Advocate
These remarkable individuals will be honored during a special presentation on Wednesday, June 26th, at the Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Hirons Agency, located at 422 E. New York Street, Indianapolis, Indiana from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Esteemed Radio One Indianapolis personalities Tony Lamont and Karen Vaughn will serve as the masters of ceremonies for the evening.
“We are thrilled to recognize these incredible individuals whose dedication and contributions have left a lasting imprint on our community,” said a family spokesperson. “Their achievements not only honor the legacy of our beloved Amos but also inspire future generations to continue making impactful contributions to our society.”
The Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser and Legacy Awards aim to celebrate and perpetuate the spirit of community service and excellence in media championed by Amos C. Brown, III.
For more information about the inaugural honorees and event details, please visit Amos C. Brown Legacy Awards.
Indianapolis, IN
Looking to watch the fireworks this Fourth of July? Here’s where you should go in Indy
More than 10 sites around Indianapolis will set off fireworks to celebrate this Fourth of July and many of them are accompanied by festivals. The holiday falls on a Thursday, so some events span several days into the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:
Indianapolis Fourth of July fireworks and festivals
July 4, Downtown Indy: Indy’s Downtown Freedom Fest will have a 20-minute fireworks show that can best be viewed from the Indiana War Memorial grounds and the American Legion Mall. The street festival will have live performances and food trucks and starts at 6 p.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. The festival takes place on North Street between Meridian Street and Pennsylvania Street.
July 3, Broad Ripple: The White River Yacht Club will perform the Meredith Smith Memorial Fireworks Show over the White River. While the club hasn’t announced this year’s launch times, in 2023, the fireworks show started at 9 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hamilton and Boone Counties
July 3 – 4, Carmel: CarmelFest ends with a 30-minute fireworks culminating in a fireworks display launched from the Carmel Ice Skadium at 9:45 p.m. on July 4. The festival is two days long, starting July 3. On the 3rd, the hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on the 4th noon to 10 p.m.. The festival will have a beer garden, a talent show, live performances, caricature artists and food trucks.
July 4, Fishers: Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Cyntheanne Park and the Geist Reservoir. They can be seen from Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate & Jr. High School and on the water.
July 4, Noblesville: Fireworks start at 10 p.m. and can be viewed from Federal Hill Commons or Forest Park. A Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks Festival will kickoff with a parade at 4 p.m. followed by the festival in Forest Park from 6 to 10 p.m. The 2023 festival had inflatable bounce houses, bungee jumping, a rock wall, ax throwing and a beer garden.
July 4, Westfield: Fireworks will start at 10 p.m., following a festival at Grand Park Sports Campus. The festival will have live music and games and goes from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
July 4, Zionsville: A Fourth of July celebration will be held at Lions Park starting at 5 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m.. There will be children’s bounce houses, games and festival food for sale. Miss Indiana and Miss Teen Indiana will sing the national anthem at 7 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hendricks County
July 3, Avon: The town of Avon’s Night at the Park starts with food trucks, a petting zoo, a concert and pony rides, and ends with a fireworks display. The free event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Avon Town Hall Park.
July 4, Brownsburg: Brownsburg’s July Fourth 2024 Extravaganza will begin at 7:30 at the Town Hall Green. There will be a performance from the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra. A parade through town will begin at 10 a.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m..
June 29 to July 4: Poor Jack’s Carnival will be at Arbuckle Acres Park from 6 to 11 p.m. each night. Carnival wristbands are $25, but the rest of the festival, which includes yard games and food trucks, is free.
Family friendly entertainment
June 30-July 3, Conner Prairie, Fishers: The focus of the Star-Spangled Symphony at Conner Prairie is the music, but the finale will be accompanied by fireworks for these four. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at indianapolissymphony.org.
July 4, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Independence Day Social: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the home of America’s Hoosier President will have free first-floor tours and patriotic activities. There will be live jazz music, balloon artists, crafts and visiting animals from Indianapolis Care Services. Hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn will be available. The event is free but registration at bhpsite.org is required.
July 4, Indianapolis Indians vs. Louisville Bats: Tickets are available for the 6:35 p.m. baseball game at ticketsonsale.com. The Indians will play at Victory Field and fireworks will follow the game.
Out to the bars
July 4, Metazoa Brewing Company 4th of July Party: Metazoa Brewing, 140 S. College Ave., will unveil their new beer at their free block party. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will have live music. The brewery is dog-friendly and the Downtown Indianapolis fireworks will be visible.
July 6, Red, White and Brew Bar Crawl: For $25, crawlers can dress up in red, white and blue and explore multiple Indy bars. The event goes from 4 to 6 p.m. and starts at the Saint Shack, 250 S. Meridian St. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
July 5, Red White and Brew Party: Hosted by Howl at the Moon, 20 E. Georgia St., there will be dancing and deals on drinks all night to celebrate the Fourth. Howl at the Moon is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.Alex Haddon is a Pulliam Fellow. You can email her at AHaddon@gannett.com.
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