SPEEDWAY, Ind. — This May, there's no place more exciting to have as your own backyard, and every year, Speedway High School students play a key role in Indy 500's tradition.
The spotlight shines bright on the Indiana town.
"For me, I've lived in Speedway my whole life. I always go to my grandma's house for Race Day," said Andrew Dorton, drum major and senior at Speedway High School.
Students are located just over a mile away from the famed oval taking center stage around the world.
"I'm going to school, and I hear the race cars, and we come out here after school," said Maggie Endres, drum major and senior.
Speedway High School's marching band has been practicing for a performance of its own.
"Right now, we're marching around the neighborhoods, being as loud as we can, annoying everybody and hopefully getting better at the same time," Dorton said.
Every year, Speedway marches in the 500 Festival Parade. Endres said their annual performances are always a "rush feeling."
"It is quite an experience," said band director Amy Mohl. "The adrenaline rush from all the people that are downtown watching them seeing them perform. You can see it in their faces."
After the parade, students turn around and do it all over again on race morning, marching through Speedway to IMS.
"Just marching on the track the day of the race where all the race cars are going to be and the energy from all the fans — it's pretty intense," Mohl said.
Each year, the band escorts the Borg-Warner trophy across the starting line, alongside the Gordon Pipers and Purdue University. The pandemic forced the time-honored tradition to take a timeout.
"I'm super excited, especially this year, because we have been off the last two years because of COVID," Mohl said.
A front and center seat to Race Day doesn't get much better.
"All eyes are on us. You feel this sort of power, especially since we haven't done it since my freshman year," Endres said. "It's going to be nice to have that feeling one more time."
The band also wears the IMS wing and wheel logo on its uniforms. Thanks to the community, the school was able to buy brand new uniforms this year. Students will debut their black and white checkered uniforms during the AES 500 Festival Parade on Saturday.