INDIANAPOLIS — The month of May in Indianapolis is full of traditions leading up to the Indianapolis 500.
From on-track activity to the AES 500 Festival Parade downtown and the celebration that precedes the green flag on Race Day, few events celebrate as much tradition as the Indy 500.
While the 500 isn't immune to the wave of sports wagering that has emerged in recent years, one time-honored Indy 500 tradition marches on.
From fans at the track to those celebrating at home, picking a driver to win the race adds another layer of excitement to the 500.
A popular way to choose your winner is by having members of your race party pick drivers' names out of a hat, with or without a friendly wager attached. We've created this printable starting grid for this year's race to help you get started.
The size of your gathering determines how you pick names, whether every race fan draws a single driver, or if you get more than one. Oftentimes, everyone who picks a name pays an "entry fee," which is paid out to the person who picked the winning driver.
(Some fans will give the whole payout to the person with the winner, others will give a little something to the person who picked the last place driver, among other variations.)
If you have a smaller group, another option is to pick multiple drivers from the hat, then award a prize to the guest whose "team" has the best combined finish among their drivers.
However you handle it, a friendly pool is another way to enjoy the Greatest Spectacle in Racing!