SPEEDWAY, Ind. — For the first time in two years, race fans slammed Main Street in Speedway for Rockin on Main festivities.
“It started to feel like the old, how it should be,” says Nick Wilson Pitmaster at Barbecue and Bourbon, “Community is awesome, brings people together.”
It was a rainy Friday, but that didn’t stop fans from enjoying the evening. When the skies opened up people ran into local businesses, and when it was clear they took to the streets for live entertainment. After a year without any Carb Day fanfare, people are glad to be back.
“All my life I came to Indianapolis for Memorial Day,” says Colleen Rohrbacher who lives in Illinois, and stayed home last year despite being a more than 50-year ticket holder, “There were no checkered flags anywhere. I didn’t know it was Memorial Day”
“When it comes to race weekend, and the race, people want to feel the energy,” says Tyler Kolby who is attended his 23rd Indy 500.
The area businesses are happy to see the fans return, as are the non-profits in the area. Proceeds from Rockin on Main will go toward those non-profits in the area who lost money during the pandemic. Town officials believe they lost an estimated $270,000 dollars from no race festivities last year.