Indianapolis 500

IND: 5 Things We Love About Indianapolis International Airport

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Stuck at The Airport’s “5 Things We Love About…” series is back for the new year celebrating more features and amenities at airports around the country and the world.

Today we land at Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

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5 Things We Love About Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

Indianapolis airport art
From Ron Baron’s ‘Baggage Claim” at IND Airport

1. All the Art at IND

Connections, by Cameron McNall and Damon Seeley at IND Airport

IND has a wonderful collection of permanent and temporary art collections displayed throughout the airport. Many of the pieces were created by artists or poets who live in Indiana or have ties to the Hoosier state.

2. The food at IND

IND is one of those airports where you want to arrive hungry.

The “World’s Best Shrimp Cocktail is served with a signature and very spicy cocktail sauce at Harry & Izzy’s steakhouse in Concourse A. The list of other eateries with local connections includes the Sun King Brewing Co., Shapiro’s Delicatessen, and Tinker Coffee. And check out this Reis and Irvy’s robotic yogurt kiosk.

3. Racing Cars in the IND Terminal

Indianapolis is home to the Indy 500, the largest single-day sporting event in the world. So IND airport displays vintage racing vehicles from the vault at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Passengers will also hear revving engine sound effects in the pedestrian bridge.

4. Largest Airport Solar Farm

IND lays claim to being home to the world’s largest airport solar farm. The field of panels creates enough energy to power 3,675 average American homes per year. For more energy, the airport has human-powered charging bikes.

5. Souvenir Shopping at IND

Souvenir shopping at IND? Fun options include made-in-Indiana candy at Natalie’s Candy Jar; books by Indiana authors at INK by Hudson and, for a splurge, a crystal basketball from Scoreboard on Concourse A.

Did we miss one of the features you love about Indianapolis International Airport? If so, drop a note in the comments section below. Also let us know which airport you’d like to nominate to be featured in our series next.

Indy 500 cars displayed at IND Airport

Exhibits, ,

The Indianapolis 500 takes place in about a month and Indianapolis International Airport is revving up for the race with a new display of some vintage race cars.

IND_Russo-Nichels

This 1950 Russo–Nichels Special, known as “Basement Bessie,” was built by driver Paul Russo and chief mechanic Ray Nichels in the basement of Russo’s home in Hammond, Ind. and had to be partially dismantled in order to move it to the ground floor. Look for this car on Concourse A near the exit to Civic Plaza.

IND _Mickey Thompson

1962 Mickey Thompson Harvey Aluminum Special

Look for this car on Concourse B near the exit to Civic Plaza

(Photos courtesy Indianapolis International Airport)

Vintage Indy 500 cars at Indianpolis Int’l Airport

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Car racing fan?

Then you might like the fresh set of vintage Indianapolis 500 race cars that are on display at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND).

IND 14 car

The #14 Bardahl Special led more laps of the 1966 Indianapolis 500 than any other car.

“Driver Lloyd Ruby took the lead from defending world champion Jim Clark on lap 65 and proceeded to lead 68 of the next 86 laps. Just when it appeared the race might be Ruby’s, a chronic oil leak developed, causing the car to be black-flagged twice and finally retired after 166 of the 200 laps. In the summer of 1968, sporting a different paint job, it was one of the cars used in the making of the motion picture “Winning” starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Robert Wagner”

Find it: on Concourse A near the exit to Civic Plaza.

IND 8

1957 WOLCOTT SPECIAL #8

“This car appeared at Indianapolis three times, driven in 1957 and 1958 by Rodger Ward (winner of the “500” in 1959 and 1962, but in different cars) and in 1959 by Len Sutton (who finished second to Ward in 1962, also in another car). Although it was entered each time with a 170-cubic-inch supercharged Offenhauser engine, it was decided for 1958 to switch to a more standard 255-cubic-inch non-supercharged version. Ward was running second in 1958 when a magneto failed after 93 laps, but later that summer he won the prestigious 200-mile race at Milwaukee.”

Find it: on Concourse B near the exit to Civic Plaza

Indianapolis 500 cars at Indianapolis Airport

Museums, ,

Car racing fans take note: classic Indianapolis 500 race cars will be on display at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) through October 2013.

The first two cars on loan from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum are the Sugaripe Prune Eagle/Offy (above) driven to second place by Bill Vukovich Jr. in the 1973 Indianapolis 500 and the backup Norton Spirit Penske/Cosworth (below) driven in practice by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser before the 1979 Indianapolis 500. Look for Vukovich’s car on Concourse B near the exit to Civic Plaza and for Unser’s car on Concourse A.

Two other historic race cars will replace those cars in April 2013.

Want to see more cars like this? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, displays at least 75 cars year-round.

The 97th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, 2013.

(Photos courtesy Indianapolis International Airport)