The Rundown: 5 Things To Know About The Indy 500

One of the biggest highlights of every Memorial Day weekend isn’t the famous baked beans at Uncle John’s BBQ, it’s the Indianapolis "Indy" 500 race. Don’t worry today’s Rundown has all you need to know to carry on a conversation with anyone at said BBQ.

Hot dog or hamburger?

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Five Things To Know About The Indy 500

1. The Indy 500, called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway aka the Brickyard. It’s called the Brickyard because the track used to be made of bricks, which are still exposed under the asphalt at the start-finish line. It’s a tradition to kiss these bricks. We can confirm that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention did not come up with that idea.
2. Scott Dixon set the pole (see Coaches’ Corner) for this year’s Indy 500. He was going so fast in qualifying, a mere 232 MPH, that he thought his dashboard was broken. Later that same day, Dixon and another driver were robbed at gunpoint at a local Taco Bell. The cherry on top of the day.
3. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal and Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman will serve as honorary starters for the race. Gyllenhall is set to play Bauman in an upcoming movie. This is the first time two people will wave the green start flag. The anthem will be sung by singer Bebe Rexha.
4. Pippa Mann is the lone female driver in the race. For the fourth straight year, she'll use this spotlight to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research and prevention. 
5. Not into racing? Don’t worry. Within the race track is the “The Snake Pit,” which hosts EDM (Electronic Dance Music) concerts during the race. It's no Preakness port-a-potty races, but close. 

Overtime

• The Dancing With The Stars finale came down to two athletes, former Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross and NFL (National Football League) player Rashad Jennings. The judges and America voted and the athlete with the best moves is Rashad Jennings. While it’s no Super Bowl ring, the current free agent (he’s looking for a job) took home the famed mirror ball trophy.

Sideline Stat

• The crowd at this year’s Indy race is expected to be over 300,000 people. That’s slightly behind the 350,000 at last year’s 100th anniversary race. For perspective, the second largest sporting venue in the U.S., behind the Brickyard, is the University of Michigan’s football stadium and that holds 107,601 fans.

Coaches’ Corner

• What is pole position in auto racing? The pole position is the number one position to start the race. Drivers have to qualify beforehand by driving the track. Typically, the driver with the fastest time from qualifying is slotted into the pole position. In this case, that's Scott Dixon. 

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up Edition

Valentine’s Day weekend brought us Kobe Bryant, Ronda Rousey and painted on swimsuits. Yes, three things we never thought we’d mention in the same sentence.

The No. 24 car raced again and Vaughn Taylor shared that his bags fly free.

We’ve reached our cruising altitude,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Golf

• Defying the odds. Vaughn Taylor beat the Phil Mickelson at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am yesterday. This win surprised everyone including Taylor, who hadn’t brought home a PGA win in a decade and carried on his luggage on his flight to the tournament to save money on baggage fees.  

NBA All-Star Game (National Basketball Association) 

• In a battle of East vs West, the West reigned supreme in this year’s NBA All-Star Game, winning 196-173 in Toronto.
• This was the first ever All-Star Game outside of the U.S. The game also set a record for the highest scoring All-Star Game in NBA history. 
• This was Kobe Bryant’s last All-Star Game since he’s retiring at the end of the season.
• What no Biebs? Canada’s elite came out to catch the game with appearances by rapper Drake and Nelly Furtado, who sung her country’s national anthem.
• Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook took home his second game MVP title.
• In a battle of levitation, Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon was defeated by two-time slam dunk champ, Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gordon had a killer dunk through his legs and over the head of the Magic’s mascot, Stuff, which was one of the best dunks we’ve seen. Apparently the judges did not agree. (Full disclosure, our LNG team has no game and cannot dunk). 

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue

• Yellow polka dot bikini. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue made history this weekend by revealing not only one but three cover models. The cover models include plus-size model Ashley Graham, rookie Hailey Clauson and UFC fighter Ronda Rousey (in a painted on swimsuit, literally). 

Also included in the edition is 56-year-old Nicole Griffin, the oldest model to be featured in the annual publication. Griffin stars in a swimwear ad inside the magazine. 

Overtime

• There was big air at the Green Monster. Iconic Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, hosted Big Air at Fenway, a U.S. Grand Prix and part of the International Ski Federation's (FIS) World Cup tour. The athletes saw competitors fly down a 140-foot-tall ramp built on the field.

Sideline Stat

• In NASCAR news, 20-year-old Chase Elliot became the youngest driver to win the pole position for the Daytona 500. Taking over for recently retired driver Jeff Gordon, Chase drives Gordon’s No. 24 car. Chase is also the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer, Bill Elliott. The Daytona 500 is next Sunday. This race is one of the most iconic races in NASCAR.  

Coaches’ Corner

• What is pole position in racing? The pole position is the number one position to start the race. Drivers have to qualify beforehand by driving the track. Typically, the driver with the fastest time from qualifying is slotted into the pole position.