Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Q: Open Thread -- Track Food!

Fried biscuits! Cold chicken! Baked beans! Whether you enjoy practice days up in a suite or down in the garages, you have to love food at the track. Pork tenderloins! Beer in plastic cups! Greasy burgers and cole slaw. (Some even profess a deep and abiding love for grocery store box lunches.) What's your track food (and where to get it?) What must you have for the Indy 500? What do you avoid? (Me? I'm a fried chicken/fried biscuits/cool beer in a turn 2 suite kind-of-girl.)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

For many,the race just would not be the race without... a big bag O'pork rinds!!!
Personally, I prefer Muffalettas and Sierra Nevada

Unknown said...

I guess it is ok to go 'off topic' in an open thread.

While it may not apply to individual fans, the IMS has very strict regs as to who can provide food on premise, i.e. suites, tents, etc.

Paul Newman (Newman-Haas Racing) hasn't been to the track for over ten years, simply because he was not permitted to bring 'quality' food for his crew into the Garage Area.

Of course, the old school Hulman clan was never known for their humility...

Jim said...

Fried chicken and a mini-keg of Bell's Oberon.

Anonymous said...

Nice story, James. But it's not true. Newman stopped going to the track when IRL split from CART. Newman-Haas raced in the CART series, not in the IRL. You might have read that this year IRL and CART reunified, meaning that Newman-Haas once again competes at the motor speedway. And Paul was back at IMS a couple weeks ago.

So no, it really didn't have anything to do with the catering restrictions - Newman-Haas didn't compete at Indy for over ten years because they weren't racing in the IRL.

Greg said...

Paul Newman was in Indy?

I want some salad dressing signed by him personally!

I think fried chicken, but also I'm a fan of hotdogs. this is generally more a football tailgating type of food. but oh well.

One of these days when foie gras hotdogs come back, I might try those at a tailgating party.

Levi's Momma said...

I have a much different perception of what race day means. My mother owned a catering company my entire childhood and race day always meant work. Then as an adult, I have never seen why this would be fun. I really don't like traffic, crowds, or drunken bafoonery unless there is a festival/live music involved. I dunno. If I had suite passes I'm sure I'd feel differently though.

Anonymous said...

You know, I could give two hoots about the race.. but if I had to go- I'd do Claus's cajun sausage over a grill till spitting hot... throw it on a good roll, OMG are they fantastic. Pair that with a strong beer, I could deal with the crowds and noise.

Anonymous said...

"While it may not apply to individual fans, the IMS has very strict regs as to who can provide food on premise, i.e. suites, tents, etc."

That is true to a point, as in the IMS regulates the kind of food that kind be sold on premises. My restaurant, and many others, provide food for racing teams throughout the race weeks. Surely Mr Newman can order in like others do or bring in his own catering service like others do.