When I was growing up, celebrities were men who drove really, really fast cars. Every Memorial Day weekend my hometown hosted the greatest spectacle in racing: The Indianapolis 500. That tradition continues and this year I was able to return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for some good ol' fashioned, noisy fun in the sun.
A lot has changed over the years. There are now several female drivers (awesome!) in the lineup. And there are more well-known faces than ever making their way to Indy for all the action. Seal and the original American Idol Kelly Clarkson sang the national anthem just before the driver's revved their engines. David Letterman, car owner and Hoosier, attended as always. Actress Ashley Judd was there cheering on her husband Dario Franchitti, last year's champ (who also ran a very impressive race this year). Avid race fan Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey made a pit stop in Indy for the festivities, too.
The night before the big dance, I hosted a pre-race party, The Fantasy 500, with the lovely Christina Milian at the beautiful Columbia Club on Monument Circle. It was really fantastic to reconnect with old friends and make a number of new friends back home. Hoosier Hospitality didn't disappoint. It never does.
(Pictured: My mom, Linda and my brother, AJ.)