RACE WEEKEND! Indy 500 #7

 Officially race weekend started with Carb Day but I wanted to break these posts up a little bit since I have a lot of pictures.  Before our annual race party in Zionsville this year, we went to a surprise birthday party for Diane.

She's flirty, she's dirty, Diane is 30! That martini glass cake was SOOO good.  They got it from some cake place on the south side of Indy.  It was awesome.

All the girls wore tanks that said the same thing as the cake.  Ashley ordered them and they were really cute.  Kevin manned up and wore one too.  Yay Kevin!

Here's Kevin sitting with his in-laws and showing some boob.  Diane's parents are very proud of their son-in-law, you can tell.  

We left Diane's party early so we could get to the annual pre-race party only a little late.  They had already started the beer pong tournament without us.  We still got in though.  The Katie/Morgan team did not advance.  It's always thanks to me.  Katie always pulls out some magic for us.  But alas we could not beat the Travis/Andrew team.  Darn. 

 A. Lo was a new attendee at the race this year.  He teamed up with Matt since his wife was pregneto. (Sorry, just watched X-men: First Class).  What they are doing in this picture is called a distraction technique.  I think it's also called something else but we won't talk about that. 

Another distraction technique is rolling up your shorts and showing off your juicy white thighs.  I don't think it actually worked out for them in the end.  

 All the people that got eliminated or didn't play in the first place watched the excitement from the side.  There's Claire being an excellent sport in her pregnant state.  It's goes in waves.  First, Katie was pregnant (09). Then I was pregnant (10).  Then Katie was pregnant (11).  This year Claire was pregnant.  Circle of life! 

 I had forgotten how great the zoom was on my camera.  I think that's Dario on the right.

 That's definitely Helio on the left! GREAT zoom!!

 They handed out white shades at the entrance for a tribute to Dan Wheldon this year.  I was really confused the way the guy described it to me.  I was thinking these were 3D glasses and they were going to have a tribute show.  Whoops.  I  blame the sun for effecting my brain.

 Close up of Florence Henderson.  Did I mention I have a great zoom? ;)

 Martina McBride singing the national anthem in her super cute outfit.

 Here's our friend Drew climbing the tower to wave the flag.  Just kidding.  But his father in law did, Governor Mitch Daniels.

 That's Drew and his wife Meredith pointing and looking right at us.  You probably remember her from taking Tommy's pictures (here's her Indy 500 post on her website).  She also does major events in Indy too.  She's quite the photog! (Love my zoom!)

 See??? That's how far I zoomed in! That's a long way! :) Also, this is the obligatory pic of the traditional engine starting stance.  Very exciting!

 Here's the governor waving the flag! You can see Drew taking a picture in the white shirt behind everyone.  He not quite as important as the governor or his photographer. :)

So Dario won the hottest race since the beginning of time.  I was not prepared to get a good pic at the end.  I was so disappointed. But the race was so exciting until the very end. There was a lead change every couple of laps.  It was crazy!  This is Dario's 3rd win in 6 years I think they said.  That's pretty impressive. You may know Dario from his marriage to Ashley Judd. :)  

 Matt brought his dry erase board and held up signs the entire race.  This was after the crowd booed Ashley Judd when she was running toward Dario's car after he won.  She was jumping up and down all excited and the crowd booed her!! I couldn't believe it.  Why? Well apparently they are Wynona fans.

 Again, I did not get any pictures of anyone at the very end.  Such a bummer.  Even with my "GREAT ZOOM." :)

 Another obligatory shot- the Neal/Thornburg shot.  Yes I wore a hat.  You should have seen my hair when I had to take it off for the National Anthem and God Bless America.  Ewwwww.

 We also have a get a shot of the ladies every year too.  Claire was such a trooper.  She's due July 4th.  She was very careful and stayed in the shade as often as possible.  Oh and notice good old Drewfus totally photo bombing the picture.  

 When we got back to our cars after the race, we had to take a picture of the Neal Family in their "Neal Team 6" shirts.

The back of the shirt says "No Mike Left Behind".  That's Mike in the white.  He missed the race last year because the beer pong tournament was apparently a little too much for him. :) Never again! No Mike Left Behind! 

I liked this shot.  This is Andrew with a sleeve on his head from Kevin's Neal Team 6 shirt.  Yes he cut the sleeves off.  Yes those are Andrew's shades from Vegas.  

Another obligatory shot is the reason why Katie has to drive home every year (Oh Travis). 

  Andrew wanted to be in the picture too.  

Happy 7th Indy 500 for the Thornburgs.  (Years in review on the blog if you like to see them- 2010, 2011)

The only year we missed was our wedding in 2006.  Darn those people who get married on Memorial Day weekend. :)