Property Management Blog

I don't know about the rest of you but I am feeling like it is actually SPRING!!!! The weather this weekend was not too shabby. I know the old saying is April's showers bring May flowers and that is exactly what it is doing. I have these beautiful plants in the front of my house that began to bud over the weekend and when I left for work this morning one of them had bloomed. It was so pretty. I wish I wasn't running late so I could have stopped and actually taken in all of its beauty.

Spring has always been my favorite season. I love the weather and all of its craziness. I love watching the trees turn green. I love seeing all the different colors begin to POP. I love everything about Spring.

The month of May is usually a busy month for me however this one was a CRAZY one. My daughter, who is Miss I Can Do Anything has done exactly that EVERYTHING. For the past several weeks she has been doing Pups running (track and field), Girls on the Run (training for a Marathon) and Soccer. She had something to do every single day of the week. Which means Mommy had something to do everyday of the week. Since May is winding down so are her activities (thank you Lord). My daughter is very active. She likes to be moving around. The busiest day this month was by far May 9th. Ali ran her 5K marathon in 40 minutes. As soon as she crossed the finish line and received her metal we rushed off across town so that Ali could participate in her pups run meet which she ran a 100 meter and 400 meter. She placed 1st in her heat for the 100 and 7th in her heat for the 400 Meter. As soon as she was finished with her pups run meet we had to rush off to her soccer game, where she scored the first goal. You'd think she would be tired but she was up playing around at her brother's baseball game that immediately followed her soccer game. We left our house at 7:30 in the morning and didn't return home until 6:15. I was so tired. Ali and I both ended up taking a nap.

My son plays baseball. He likes to pitch (which I think everyone does) and he likes catcher. He isn't a fan of the outfield (which I don't think anyone is). He is getting better at batting. He is a great catcher. He doesn't let the ball get behind him too much. I don't think it is because they are allowed to steal but because it is so far back to the fence that he just gets worn out to easily. He can throw from home to 2nd base. He just moved up a field so I think the adjust is working well for him.

It is that time again. Indiana’s 2^nd largest racing event the Indianapolis Brickyard 400. It is also the 2^nd largest racing event in Nascar Racing (Daytona holds the #1 spot). The event was first held in Indianapolis in 1994 bringing in over 250,000 spectators. The Brickyard is a 400 Mile race which consist of 160 laps.

The term "Brickyard" is a reference to the nickname historically used for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When the race course opened in 1909, the track surface was crushed stone and tar. That surface was the cause of numerous and sometimes fatal accidents, so the track was repaved with 3.2 million bricks in time for the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911, giving rise to the name Brickyard. Over time the bricks have been covered with asphalt, and now only a one-yard strip of brick at the start/finish line remains exposed.

Racing legends like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliot, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, and Ryan Newman have all had the pleasure of winning at the Brickyard 400 over the past 20 years.

Tony Stewart and Dale Jarrett have each won the race twice and Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson have both won the race 4 times each. Jimmy Johnson is the only winner to have back to back wins in 2008 and 2009.

The names of the winners of the Brickyard 400 are inscribed on the PPG Trophy, which is permanently housed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Brickyard 400 on August 6, 1994. Since 2012 the Brickyard 400 and Crown Royal have teamed together and have named the race in honor of a U.S. armed forces or first responders.

Hope you all enjoy the Brickyard 400

When you think of May in Indiana there is normally a few things that pop in your mind but I bet the biggest thing most people are thinking of is the INDIANAPOLIS 500. It’s only The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. It is considered one of the three most prestigious motorsports events in the world. The Indianapolis 500 is met by people all over the United States. Famous actors and actresses, singers, professional athletes and everyday people come to Indiana just to watch the race. Whether it is rain or shine you are sure to have a blast. The Indianapolis 500 falls over Memorial Day weekend every year but the events last all month long. One of the BIGGEST traditions with the Indy 500 is Carb Day. It is held the Friday before the race and is the final practice session before the race on Sunday. There is a lot going on that day as well as the final practice laps the speedway holds a concert each year. It also has been turned into one of the biggest drinking days of the year. Lots of people spend the whole weekend (Friday to Sunday) at the track camping, grilling out and parting with their friends.

A little History of the Indy 500

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909 as a gravel and tar track. This was host to many small events like motorcycle racing. During the first two events there were two fatal accidents because of the breakup of asphalt. This gathering brought 15,000 people to the track.

Carl G Fisher who was the principal owner decided to spend $155,000 on repaving the track with 3.2 Million bricks and added a concrete wall 2ft 9 inches high. The newly remolded track drew in 60,000 spectators in on Memorial Day weekend 1910. Throughout the rest of the year the track’s crowds grew progressively smaller. Carl decided to do a 24 hour contest with the winner would be awarded $25,000.

The first 500 was held on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911 and it had 40 starters. This race was host to the first car ever to have a rear view mirror. This race drew in crowds of 80,000 people. Carl was so happy that he decided to establish an annual tradition. In 1912 the winnings was raised to $50,000 and the field was limited to only 33 drivers. 1912 was the first time an American driver won with an American car. This gave the European car makers incentive to build better, faster and stronger cars.

The Indianapolis 500 attracts more than 300,000 people.   

 Cool Information

In 1927 the Purdue All-American Marching Band began performing on the track near the finish line and has been the host band ever since.

1946 American Operatic tenor and car enthusiast James Melton started the tradition of singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” with the Purdue Band. It was then taken over by Jim Nabors in 1972. Sadly Mr. Nabors will be retiring from singing the song at this year’s Indianapolis 500.

Female Participation of any sort were banned from the Indianapolis 500. Even women reports were not allowed in the “Pit” until 1971.

The first woman to ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500 was Janet Guthrie in 1977.

Sarah Fisher has competed 8 times.

Danica Patrick led the race in 2005 for 19 laps which is the first time a woman has ever led in laps and her 3^rd place finish in 2009 is the best finish for a woman ever.

Milk was introduced in the 1933 Indy 500 when Louis Meyers requested a glass of buttermilk after his win. A local dairy company saw that the winner was drinking milk and decided to offer a bottle of milk to the winner for all future races. Milk has been presented at all of the races.

At the 1993 Indy 500 the winner Emerson Fittipaldi who owns and operates and orange grove drank orange juice instead of milk and was booed by the fans.

Don’t forget to wish your Mother(s) a Happy Mother’s Day

Until next time………….