Texas Motor Speedway supplies the lights, ESPN the cameras and the
IndyCar Series the action for the twilight Bombardier Learjet 500k on
June 11.
source: indycar.com / By Dave Lewandowski To a man (and woman), IndyCar Series drivers say that racing at night at Texas Motor Speedway is almost like driving in the daylight. The Musco Lighting system uses mirrors to simulate daylight, without glare and shadows. The flashes of color and sparks might take the racing to sensory overload from the outside, but inside the cockpit the experience isn't much removed from daytime action. There are 187 Mirtran fixtures around the 1.5-mile oval, plus 48 light fixtures on pit road. That's enough to light 11 NFL stadiums. "Racing at night brings a different dimension," said Bryan Herta of Andretti Green Racing, who finished third in the 89th Indianapolis 500. "The way the light the tracks these days, you can see everything." Rahal Letterman Racing's Vitor Meira said the night races (this is the first of three on the IndyCar Series schedule) draw a different crowd than a Sunday afternoon event. It's like going to a picnic with grandma in the afternoon and a party with friends at night. Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter said the sights and sounds bathe the senses. "Growing up racing spring cars and midgets, we always raced at night," he said. "I think it's more exciting to watch. I think the cars look faster at night under the lights. The tracks are so well-lit, that when you watch on TV the only giveaway that it's night time is the reflection off the cars." Two-time IndyCar Series champion and two-time Texas Motor Speedway race winner Sam Hornish Jr. adds another variable to the enjoyment of night racing. "I'm not much of a morning person, so I get to get up later," he said.
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