Indianapolis 500's No. 1 Fan
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
Lowman, 86, will attend the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday.
The first Indy 500 was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day May 30, 1911.
She has missed only two races since the 1930s. The times she missed were when her son Tim was born in 1956 and when she broke her leg in 1982.[[In-content Ad]]She said when she turned 80 years old she considered not going to races because it was hard to climb the steps to get to her seat; however, she knew her family had other plans.
"There is nothing like hearing the sound of the engines and seeing the excitement of the crowd," Lowman said.
She remembers watching the race in 1956 at home while recovering from childbirth and sitting at home with a cast on her leg as she watched the Indy 500 in 1982.
"I watched from home wishing I was there but knew I needed to recover," Lowman said.
She will sit in the stands Sunday with her son, Tim, and her cousins from the state of Washington who are coming for the race.
Tim, 52, said he has attended the Indy 500 with his mother for the past 43 years and is excited to see her experience another race.
"It's unbelievable she has made as many trips as she has to see the Indy 500," Tim said.
"She has racing in her blood just like my dad and her father did and she has given that to me."
Tim recalls going to his first Indy 500 race with his mom and dad at the age of 9.
He said race car driver Jim Clark won the race with his Ford Lotus race car.
He said the legendary Wood Brothers from Virginia changed the tires and were known for their lightning fast pit stops.
Lowman recalls she was 16 when she went to her first Indy race with her dad and sister.
"We parked in the infield and waited all night to get into the race the next day," Lowman said.
She said her father influenced her love of watching racecar driving and attending the Indy 500.
"My father loved racing and loved old automobiles and gave that love to me and I passed it on to my children," Lowman said.
She recalls the family hurrying home to watch replays on the television after the race.
Lowman described herself as a tomboy growing up compared to her sister, who enjoyed working indoors on their family farm.
She also remembers going to the Daytona 500 with her father and Tim.
Lowman said there have been many changes over the years at the Indy 500.
She said she attended three races in the 1930s before World War II with her husband Glenn, who died in 1972.
"The cars were smaller back then and didn't go as fast as they do now," Lowman said.
She said she remembers sitting in wooden stands.
She also said the programs have changed over the years and she never leaves a race without purchasing one.
"I like the programs now because they list more facts about the drivers like their favorite movies and foods," Lowman said.
Lowman, 86, will attend the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday.
The first Indy 500 was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day May 30, 1911.
She has missed only two races since the 1930s. The times she missed were when her son Tim was born in 1956 and when she broke her leg in 1982.[[In-content Ad]]She said when she turned 80 years old she considered not going to races because it was hard to climb the steps to get to her seat; however, she knew her family had other plans.
"There is nothing like hearing the sound of the engines and seeing the excitement of the crowd," Lowman said.
She remembers watching the race in 1956 at home while recovering from childbirth and sitting at home with a cast on her leg as she watched the Indy 500 in 1982.
"I watched from home wishing I was there but knew I needed to recover," Lowman said.
She will sit in the stands Sunday with her son, Tim, and her cousins from the state of Washington who are coming for the race.
Tim, 52, said he has attended the Indy 500 with his mother for the past 43 years and is excited to see her experience another race.
"It's unbelievable she has made as many trips as she has to see the Indy 500," Tim said.
"She has racing in her blood just like my dad and her father did and she has given that to me."
Tim recalls going to his first Indy 500 race with his mom and dad at the age of 9.
He said race car driver Jim Clark won the race with his Ford Lotus race car.
He said the legendary Wood Brothers from Virginia changed the tires and were known for their lightning fast pit stops.
Lowman recalls she was 16 when she went to her first Indy race with her dad and sister.
"We parked in the infield and waited all night to get into the race the next day," Lowman said.
She said her father influenced her love of watching racecar driving and attending the Indy 500.
"My father loved racing and loved old automobiles and gave that love to me and I passed it on to my children," Lowman said.
She recalls the family hurrying home to watch replays on the television after the race.
Lowman described herself as a tomboy growing up compared to her sister, who enjoyed working indoors on their family farm.
She also remembers going to the Daytona 500 with her father and Tim.
Lowman said there have been many changes over the years at the Indy 500.
She said she attended three races in the 1930s before World War II with her husband Glenn, who died in 1972.
"The cars were smaller back then and didn't go as fast as they do now," Lowman said.
She said she remembers sitting in wooden stands.
She also said the programs have changed over the years and she never leaves a race without purchasing one.
"I like the programs now because they list more facts about the drivers like their favorite movies and foods," Lowman said.
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