Drivers from NASCAR and F1 weigh in on the Indy 500

10:02 AM ET

The history. The pageantry. The walk through Gasoline Alley. The feeling of racing on a narrow path surrounded by fans.

Those are some of the great memories that those who have competed at Indianapolis have. If they haven’t experienced it themselves, Formula One and NASCAR drivers have watched enough on television or talked to their fellow racers to know just how big a deal is the Indianapolis 500.

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They still gather at the gravesite of Ray Harroun, the first winner of the Indy 500 in 1911. They will gather Sunday at “The Speedway” for the 100th running in numbers rarely, if ever, seen.

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For Formula One and NASCAR drivers, some dreamed of racing at Indy growing up and others watched but have no interest. Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch and AJ Allmendinger are the current NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have competed at Indianapolis, and they have great memories of being part of the history of the first 99 Indianapolis 500s.

Here’s what some NASCAR and F1 drivers had to say about Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 100th running of the event:

AJ Allmendinger, Sprint Cup driver and IndyCar race winner: “When I took the lead there [in 2013], I never had that feeling before. It was almost like an out-of-body experience. I was shaking for five laps in the car, ‘Holy crap, AJ, you’ve got 100 to go, regain your focus.’ It was almost like I was watching myself leading the race. … Everything went quiet. That was probably the coolest moment as it is happening. It’s the Indy 500. I was very fortunate to be driving for Roger Penske. It’s pretty cool to think about 100 years. Just as a racing fan, it’s pretty special to know that there’s been a race going on 100 years like that. I’ll watch the start Sunday. I won’t lie, there will be a part of me that it would have been pretty cool [to race it] but I know my heart wouldn’t be completely there [after Justin Wilson’s death last year at Pocono].”

Fernando Alonso, Formula One champion: “I would like to race there one day but it is not close so I am not thinking about it too much. After F1, if I want to keep racing it will be Le Mans not Indy. That would be my first step and I don’t know how motivated I will be at that age [once he’s done Le Mans].”

Ryan Blaney, Sprint Cup driver: “I always followed it just because I thought it was neat. Growing up I was a fan of all racing, whether it’s NASCAR, IndyCar, Australian V8 stuff, F1, I liked it all. Definitely now since I’ve been with Penske you watch the IndyCar stuff more just because you know those guys — …

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