Indy 500 festivities schedule

After a full schedule of activities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Miller Lite Carb Day, Friday, May 28, race fans can eat, drink and laugh as three Indianapolis 500 drivers share the hot seat at the 38th Last Row Party.

The Last Row Party, scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. (ET) at the pavilion at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, honors the drivers starting on the 11th and final row of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" with a dinner and roast.

Brickyard Crossing is located at 4400 W. 16th St., adjacent to the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Turn 2.

Tickets are $40 per person, or $375 for a table of 10, which includes entertainment, dinner, soft drinks and three beer tickets for party goers age 21 and older. A cash bar is also available. For reservations, call (317) 631-6400 or e-mail jlabalme.indypress@att.net. VISA or MasterCard are accepted.

One of the "500's" best events for fans, Last Row Party attendees can mingle with Indianapolis 500 drivers, share a laugh at the drivers' expense and support a great cause. Popular Indianapolis radio personality and comedian Dave "The King" Wilson will serve as host. The event benefits the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, which annually presents thousands of dollars in scholarships and cash prizes to journalism students attending colleges and universities in Indiana.

Since 1973, the Last Row Party has paid tribute to the resilient drivers claiming the 31st, 32nd and 33rd spots in the Indianapolis 500 field. Many open-wheel racing legends have occupied a space in the back row of the Indianapolis 500 field, including former "500" winners Mario Andretti, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva and Al Unser.

Drivers Nelson Philippe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alex Tagliani were the 2009 Last Row Party honorees and instant crowd favorites.

The back-row qualifiers will be awarded special jackets, checks for 31, 32 and 33 cents, respectively, and have their names affixed to a trophy honoring all 11th-row starters. A highlight of the evening's festivities is the Press Club Foundation's silent and live auctions of racing and other sports memorabilia, tickets to major sporting events, vacation trips, restaurant gift cards and entertainment gift certificates, with proceeds benefitting the IPCF's scholarship efforts.

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2010 Indy 500 tickets: Tickets for the 2010 Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 30, are on sale now. Race Day ticket prices start at just $20.

Fans can order tickets online at www.imstix.com, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Online orders can be made at any time. Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.