How INDYCAR Drivers Can Win The Month Of May — And Contend For The Indy 500

In Driver's Eye with James Hinchcliffe , the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans.

Spring time in Indianapolis is a beautiful thing. The snow melts, the weather warms, flowers start to bloom. But that has nothing to do with it. 

What makes spring in Indianapolis so beautiful is the fact we are in the "Month of May" — as we in the sport like to call it.

When the calendar flips over to May 1, something in the air changes in Indy. It’s tough to explain but undeniably felt by everyone who resides there. Smells are stronger, colors are brighter and there is an energy in the air that is palpable. 

For INDYCAR teams and drivers, it’s the most important month of the year.

The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest motorsports event on the calendar. In fact, it’s the largest single-day sporting event in the world. There is no non-religious gathering of human beings on Earth bigger than the Indy 500. To be fair, some would argue that the Indy 500 is their religion.

The Indy 500 really is The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

So, how do drivers and their teams excel at Indianapolis Motor Speedway throughout the month and the biggest race of the year?

To be successful in the Month of May and at the Indy 500, there are two things that every team has to focus on more than anything. 

The first is the three P’s: preparation, preparation and preparation. So much of your fate at the Indy 500 — and the crucial qualifying events leading up to it — is decided before the cars ever come off the trailer. 

The offseason work back at the shop on engineering and pit stop practice, the hours dedicated