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Increases in security for Indy 500 Posted: Thursday May 22, 2003 4:14 PMINDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The largest single-day crowd in American sports will include former Presidents Clinton and Bush, adding a unique security concern for planners at the Indianapolis 500. Sunday's race also will be the first major sporting event since the government raised the terror alert to orange, signifying a "high" risk of attacks in the United States. Speedway spokesman Ron Green insists the track's security plan is solid regardless of the dignitaries present or the terror alert. "Obviously, when you have two former presidents attending your facility, the Secret Service gets involved a little bit more than they normally are anyway," Green said. "But as far as overhauling a plan, that has not been done and it doesn't appear that it's going to be necessary." As they were at every race here since the Sept. 11 attacks, coolers, handbags and backpacks will be subject to inspection at the track gates. Also, Georgetown Road, a busy street adjacent to the track, will be closed to vehicles during the race. Plainclothes police will be stationed outside the track and throughout the speedway grounds, where an estimated 300,000 fans are expected. "We are in constant contact with the FBI and Secret Service on a daily basis to determine if in fact any credible information has come in from anywhere throughout the nation," Speedway Police Chief Jeffrey L. Dine said. Mayor Bart Peterson said the city would increase security at the track for race weekend. Authorities also are banning flights over the track during the race. "For major events, we'll put in place what is called a temporary flight restriction. It restricts aircraft from flying within certain amounts of distance and height around a venue like the Indianapolis 500," said spokesman Brian Turmail of the Transportation Security Administration, the federal agency in charge of airport security throughout the country. The restriction applies to private and commerical aircraft, including those that tow advertising banners, he said. Dine said having two former presidents at the race does not pose an extra security risk. "We approach it from the same angle every year," Dine said. In fact, two ex-presidents don't create as big a security concern as having the current president in town, said Mark Parkman, the agent in charge of the Secret Service's Indianapolis office. President Bush visited Indianapolis for a speech to Republicans last week. "They are former presidents. Once they leave office, the threat potential drops dramatically," he said. No sitting president has attended the Indy 500, and the only former president at a previous race was Gerald Ford in 1979. The elder Bush opened the Pan American Games at the speedway in 1987, when he was vice president. About 60,000 people attended that ceremony overlooking the main straightaway, and the nearby Georgetown Road gates were not opened to the public until Bush was safely inside the track. When Ford came in 1979, there was very little extra security, speedway historian Donald Davidson recalled. "He was the grand marshal for the parade for the day before, and shortly before the race started he came up the steps and they brought him in the (radio) booth briefly," Donaldson said. "A couple of us met him and then he went up to watch the start, I suppose, from the floor above. There was a little entourage, five or six people total. It was very low key." Other celebrities expected for Sunday's race include Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg and David Letterman, who is co-owner of one of the race teams. |
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