On the track of the Indy 500

Navigation around most American cities is usually very easy, and although I had a few miles to cover to reach the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was just two turns on the drive to the edge of town.

The tour of the racetrack is done on a bus, and the line of the day from the guide revealed the fact that cars do around 230 mph on the racetrack - we're just going to manage around the 30 mark.

The scale of the place is amazing. When you consider that it can take well over 400,000 spectators, it may be surprising to learn that the privately owned venue only holds three races each year.

The bus leaves the main entrace of the venue to head straight for the tarmac known the world over.

The scale of the place is amazing. When you consider that it can take well over 400,000 spectators, it may be surprising to learn that the privately owned venue holds only three races each year.

Although I would confess to not being the biggest of motor racing fans, it was quite a feeling to be between the seemingly endless stands and to be on the surface where the Indianapolis 500 is held each year. Each lap is two-and-a-half miles, which means each of the straights are over a mile in length.

The tour bus stops just ahead of the finish line so visitors can get off the bus and walk around the track and take photos of the famous brickwork that extends across the line.

Next Sunday, a NASCAR event is taking place and some of the teams have already started to arrive.

They are placed in an area called 'Millionaires Row' It is aptly named, as all the motorhomes there are worth well over $1million each.

After completing a circuit of the track, it was to the museum where many of the winning cars over many decades are housed. It was good to see the cars of British drivers such as Jim Clark and Graham Hill.

As I made my way to the car, I was relieved that the weather had held off for the tour as a thunderstorm began.

The drive back to the city took me to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

With five floors, there are many exhibitions which include a very popular section full of dinosaurs.

The exhibition that particularly took my attention celebrates 50 years of Etch-A-Sketch.

There were examples of the most intricate images completed by professional artists that took up to 80 hours to complete.

Bet they would have been upset if they accidentally erased their masterpieces when part way through!