Tickets to the 2009 Indy 500

Looking for tickets to the premier race of the year on May 24? The Indianapolis 500 is comparable to the Final Four in NCAA Basketball, the MLB World Series and the Super Bowl. I have several options for you to consider when purchasing tickets for the 2009 Indy 500, which are still available. All have different pros and cons, but all are viable alternatives.

One of the best ways to get reasonable tickets is go direct to the 2009 Indy 500 Web site. Click on the Red Bull 3-Day General Admission icon. These tickets are $75 for all three days. This is a great value for an infield pass. Another great value for race day tickets only is general admission tickets from the Indy 500 box office. They are for race day only and are $20, which gets you into the infield with children under 5 free. The infield though can be quite frustrating as all the good views are usually taken by people muscling in to get the view. Great for individuals or couples though because 2 can squeeze in better then 4 or 5 people. Also there is a cross section of race fans that enjoy different aspects of infield passes. Grilling, camping, riding small-motorized bikes, etc. So if tolerance is not a strong suit I have some better suggestions.

The 2009 Indy 500 premier tickets for most paddock seating and most penthouse seating are sold out at this time. You can still get great seating like paddock box seats or pit row terrace seating, which is close to remarkable two months ahead of time as they go on sale immediately after the race is over for the next year. Check the Indy 500 Web site for selection and availability.

If you had your heart set on seating in a sold out section contact a ticket broker. I have a ticket broker named Jason Willoughby who can get his hands on tickets. I asked him why someone would use a ticket broker when tickets are still on sale and he said, " Well when the high value seats are sold out you still have people who really want those tickets. Also the convenience of getting tickets through me appeals to those folks that don't want the hassle of doing it themselves." If you don't have a ticket broker go to eBay and you will find some hard to get tickets. Also a good broker has sources that will call them with tickets to buy so they can be resold to someone looking for specific seating. I use Jason for all my tickets for sporting events, concerts, plays, and opera. He always has ways of getting the best tickets.

It's also about time to advertise on the Web (Craigslist or eBay) or a newspaper classifieds for specific tickets. You will get some folks who have tickets they can't use call you and you might get the tickets you are looking for but not nearly as good an idea as using a broker or the 2009 Indy 500 ticket site. Also if you are a regular customer at an auto parts store they give promotional tickets to customers. Also, check sponsors for the 2009 Indy 500 as they to will have promotional tickets as well.

Last but not least is the game day scalper right on the premises. The disadvantage here is that you might not get tickets, they might be expensive or you could get in trouble because it's against the law to scalp tickets at an event in most cities across the US. Although you will have some regular folks that have extra tickets selling at face value. Someone backed out or got sick and they don't want them to go to waste. This is ideal on race day and it is ok to resell at face value.

The only other way is entering online contest. This by far is a long shot, but if you win the tickets will be top shelve.

So whatever your preference, don't wait; the tickets sell quickly, and their value goes up the closer to race day, in most cases. Don't miss the race; it is always exciting.

Now gentlemen start your engines!