The Indy 500 didn't make racing fans out of Suck, but we came away impressed. Why? Well, when you think of all the power, money, craft, and sheer maniacal guts that go into what is basically a hundred million dollar world version of guys doing doughnuts in a 7-11 parking lot ... when you think of this 84 year tradition of perfectly executing something utterly pointless ... that's when you get down to what really makes this country great.

Secretary Cohen got it wrong. Harrier jets aren't the sound of freedom. The Russians and Chinese love rolling tanks down the street on May Day to let the world, and their citizens, know who's boss. Who needs that noise? On Memorial Day, Americans roll the fastest damn cars in the world down the street. Those veterans we're supposed to honor on Memorial Day didn't fight to keep fighter jets flying over the Midwest. They fought to preserve this lifestyle of ours, the choice to be utterly pointless, silly and just plain stupid if you want. Yep, that roar of thirty-three men and women spinning around for hours for no good reason at all? That's the sound of freedom.

words
Bertolt Blecht

pictures
Peter Bagge

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