There’s always something magnetic about Indianapolis in late May—a buzzing mix of engines, tradition, people showing up wearing their lucky hats, and that unmistakable energy. But beyond the roaring crowd? Well, the Indy 500 has quietly evolved into a stage for moments that honor more than just racing. From historic flyovers to unexpected tributes, it’s become a place where speed meets something bigger. And this year is a lot more special. Why?
Because this year, those moments carried extra weight. The 250th birthday of the U.S. Army added a new layer to the race’s atmosphere. When the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s Apaches cut through the sky, it wasn’t just a flyover—it was a nod to decades of sacrifice and skill, blending military precision with Indy’s high-octane spirit in a way fans won’t forget.
On Sunday, during the Memorial Day Weekend, the Indy 500 honored the US Army as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), also known as the “Night Stalkers“, cut through the sky during the race’s first pace lap. The INDYCAR on Fox shared a clip as a couple of sleek Apache helicopters sliced through the bright blue sky above the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is being dubbed as “Pace Lap for America.”
And right after that went down, Fox’s veteran sportscaster, Erin Andrews, slid through the comment section and shared a message and hyped it up in just one word. “Awesome, ” she wrote. No need to explain. Because the vibes and the visuals were enough. Earlier, Andrews was announced to cover this historic event during the Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis.
She also took to her official ‘X’ handle and just shared a three-word message to express how big a fan she is of this mega event. “This is fire,” she wrote. And honestly, it makes it more interesting for the thousands of fans who were attending the event to see who will take home the checkered flag of the most prominent IndyCar.
The first race took place way back in 1911, and this Sunday marks the 109th edition of the century-long racing event. To spice things up, the IndyCar honoring the US Military will be followed by President Donald Trump hosting a military parade on June 14th. Why? Simple: to honor military veterans and active-duty service members and commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, on Trump’s birthday.
However, Erin Andrews is present at the race, no doubt. But these past few days have been… well, let’s just say, tragic as she broke down on her podcast.
Erin Andrews suffers a personal loss
Over the years, Erin Andrews has always been candid about her infertility journey. Andrews and her husband, Jarrett Stoll, the former NHL player, struggled to welcome their first kid because of infertility. However, the couple finally welcomed their first child, a boy, through surrogacy. They named him Mack. But, she recently shared heartbreaking news on her Calm Down Podcast with Charrissa Thompson.
Andrews and Stoll had been hoping and trying to welcome a second little one through surrogacy. But sadly, they recently went through the heartbreak of their surrogate experiencing a miscarriage. While it was hard to manage the emotional weight, Andrews shared the heartbreaking news with her fans. “We got some real s—– news today that our surrogate had a miscarriage,” she updated.
“So, I have dealt with this before but things were going really, really well and her little heartbeat and her numbers were really good, so I even told you guys a couple weeks ago because we thought we had such good news.” It was their third attempt to welcome a little one. But sadly, it ended in disappointment for the couple.
Earlier, Erin Andrews and Jarrett Stoll tried to have a kid through surrogacy, but their surrogate miscarried. They welcomed their son, Mack, who was born back in July 2023, through their second surrogate. The past few days have been tough for the couple, no doubt. But Erin is back at work, as she was announced to cover the historic Indy 500 event in Indianapolis during the Memorial Day Weekend.
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