Outdoor Living, the Hoosier way.

Indy Grills and Outdoor Living designs and builds custom patios, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, and four-season rooms for people who care about quality and longevity. From a single fireplace to a fully integrated outdoor living space, every project is handled by the Indy Grills in-house team from design through installation.

If an outdoor upgrade is on your list this year, now’s the time to start planning. Spring and summer schedules fill up quickly, so reserve your spot now.

Visit IndyGrills.com to start your project.

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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜

Al Unser Jr. Wins Closest Indy 500 in History (1992)

It’s race week in Indiana, and today we revisit the closest finish in the race’s 109 runnings. In 1992, Al Unser Jr. held off a charging Scott Goodyear to win the Indianapolis 500 in his 10th attempt. The win was considered an upset, as Unser’s chassis was not considered great on oval tracks. 

The 1992 race was mostly dominated by Michael Andretti, whose fuel pump failed with 11 laps to go while holding a 28-second lead, forcing him to retire from the race as his car coasted to a stop on the track. The caution came out, and Unser Jr. inherited the lead. The finish was a seven-lap battle that put the crowd on the edge of their seats until the end.

Goodyear attempted a slingshot pass on the final straightaway, though it was not successful. Unser won the race by just 0.043 seconds, which equated to less than one car length. 200 laps, 500 miles, and the closest finish for the greatest race in the world.

📰 Hoosier Headlines 📰

It’s Indy 500 Week, Baby!

Larry Bisceglia was as dedicated as they come for the Indianapolis 500, attending 37 straight and being the first in line every single year. Read more about the Indy 500 superfan, also known as Mr. First in Line. (Get Indiana)

Here are three quick historical facts about the Indy 500. (Nate Spangle)

Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward dropped out of school at 15 to chase a career in racing. Before securing the sixth pole position on Sunday and then being involved in a practice incident less than 24 hours later, he opened up on near-misses at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and why he calls Indiana home. (Get Indiana)

Conor Daly, who will start in eighth at the Indy 500 on Sunday, joined Get IN with Nate Spangle to discuss the month of May, his current racing situation, and the business realities of IndyCar. (Get Indiana)

An Indiana native hasn’t won the Indy 500 since Shelbyville’s Wilbur Shaw won his third in 1940, but Ed Carpenter will try to become the eighth Hoosier to accomplish the feat on Sunday. (Get Indiana)

Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti is driving the pace car for this year’s 500, a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. (Get Indiana)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will be the grand marshal at the 500. The responsibility? Telling drivers to report to their cars. (WTHR)

The Get Indiana crew is setting up shop with a tailgate in Turn 3, and we’re flying a complete stranger across the Atlantic Ocean (almost 4,000 miles!) to join us. (Nate Spangle)

Race day at the speedway has its own dress code. Get Indy 500 hats and sweet Indy 500 merch from our friends at United State of Indiana.

A New Era for Veteran Healthcare in Fishers

The Veterans Affairs department has formally asked Congress for $2.1 billion in new funding for Indiana veteran healthcare. This massive request includes an $86 million, 188,000-square-foot outpatient clinic project in Fishers, the largest VA investment Hamilton County has ever seen. (Get Indiana)

Patoka Lake: Come for the Water, Stay for the Trails

IN the Parks podcast host Allison Martin takes us to Patoka Lake, spread across parts of Dubois, Crawford and Orange counties in southern Indiana. Read why you should pay the reservoir and surrounding area a visit. (Get Indiana)

Three Summer Home Project Ideas

The weather in central Indiana is warming and the days are getting longer, meaning there is no better time to get outside and enjoy your backyard. That is, assuming you’ve already got any or all of the following – a patio, pergola, outdoor fireplace or outdoor kitchen. If you don’t, here are a few summer project ideas for you to plan for in 2026. (Get Indiana)

Indy’s Quirkiest Summer Event

Every summer, roughly 3,000 rubber ducks hit the Central Canal in Broad Ripple and race while families cheer for a plastic bird they adopted for six bucks to raise thousands of dollars for the neighborhood. See when and why you should attend. (Get Indiana)

Joey Chestnut to Chase Own Popcorn World Record

In 2022, the World’s Greatest Competitive Eater Joey Chestnut devoured 32 24-ounce servings of popcorn in eight minutes at Victory Field to add to his list of world records. He then shattered that record in 2025, consuming 42 servings in the same time frame at Rural King in Terre Haute. Now he’s ready to break it again with a Rural King encore. (Get Indiana)

The Hometown Team Behind the 500

You know Gainbridge℠ as the Presenting Sponsor of the Indianapolis 500®, but the Zionsville-based company is doing more than putting its name on the world’s largest single-day sporting event.

Gainbridge℠ offers a simple, safe way to save for the future. No hidden fees, no jargon, and licensed professionals on call when you need them. Think of them like the pit crew behind your money, here to keep you moving toward your goals. 

It's the kind of Hoosier-built company we love to put on your radar.

Learn more at gainbridge.com.

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H Steakhouse

Pato O’Ward, who will be behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren and start sixth in the Indy 500 on Sunday, recently joined Get IN. with Nate Spangle and mentioned H Steakhouse in Westfield as his hidden gem in Indiana. See what Pato recommends from the H menu. 👇

The Farmhouse Café & Tea Room

Located in the small town of Ninevah, Indiana, The Farmhouse Cafe & Tea Room is housed inside a beautifully restored brick farmhouse that dates back to the 1800s. Read why it just might become your new favorite hidden gem. (Get Indiana)

What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!

Events This Week

Strawberries on the Square – Johnson County Courthouse in Franklin – Friday, May 22 from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. - Free downtown festival featuring strawberry shortcakes, live music, food vendors, and family activities. Details

Miller Lite Carb Day featuring Counting Crows – Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway – Friday, May 22 (gates 8 a.m.; concert 4 p.m.) - It’s the day of the final Indy 500 practice, the Pit Stop Challenge, and a headlining concert from Counting Crows with special guest Switchfoot. Tickets

Americana Bean Jamboree Festival – Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in Morgantown – Friday–Sunday, May 22–24 - Memorial Day weekend roots music festival featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Ralph Stanley II, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, and more. Tickets

AES 500 Festival Parade – Downtown Indianapolis – Saturday, May 23 at noon - "Racing Through History" parade showcasing the 33 INDYCAR drivers, giant balloons, floats, and marching bands. Tickets

49th Annual Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous – George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes – Saturday–Sunday, May 23–24 - Colonial-era reenactment with twice-daily battle reenactments, period trade fair, music, and food at southern Indiana's historic frontier site. Details

MC Food & Music Festival – Guy Foreman Amphitheater (Washington Park) in Michigan City – Saturday–Sunday, May 23–24 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. - Lakefront festival with 20+ food trucks and live music in northwest Indiana. Details

110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway – Sunday, May 24 at 12:45 p.m. - “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” returns to the Brickyard with 33 drivers chasing a drink of milk in Victory Lane and eternal glory as an Indy 500 champion. Tickets

Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne – Monday, May 25 at 11 a.m. - Annual procession around the Coliseum followed by the placement of wreaths and the playing of taps to honor fallen service members. Details

👏 1 Big wIN 👏

According to U.S. News & World Report, three Indiana cities ranked as the #1, #2 and #18 best places to live among the top 250 cities in the United States. Which three cracked the top 20, and did any others make the top 250? (WISH TV)

🎧 The Man Behind $2 Billion in Motorsports Deals 🎧

🎙 On today's show I sat down with Wes Zirkle, founder of Zirkle Advisors and an outside general counsel in sports and motorsports, about his unconventional legal path and major deal stories.

He describes his start at CMG Worldwide, working in celebrity licensing and infringement, and doing an early motorsports deal with the 2001 Aerosmith Indy 500 car. He then joined Just Marketing Inc. (JMI), growing with the agency internationally, and meeting Bernie Ecclestone during F1 work. He was also present when IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard received Jeffrey Katzenberg's pitch that became DreamWorks' Turbo.

After leaving agency life and opening his own firm in 2020, Zirkle discusses representing teams and drivers, including deals involving Ed Carpenter Racing and managing Christian Rasmussen's career and visa while fundraising through Road to Indy.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- General Counsel in Motorsports
- Opening a Firm
- IndyCar Sponsors and How Drivers Profit

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