Michiana group showcases vintage cars at Indy 500 Carb Day

Indianapolis, Ind. - Friday was full of excitement for everyone at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Affectionately known as "Carb Day," the final day of practices allow drivers to make their last preparations on the cars before Sunday's Indianapolis 500.

However, a group of Michiana residents used the day to showcase the results of their own hard work.

“It does not get old," said Lonny Berkey, the team manager of Klingerman Brothers Racing. "This is all about the history of Indy, the fellowship of a team and what built this sport.”

The group of more than a dozen members hails from Bourbon, Indiana.

For years now, they've come to the track to take in the excitement as well as show the two vintage vehicles they've restored back home.

“The 500 is definitely a mainstay of the history of Indiana as we all know," Berkey said. "The guys that put this deal together, we all had this vision of doing exactly this.”

While many of the team members are regulars at Carb Day, they made a point to invite some neighbors who had never gotten the chance to see the Speedway in person.

“It’s no secret that the Indianapolis 500 is the legacy of Indiana," said Kevin Boyer, the CEO of Elkhart Clinic. "I’ve never experienced it and I never thought I would.”

But no matter how many times they've been to the IMS, this group knows how important it is to take in all of the sights and sounds.

“A lot of it is about the memories and the people that brought us here," said Berkey, " and we’ve got a great bunch of guys to come down here and represent small town Bourbon, Indiana the way that we have.”

They also got to take one of the cars on the track early in the day.

For the second straight year, Berkey was the lucky driver thanks to a well-timed birthday.