It's actually a lot harder to park those cars then you would think. In April it can be cold, hot, wet or two out of three of those. In the last few years the car at the angle is often #1. Then the Festival cars start at about 17 or 18. The then line up in order up to 50. Cars 2-16 or 17 are parked in pit lane. Car 51 and 52 and and stragglers are parked next to the other side of the Pagoda so the Festival members and track VIPS see them as they are dropped off. Often it's the first time most will see the cars. A welcome gift bag has been placed in the car. Festival members are assigned a car based on alphabetical order so the lowest is Aleto and wells is the highest. You can only be a member of the festival for 6 years. So every year 5 retire and 5 join changing who drives what number. The family always has the first 5 cars. Then track employees, IRL officials, board of trustees and the local police department in that Apx order. In the past Mel Harder skipped car 13. With him gone it now is issued out again. Those that show up get a hot lap. You can google the 2012 when The IMS president had a go pro and went all out. The cars that are not picked up that night go two either the garages under the stands or to the airport parking garage to wait on the arrival of there driver. A few years to mix it up like 2009 and 2011 the cars are given out downtown at a nice restaurant or hotel.
