During the early days, nearly all cars had two seats that included a driver and an onboard “riding mechanic”. After World War II, teams abandoned two-man cars to cut down on weight and improve aerodynamics.

The winner of the inaugural race in 1911 drove one of the first cars with a rearview mirror.

The American Dairy Association asks drivers ahead of time whether they would like whole, two percent or skim milk in the event that they win the race.

The “Brickyard” gets its name from the 1909 surfacing project when 3.2 million street paving bricks were laid.
The winner is awarded the sterling silver Borg-Warner Trophy, commissioned in 1935 at a cost of $10,000. The trophy today is valued at more than $1 million.

Originally the Indianapolis 500 was called the “International Sweepstakes”.

In 1972, Jim Nabors was a guest at the race. Right before the opening ceremonies he was asked to sing “Back Home Again in Indiana”. He had no rehearsal and wrote the lyrics on his hand. He performed the song 45 times over 42 years.
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Fourteen drivers have been killed as the result of accidents during the race. 

Of all the flowers bought for holidays, one quarter are purchased for Mother's Day. The amount of money spent on Mother's Day in the U.S. is approximately $14 billion.

Allow leaves to mulch naturalized areas. It’s what the plants want anyway and fewer weeds will sprout.

The average person walks about 10,000 steps a day. During a lifetime it is thought that a person has walked enough steps to have traveled around the planet more than 4 times, which is approximately 115,000 miles.

Plant tomatoes when danger of frost is past (about May 10). You can plant earlier if you cover the plants when frosts are forecast.

Prune early spring flowering trees and shrubs as blooms fade.

Seed bare patches in your lawn. Treat soil for grubs.

Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Coliseum and Vatican City would fit inside the Indianapolis Motor Stadium oval which is 253 acres.

Never top a tree. It cannot heal the gaping wounds, leaving it susceptible to insects and diseases. Use selective pruning instead.

Jaguars get their name from a Native American word meaning “he who kills with one leap”.
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The yo-yo may be the second oldest toy in the world after dolls. Pictures of yo-yos were found on the walls of Egyptian temples and were important with warriors such as Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington.

The Kentucky Derby, premier horse racing extravaganza, happens Saturday, May 4 at 6:50 p.m. To prepare you for this longest running sporting event in the U.S., here are a few fun facts to share with your “horsey” friends.

• The first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17, 1875. A three-year-old chestnut thoroughbred, Aristides, won the race. His jockey Oliver Lewis was 19 and never raced in the Derby again. Aristides’ trainer was Ansel Williams, a former slave.
• Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the grandson of Lewis and Clark fame, went to the Epson Derby in England in 1872. When he got back to the U.S., he started a racing club called the Louisville Jockey Club and raised enough money to build a permanent racetrack in Louisville. The track was named Churchill Downs in 1883.
• The red rose became the race’s official flower in 1896, when the winner Ben Brush was given a garland made of white and pink roses. Thus, the name, “Run for the Roses”.
• Today, the rose garland has up to 400 red roses sewn on green satin and weight more than 40 pounds. In the center is a rose “crown” with a single rose symbolizing the heart and struggle needed to become a Kentucky Derby winner.
• The trophy is made of 14 karat gold and stands on a jade base.
• The fastest winner was Secretariat in 1973. He completed the race in 1:59:40.
• Of course, the main concern of most Kentucky Derby women is their hat choices. Preferred bonnets are wide-brimmed, “Southern Belle” style enhanced with flowers and ribbons. 
• The Kentucky Derby drink of choice—the Classic Mint Julep. Create this tasty treat by mixing the following ingredients in a julep cup: 2 parts bourbon, ½ part simple syrup and one mint sprig gently muddled (pressed and twisted lightly). Add crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Enjoy sipping and cheering on your favorite horse as they “run for the roses”.