▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁was ▁pl ag ued ▁by ▁rain , ▁much ▁like ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁The ▁Night ▁Before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁tw in ▁ 5 0 - lap ▁M idget ▁races ▁were ▁ra ined ▁out ▁on ▁Sunday ▁May ▁ 2 7 ▁and ▁initially ▁res ch eduled ▁for ▁June ▁ 1 7 . ▁However , ▁a ▁sched uling ▁conflict ▁saw ▁the ▁event ▁res ch eduled ▁a ▁second ▁time ▁until ▁July ▁ 4 ▁and ▁the ▁race ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁" Fire cra cker ▁F ift ies ." ▁On ▁July ▁ 4 , ▁the ▁event ▁was ▁cancel led ▁due ▁to ▁heavy ▁rain , ▁and ▁never ▁res ch eduled . ▁After ▁that ▁much - m aligned ▁event , ▁the ▁Night ▁Before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁returned ▁to ▁IR P ▁the ▁following ▁season . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 ▁was ▁perman ently ▁moved ▁to ▁Sunday , ▁which ▁meant ▁the ▁Night ▁Before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁races ▁were ▁like wise ▁perman ently ▁moved ▁to ▁Saturday ▁night ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁when ▁the ▁" N ight ▁Before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 " ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁K ok omo , ▁the ▁Speed rome , ▁or ▁the ▁Fair ground s , ▁IR P ▁sometimes ▁also ▁held ▁their ▁own ▁do cket ▁of ▁races ▁the ▁same ▁night ▁( and ▁vice ▁vers a ). ▁But ▁these ▁races ▁were ▁not ▁considered ▁part ▁of ▁the