end , ▁the ▁pre - race ▁cer emon ies ▁of ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 ▁feature ▁several ▁patri otic ▁songs . ▁Like ▁most ▁other ▁sport ing ▁events , ▁the ▁national ▁anth em ▁is ▁performed ▁before ▁the ▁race ▁by ▁a ▁notable ▁vocal ist . ▁The ▁most ▁not ew orth y ▁and ▁most ▁popular ▁trad itions ▁are ▁the ▁annual ▁singing ▁of ▁" Back ▁Home ▁Again ▁in ▁Indiana ," ▁and ▁the ▁victory ▁l ane ▁bott le ▁of ▁milk . ▁ ▁Month ▁of ▁May ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁practice ▁and ▁qual ifying ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 ▁is ▁known ▁in ▁racing ▁circles ▁simply ▁as ▁" the ▁month ▁of ▁May ▁[ at ▁Indian apolis ] ". ▁In ▁early ▁years , ▁the ▁track ▁tradition ally ▁opened ▁for ▁practice ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 ▁( reg ard less ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁week ). ▁This ▁practice ▁dated ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁The ▁policy ▁was ▁typically ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁track ▁available ▁for ▁practice ▁no ▁later ▁than ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁although ▁in ▁most ▁years , ▁few ▁if ▁any ▁compet itors ▁might ▁be ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁yet . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁un common ▁for ▁local ▁entries ▁to ▁begin ▁setting ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁gar age ▁area ▁in ▁early / mid - A pril ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁their ▁cars . ▁Out - of - town ▁or ▁over se as ▁entries ▁sometimes ▁arrived ▁in ▁Indian apolis ▁( s ometimes ▁after ▁length y ▁travel s ) ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁shop ▁in ▁a