IndyCar Racing Magazine's, Ned Wicker, calls it a "ghost town."

"By traditional standards," Ned commented. "It's like a ghost town around here. The hospitality area adjacent to Gasoline Alley is only about half full, and the activity in the garages yesterday and today was more like the day after the race, only without the trash."

But, this is still Indy, or is it? Has the tradition been lost? Will the fans still show up?

This is definitely going to be a very interesting "Month of May" in both Indianapolis and Michigan as the true split between Indy and CART comes to light.

For this writer, it just simply hurts to see this. I have never been to the Indy 500 but, nevertheless, it was still a tradition to gather in front of the TV with family and friends as we watched the best drivers in the world battle around the 2.5 rectangular-oval.

Some of us had goosebumps and yes, even a tear in the eye as Jim Nabors rattled off "Back Home In Indiana." Americana at it's finest.

Yes. It is eerie.

Ned Wicker has been covering this race as a professional journalist for over 17 years. If anyone should know, Ned should.

"This just isn't happy," Ned commented. "The feel around here is different. People aren't all pumped up the way they usually are."

"Perhaps it's appropriate that it rained today."