Robby Gordon last attempted the Memorial Day double in 2004. Credit: Autostock

Memorial Day: Racing's biggest weekend

Memorial Day is perhaps the biggest racing weekend of the year. It's bigger than July 4, Labor Day, even bigger than the Daytona 500 weekend.

It's that way because two of the biggest events in the country are held on Sunday, 650 miles apart.

Roger Penske owns the pole-winning car for Sunday's Indianapolis 500. Credit: AP

The Indianapolis 500 is the world's largest single-day sporting event, drawing a race-day crowd estimated at more than 350,000. The Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway is held before some 180,000 fans.

There has been a significant amount of crossover between NASCAR and Indy Cars the past several years, including a fair number of drivers who have tried to compete in both events on the same day, attempting 1,100 miles at racing speed in two very different types of cars.

That's as long as or longer than the Baja 1,000 off-road race, depending on the route.

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Sponsors are also double-dipping, running both races in a single day. Target Stores has cars in both fields, and so does Jim Beam.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., based in Deerfield, Ill., has made the most of that fact, recently concluding the Jim Beam 1100 Sweepstakes by announcing Pennsylvania's Philip Keeney as the winner.

Keeney, from Mechanicsburg, Pa. (home of the famed Williams Grove Speedway), and three guests will do the double themselves, courtesy of Beam. The foursome will attend both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, something drivers can no longer do.

Since Indiana adopted Daylight Savings Time, the difference in the start time won't allow a driver to do it with any reasonable chance of success, so Beam stepped in and made sure that at least Keeney and his guests could.

"As the Official Spirit of Racing, Jim Beam is thrilled to offer Philip this once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Brian Gallagher, manager, Jim Beam Racing. "The Jim Beam 1100 allows us to offer our valued consumers the opportunity to witness the Jim Beam teams compete in both the IRL and NASCAR races. We are looking forward to entertaining Philip and his guests as we take part in the biggest weekend in motorsports."

And what entertainment it promises to be. Following the Indy 500 the winner and his guests will travel from the Brickyard to Indianapolis International Airport via helicopter. There the party will board two private jets, owned by Indy Car team owner Michael Andretti and Jim Beam NASCAR team owner Robby Gordon, and fly to Charlotte, to be a part of the race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. At each track, they will enjoy the race from an exclusive VIP suite. The winner and his guests will also have the chance to meet and cheer on Andretti and Gordon.

Chip Ganassi owns cars in both Memorial Day races. Credit: AP

Andretti, who came out of retirement for this year's 500, will drive the Jim Beam Dallara-Honda at Indy, while Gordon's Jim Beam Chevrolet Monte Carlo has been consistently fast at Lowe's.

Last year, Jim Beam driver Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 on the way to the IRL season championship.

"The Jim Beam 1100 program is really a great promotion," said Andretti, son of 1969 Indy 500 and 1967 Daytona 500 winner Mario. "It's an unbelievable opportunity to give a fan -- the chance to see the biggest race in the world [Indianapolis 500] and one of the biggest NASCAR races of the year at two great facilities, all in one day."

Since all news is local, it's especially relevant that Keeney is from Pennsylvania. The Andretti clan is based in Nazareth, Pa.

"For me, the fact that the winner is from Mechanicsburg, Pa., makes it extra special," he said. "It just adds a little more excitement for everybody in that area between the Jim Beam 1100 and me returning for the 500. Pennsylvania can say it's got one winner already in May. Hopefully, I can make it two."

"The Indy 500 is a race I wish I could run every year, but several years ago I focused my attention on NASCAR and my efforts at Charlotte are my number-one priority," Gordon said. "Someday I hope to run the double again, but since I can't, Jim Beam put together this fantastic promotion where a race fan can watch Michael Andretti run at Indianapolis and then come and watch me run at Charlotte in the 600.

"I've come so close to winning at Indianapolis, and when I can do it without taking away from my NASCAR program, I'll go back."

Until then, Philip Keeney and others who team up with Jim Beam can do the double for him.