---

News Release

Last modified: Monday, March 21, 2011

'Taste of Little 500' to be part of this year's qualifications event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Student organizers of the 2011 Little 500 at Indiana University expect many race fans will enjoy the new flavors at this year's qualifications event on Saturday (March 26).

In addition to the excitement generated by teams on the track while vying for the pole, this year the event will include a "Taste of Little 500."

Local restaurants and food vendors will add a festive atmosphere and all net proceeds will go toward the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. The theme will be "Get Fed, Give Food."

"Little 500 is more than just celebrations, it is a time to give back to the community that gives so much to this student body," said Kelsie Ackman, a senior from Terre Haute, Ind., who is among those planning the new activity. "Local vendors are being invited to set up booths around the track, so anyone can come, get a snack and a taste of Bloomington."

Qualifications will take place at Bill Armstrong Stadium, located off Fee Lane, just north of its intersection with 17th Street. Admission is free for qualifications, which will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Parking is available adjacent to the Gladstein Fieldhouse and IU Assembly Hall.

Vendors will serve breakfast food from 8 to 11 a.m. and lunch from noon to 3 p.m. People will buy tickets that can be redeemed for various menu items sold at different prices. Applications from vendors are being accepted by the IU Student Foundation through 5 p.m. today. Several campus and independent Bloomington restaurants already have indicated they plan to participate.

The IU Student Foundation previously has featured family-oriented activities during Little 500 qualifications, such as rock climbing walls and NASCAR race cars on display.

The Little 500, now in its 61st year, is the nation's largest collegiate intramural cycling event and was featured in an Academy Award-winning film Breaking Away more than 30 years ago. Participants train all year to compete.

Little 500 qualifications generate their own excitement as they determine the 33 teams that will compete in the men's and women's races. Teams must complete four laps around the cinder track, each rider doing one lap. Smooth bike exchanges and quick single-lap speed are essential for a good qualification time.

The women's Little 500 will take place at 4 p.m. on April 15 and the men's Little 500 will begin at 2 p.m. on April 16.

Other Little 500-related events include the increasingly popular running relay race, the Little Fifty on April 14 at the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex, as well as individual time trials on March 30, the Miss-N-Out competition on April 2 and the Team Pursuit competition on April 9, which will take place at Armstrong Stadium.

Tickets for Little 500 events are $25 and are available through Ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster locations include the IU Auditorium Box Office. Go to https://www.iusf.org for more information.

Follow Little 500 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/IUSF and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Indiana-University-Student-Foundation/142690686649. A regularly updated blog, Inside the Track, can be found at https://little500blog.blogspot.com/.

---

---