Hardwell Throws Down at the World’s Largest Sporting Event

Every year, over 400,000 fans flock to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to marvel at Indy Car’s biggest spectacle, the Indy 500. Reaching speeds well over 230 mph, the race is an incredible feat of engineering, but if that doesn’t flop your noodle, then maybe basking in the sound waves of the world’s biggest DJs is your type o’ thing. Welcome to the Indy 500 Snake Pit.

Tucked away in the infield of Turn 3, the Snake Pit has been a long-standing tradition of the Indy 500. Unfortunately, various mischief in the 80s put the party on hiatus until its revival in 2012. Since then, its headliners have included Benny Benassi. Diplo, Afrojack, Topher Jones and Krewella.

Imagine if Spring Break were to have a child with the Kentucky Derby, the Snake Pit lies somewhere in between. The only catch is you’ve got to be there early… really early… Determined fans arrive around 6:30 am, parking in the lawns of opportunistic entrepreneurs before police begin shutting down the surrounding roadways. These blockades cause a mass pedestrian exodus to the racing grounds, which can be seen for miles. At first glance, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the speedway and all its 560 acres of racing grounds. However, we’re more worried about a particular chunk of the infield near Turn 3.

At 8 am Dillon Francis welcomed the Snake Pit with that beefy Moomba style we’ve all come to know and love. Coming off a huge release with “Get Low”, the OWSLA label-mate launched the day with a spectacular atmosphere.

Aussie powerhouse Nervo took the wheel at 10 am, steering the party just a little bit closer towards that bass nirvana. These girls never disappoint, and today the duo gave the crowd a peek at the newest sounds of summer. They laid down a colossal set with the filthiest of jungle beats to make even the VIP loungers wiggle in joy.

Beginning his closing set at 12:30 pm, Hardwell spared no one from his mind-numbing big room sound. Everyone seems to want a piece the Dutchman these days, and it’s obvious why after listening to all the new material he packs into a single show. For those of us lucky enough to survive to the end, he picked off the stragglers with some crunchy hardstyle, reminiscent of his closing performance at Ultra ’14.

And, after hours of partying, there’s enough time to catch the last 50 laps and a glimpse of the checkered flag. Oh, you’re also allowed to bring in a backpack or cooler with as much booze as you’d like, not that it matters. Fast cars, stellar music, and a decidedly unique atmosphere are all reasons the Snake Pit is gearing up to be the spring party of the year.