The crowd gathers during the pregame ceremonies at the 2018 Indianapolis 500, May 27, 2018. A B-2 Spirit performed a flyover before the start of the race. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joel Pfiester)

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a 2 1/2 mile stretch of road that has led many drivers to greatness. There are many unique things about this place, an obvious one being the prestigious Indy 500. Although many events around race day are well documented, many don’t consider the extensive work that takes place before, during, and after. We’d like to give you an insider’s look at what it takes to keep the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in pristine condition for drivers and spectators alike.

As a young boy Daniel Porterfield would ride his bike to the track so he could witness all the action happening on race day. Years later he took over the company his parents founded Quipco Sales and began selling Mi-T-M power washing equipment; because of the contacts he made when visiting the track, Daniel was able to establish the Indianapolis Motor Speedway maintenance crew as his clients. This relationship continued to grow over the years, and in 2016 proved to be fruitful for both sides. Internal factors lead to a track management vacancy at IMS, and Daniel was notified immediately once the contract became available. A relationship that began over 25 years ago resulted in Daniel earning a contract to power wash the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is a testament to properly serving clients.

From April 1st to May 25th, Daniel put in 12 hour days of power washing with Mi-T-M equipment before and after each race. One can imagine the amount of cement, concrete, asphalt, composite, and black concrete that’s washed at a racetrack, but picture doing it all by hand. Walking the track with 5,000-gallon water trucks, and spraying it from the top of the bank to the infield seemed to be a never-ending task. As all innovative business owners do, Daniel is currently developing a customized 96-inch truck mounted sprayer to make his operation more efficient the next time around. An improvement such as this could cut his man-hours substantially, and ensure he produces an even better result.

Aside from cleaning the racetrack areas, Daniel is responsible for the washing and sanitizing seating, amenities, and other highly traveled areas. The 250,000 bleacher seats at IMS were cleaned throughout the racing season as well as restrooms, concessions, and concourse areas.

Quipco Sales was founded on the principals of professionalism, trustworthiness, and service, three elements that help to continually strengthen customer relationships. One piece of advice Daniel has for other contractors is, “if possible, always communicate with others on the jobsite. You never know where you’ll make a friend or gain a customer – which are the same thing in my book.”

We love to hear great stories like this from our dealer network and those using our machines to do great work. If you have a story to share with us, please contact us on Facebook.