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Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Brickyard
250px
Location Speedway, Indiana
Time Zone UTC -5/-4 (DST)
Capacity 257,000 (permanent seating)
400,000 (total)
Broke Ground March 15, 1909
Opened August 12, 1909
Major Events Champ Car
Indianapolis 500-Mile Race
(1911 - present)
World Stock Car Championship
Brickyard 300
(1981 - present)
Rectangular Oval
Surface Asphalt and Brick
Distance 2.500 mi (4.023 km)
Turns 4
Banking Turns: 9.2°
Straights: 0°
Grand Prix Course
Surface Asphalt and Brick
Distance 3.925 km (2.439 mi)
Turns 13

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, (an enclave suburb of Indianapolis) in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 300, and was formerly host of the United States Grand Prix. Constructed in 1909, it is the original speedway, the first racing facility so named. It is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world, with a permanent seating capacity estimated at 235,000, and infield seating raising capacity to an approximate 400,000.

The track is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. It has two 5⁄8-mile-long (1,000 m) straightaways, four geometrically identical 1⁄4-mile (400 m) turns, connected by two 1⁄8-mile (200 m) short straightaways, termed "short chutes", between turns 1 and 2, and between turns 3 and 4. Its nine degrees of banking make it relatively flat for an American speedway.

Track History[edit | edit source]

Inspired by the automotive design and racing scene in Europe, Indianapolis Motor Speedway was first proposed in 1905 as a means to test vehicles and provide a better racing experience for fans, as racing in the United States often took place on horse tracks or temporary circuits, which were dangerous to drivers and limited fans' experience.

Construction of the track started in March 1909; while the original plans called for a 3-mile oval with a 2-mile road course, the road course was scrapped and the oval was reduced to 2.5 miles to fit the grandstands on the site. Reshaping of the land took 500 laborers, 300 mules and a fleet of steam-powered machinery. The track surface consisted of layers of graded and packed soil, gravel, taroid-covered limestone, crushed stone chips (also drenched with taroid), and a final topping of crushed stone. Dozens of buildings, bridges, grandstands, and an 8-foot perimeter fence were also constructed during this time. The track surface became a concern during early practice sessions, as drivers were quickly covered in dirt, oil, and tar; additionally, the surface began to develop pits and ruts. 3.2-million paving bricks were laid atop the track surface later in the year.

Starting in 1911, the track held only one race per year; the first 500-mile race saw 80,000 attendees and was run at an average speed of 75 miles per hour. The race quickly became an annual tradition and attracted drivers from all over the globe to compete. The 1916 race was shortened due to a lack of entries (and out of respect for the war in Europe), while the 1917 and 1918 races were canceled altogether. After the war, speeds had quickly increased, with the first 100 mph average pace recorded in 1925.

By 1938, all of the initial brickwork had been overlain by asphalt, with the exception of the middle portion of the front straightaway. By 1961, the remaining bricks on the frontstretch were paved over, with the exception of a 36-inch strip across the start-finish line.

The track was nearly abandoned during WWII, as a ban on all racing activities and general ownership disinterest caused the track to fall into disrepair. A group of drivers and enthusiasts purchased the track and began extensive renovations, which were completed in time to run the 500 in 1946.

By the 1950's, speeds were topping well over 150 mph; the sleek, low-slung roadsters of this era helped attract more fans and teams to the event; the race became part of the Formula A world championship during the decade.

Rear-engined cars debuted in the 1960's; the last win for a front-engined car came in 1964. The first women would attempt to qualify the following year, but a woman would not make the field until 1977 (Joan Melton was on pace to make the field in 1966, but crashed on her final qualifying lap).

Stock car racing debuted on the speedway in 1981 when the World Stock Car Championship ran the Round of Indianapolis for the first time. In contrast to the high-speed open-wheel racing fans were used to, the stock cars provided close quarters racing and a different atmosphere to IMS. The race has been held annually ever since, and became part of the "Month of May" Indianapolis 500 celebrations in 2015, typically as the first event at the speedway.

Motorsports Events[edit | edit source]

Current[edit | edit source]

Former[edit | edit source]