Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana (a separate city completely surrounded by Indianapolis) in the United States, is the second-oldest surviving auto racing track in the world (after The Milwaukee Mile), having existed since 1909. The track is a relatively flat two and a half mile oval, almost rectangular in shape. It has a spectator capacity of over 300,000, making it the largest sporting facility in the world. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

Early History: tragedy begets "The Brickyard"

When the first race took place in August, 1909, the celebration quickly turned into a disaster due to the surface of crushed stone and tar. There were terrible injuries to the race car drivers and spectators. Cars caught fire, there were deaths, and the race was halted and canceled when only halfway completed.

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Following an initiative by automotive parts and highway pioneer Carl G. Fisher, an Indiana native who was both a former race car driver and one of the principal investors, the safety concerns for race drivers and spectators eventually led to a substantial additional expenditure to pave the track surface with 3.2 million paving bricks, and gave the track its popular nickname, "The Brickyard".

Related Topics:
Automotive - Carl G. Fisher - Indiana

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Attracting 80,000 spectators to the first 500 miles (800 km) race on Memorial Day May 30, 1911, at $1 admission, the Speedway reopened and hosted the first in a long line of five hundred mile (800 km) races known as the Indianapolis 500. Ray Harroun won at the brisk average speed of 74.602 mph (120.060 km/h). A new tradition had been established.

Related Topics:
Memorial Day - May 30 - 1911 - Indianapolis 500 - Ray Harroun

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