Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
source
Name	Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Caption	Aerial view of the speedway
Location	Speedway, Indiana
Broke ground	1909
Opened	1909
Owner	Roger Penske (via Penske Corporation)
Operator	Penske Entertainment
Architect	Carl G. Fisher
Major events	Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400, Indianapolis Grand Prix
Oval surface	Asphalt
Oval length	2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Oval banking	Turns: 9° 12', Straights: 0°
Road course	IMS Road Course
Road length	2.439 mi (3.925 km)
Road turns	14

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a legendary motorsports circuit located in Speedway, Indiana. Founded by Carl G. Fisher and a group of local entrepreneurs, it is most famous for hosting the annual Indianapolis 500 IndyCar Series race. The facility is owned by Roger Penske and is renowned for its immense grandstand capacity and historic Yard of Bricks start-finish line.

History

The facility was conceived in 1908 by automotive pioneers Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Arthur Newby, and Frank H. Wheeler as a testing ground for the nascent automobile industry. Originally paved with crushed stone and tar, the surface proved disastrous, leading to a permanent upgrade with over 3.2 million paving bricks in late 1909, earning the track its enduring "Brickyard" nickname. Under the long stewardship of Tony Hulman, who purchased the dilapidated facility in 1945, it was restored to its former glory and became a national icon. In 2020, the property was acquired by Roger Penske and his Penske Corporation, marking a new chapter for the historic venue.

Layout and facilities

The primary circuit is a rectangular oval spanning 2.5 miles, featuring four distinct turns connected by long straights. The most famous feature is the Yard of Bricks, a 36-inch strip of the original brick surface preserved at the start-finish line. The infield contains the IMS Road Course, a 2.439-mile layout used for Formula One and IndyCar Series road races. The sprawling grounds include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, the Pagoda timing and scoring tower, and massive grandstands like the Stand "A" complex, contributing to a permanent seating capacity of over 250,000.

Major events

The venue's premier event is the Indianapolis 500, sanctioned by the IndyCar Series and held each Memorial Day weekend, often referred to as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing". From 1994 to 2020, it hosted the Brickyard 400 for the NASCAR Cup Series. The road course has held numerous major events, including the United States Grand Prix for Formula One from 2000 to 2007, and currently hosts the IndyCar Series' Indianapolis Grand Prix and NASCAR Cup Series road course races. It also previously hosted the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

Notable races and records

The 1911 Indianapolis 500, won by Ray Harroun in the Marmon Wasp, was the inaugural event. A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears each hold the record for most Indianapolis 500 victories with four wins apiece. Helio Castroneves joined this group with his fourth win in 2021. The official one-lap qualifying record for the oval is 237.498 mph, set by Arie Luyendyk in 1996. Memorable finishes include the 1992 race where Al Unser Jr. defeated Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds and the 2006 race where Sam Hornish Jr. passed Marco Andretti on the final straightaway.

In popular culture

The speedway has been featured prominently in films such as *Winning* (1969), starring Paul Newman, and the documentary *Senna* (2010), which covers Ayrton Senna's 1991 victory. It is referenced in songs by John Mellencamp and is the central subject of the classic radio broadcast *The Indianapolis 500*. Video games like the *Forza Motorsport* and *iRacing* series feature detailed digital recreations of the circuit, allowing virtual competition on its famed tarmac.

Category:Sports venues in Indiana Category:Motorsport venues in the United States Category:Indianapolis 500