| | | | | | | | | | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | The Brickyard |
| | Indianapolis, IN Built in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the original “speedway,” and the second-oldest surviving auto racing track in the world, after the Milwaukee Mile. It was built as an auto proving ground, and designed as a 2.5-mile rectangle, the largest track its four founders could build on the land available.
The first event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909 was a hot-air balloon race, which was followed by three days of racing. Work began soon after to repave the entire surface with more than three million bricks, when the crushed stone and tar track was found to be too dangerous.
After poor attendance at three separate race weekends in 1910, the decision was made to host one large event in 1911. On May 30, 1911, the first 500-Mile International Sweepstakes was held, and remains a Memorial Day tradition. It took Ray Harroun almost seven hours to finish the 500-mile race in 1911, but took only a record 2 hours and 41 minutes for Arie Luyendyk to complete in 1990.
After deteriorating during World War II, businessman Tony Hulman bought the speedway, beginning a series of improvements.
In 1993, several NASCAR teams were invited to a one-day test session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – the inaugural Brickyard 400 was held one year later.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a two and a half mile, nearly rectangular oval. Its dimensions have changed very little since its inception. The grounds of the facility, originally 320 acres, have expanded to cover more than 559 acres.
The track has a seating capacity of more than 250,000. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
| | | | | | |
