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Indy 500 Overview

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The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, better known as Indy 500, is an American auto race, held annually over Memorial Day weekend. The Indy 500 races take place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in Speedway, Indiana. Affectionately called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, Indy 500 is the oldest and richest motorsport event in existence and is the largest single day sporting event world wide, based off on ground attendance and international audience. Indy 500 has also loaned their trademark name to describe the cars that are used during the race. The “IndyCar” class consists of open-wheeled race cars.

The Indy 500 races 33 cars and on the track, the cars are placed in 11 rows of 3. Indy 500 race qualifications are based off time trials, four laps around the track, ran two weekends before the Indy 500. Racers can and do usually try to qualify their primary car and back up car. Indy 500 racers are awarded three attempts to start their qualifying times, and after four laps are completed, their qualifying time is permanent. Positions 1 through 11 are decided on the first day of qualifying, positions 12 through 22 are decided on the second day of qualifying, and the third day of qualifying is for positions 23 through 33. The fourth day is called “Bubble Day”. Any qualifying attempt on this day that is faster than an already qualified racer from the field of 33 will bump the slower racers out of the Indy 500. The fastest qualifier on the first day is awarded the pole position in the Indy 500, or the first position.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909, with the track stretching 500 miles. The first Indy 500 was held on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911, with 80,200 spectators in attendance. At the time, the price of a ticket was $1. The Indy 500 was first called the “International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Race”, in 1911. For one year, in 1919, following World War I, the then Indy 500 name changed names again, this time to the “Liberty Sweepstakes”. In 1920, the name reverted back to its original name from 1911. During 1981, the race officially changed its’ name one last time to the “Indianapolis 500” or “Indy 500” for short.

Indy 500 and NASCAR have made a slight connection as well. Between 1994 and 2005, a few NASCAR drivers did double duty by racing in the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. The NASCAR drivers would barely make it in time to start the second race. Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and John Andretti are the particular NASCAR drivers to participate in both races. John Andretti is the only driver to complete the full 1110 miles, from both equally challenging races. Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt are the only NASCAR drivers to win the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500.

Indy 500 is not a sport only for men competitors, but women also. The first woman to race in the Indy 500 was Janet Guthrie, in 1977. She competed in 1978 and 1979. Guthrie set a trend that soon would be followed by other women passionate about racing, and racing in the Indy 500. Lyn St. James raced in the Indy 500 from 1992-1997, and again in 2000. Sarah Fisher competed in the Indy 500 from 2000-2004, and Danica Patrick raced in 2005 and 2006.

Additionally, there are many post-race traditions at Indy 500, and one is the bottle of milk the Indy 500 winner of drinks at the end of the race. This act started in 1936, with winner Louis Meyer, who drank a bottle of buttermilk to celebrate his victory. Other traditions include the Indy 500 trophy, commissioned in 1935 by Borg-Warner Auto Company. A bas-relief sculpture of the winner’s face, name, average speed, and date of victory are placed on the Indy 500 trophy. A replica of the trophy is presented to the Indy 500 winner. An Indy 500 winner is also awarded the pace car or a reproduction of that same car, which started in 1936 as well.