Few people know that the race course for the Indy 500—which will mark its 100-year anniversary in 2011--had humble beginnings in 1909 in Indianapolis.
The now world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway was created by Carl Fisher and three other investors in 1909. The four investors purchased 325 acres as a test facility for the automotive industry in Indianapolis. The land would become known as “The Brickyard” later that year for the massive number of bricks that were used to pave the track.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a 2.5 mile long oval raceway which hosts races with race distances between 500 and 1100 miles.
Since its humble beginnings, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has hosted more than 300 races, and is home to the Indianapolis (Indy) 500, NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 and some Formula One races. The first race at the track was in 1911, which was the inaugural Indianapolis 500.
When the 93rd Indy 500 takes place on May 24, 2009, it will be the first race in what is being termed the track’s “Centennial Era” which spans two years, 2009 to 2011.
