The INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (open 8-5 weekdays), 2400 W. 16th St., scene of the world famous 500-mile Memorial Day race, is a noted proving ground and outdoor laboratory, where much of the safety and durability of automobiles and tires have been developed. Engineers claim that 70 per cent of the improvements in modern cars and tires are an outgrowth of races held here.
The 2.5 mile brick and asphalt oval track has two long straight-aways of 3,300 feet each and two short ones of 660 feet each, connected by four wide, sweeping curves each of which is 1,320 feet. The track is 50 feet wide on the stretches and much wider on the turns, which have a gradient of 16° at the approach and 40° where the turn is sharpest. There are safety walls on the outside and wide safety aprons on the inside of all curves. Around the western and southern sides of the track are grandstands, paddocks, and bleachers seating 125,000. The infield, a large part of which is a golf course, has parking space for 25,000 automobiles. Inside the track are garages, pits, judges’ stand, score boards, press pagoda, an emergency hospital, and refreshment stands.
Here on each Memorial Day from 125,000 to 175,000 persons, from shoeshine boys to overlords of the financial world, watch 33 crack drivers pilot America’s fastest racing cars 500 miles. Before the race, each car and driver must pass rigid inspections and the crs must qualify (1941 rules) by running 10 miles at an average speed of not less than 115 miles per hour. From those qualifying the 33 fastest are allowed to start. The race itself is replete with thrills, sometimes with spills, and acts of heroism. The record for the race is an average speed of 117.2 miles per hour (1938) and the fasted lap recorded is 130.492 miles an hour. -Indiana: A Guide to the Hoosier State 1941
Updated statistics as of 2023 race:
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Lap Record: Arie Luyendyk 37.895 seconds or 237.498 MPH
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Most Victories: 4 tied with 4 wins-A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, Hélio Castroneves
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Average Race Speed Hélio Castroneves 190.690 MPH (2021) For comparison this equals a finishing time of 2:37:19.4043 whereas Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indy 500 held in 1911 in 6:42:08.
Other notable achievements
-Al Unser was the oldest winner in 1987 at age 47 years 360 days
-The most victorious car number is No. 3 with 11 wins: 1919, 1948, 1962, 1968, 1974, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1992, 2002, 2009
-Narrowest margin of victory: 0.043 seconds (1992) Al Unser Jr.
-Career furthest distance completed: A. J. Foyt completed 4,909 laps for a career 12,272.5 miles.
- Statistics culled from
Indianapolis 500 records
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway space occupies the blue Boardwalk property on a standard Monopoly board.