Indianapolis 500

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The starting line-up at the first ever Indianapolis 500 motor race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, 1911.

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Arts & Culture

Indianapolis 500

automobile race

Also known as: Indy 500

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 • Article History

Indianapolis 500

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Category: Arts & Culture

Byname:: Indy 500

Key People:: Danica Patrick; Janet Guthrie

Related Topics:: automobile racing

Notable Honorees:: Jacques Villeneuve; Hélio Castroneves; Mario Andretti; A.J. Foyt

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Indianapolis 500, U.S. automobile race held annually from 1911, except for the war years 1917–18 and 1942–45. The race is always run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, a suburban enclave of Indianapolis, Indiana. Drawing crowds of several hundred thousand people, the race is among the world’s best-attended single-day sporting events. It is held on the weekend of the country’s Memorial Day holiday. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909 as a testing facility for the local automotive industry. The track was first paved with crushed rock and tar but was soon repaved with brick; hence, the speedway is often ...(100 of 487 words)

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