INDY 500
The Greatest Spectacle in Racing
by Caleb Coffin
May 1st, 2023
A Bit of HistoryLiving in Indianapolis means you live in the racing capital of the World! The Indianapolis Motor Speedway offers events nearly all year long, but there is nothing like the track in May. As the calendar turns to May, so does our attention to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500. Move Indy is here to show you what it’s all about!
The first race took place in 1911 and was a massive success. Over 80,000 turned out to see Ray Harroun win the inaugural race in his yellow number 32 car. Last year the race drew a whopping 325,000 spectators, making it the single largest sporting event in the world! |
Ray Harroun's Number 32 Car
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The Borg-Warner TrophyIn 1936, the Borg-Warner Trophy was presented for the first time to winner Louis Meyer.
It is named for and was commissioned by automotive supplier BorgWarner. It is permanently housed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Unveiled at a 1936 dinner hosted by then-Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the trophy was officially declared the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 victors. The trophy today is valued at $3.5 million dollars! The intricate detail of every winner's face is immortalized in the yearly trophy. |
Borg-Warner Trophy
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"Kiss the Bricks"The Speedway was originally paved with 3.2 million bricks! All of those bricks have since been covered with layers of asphalt, except a three feet strip at the start/finish line. Since 1996, the winner of the Indy 500 has had their moment ‘kissing the bricks’ to pay tribute to the greatest venue in racing. The Move Indy Team couldn't resist the urge (see pic below)! |
The 3' section of bricks at the Start/Finish line.
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Experience It For YourselfIf you just moved to Indy (or have lived here your entire life) but have never taken the “Kiss the Bricks” Tour, you need to book your tour now!
Upon arriving inside Gate 2, you are greeted with the IMS Museum. You are now officially inside the famous track. As you enter the museum, you are greeted with gift shops adorned with all the racing apparel you could ever want. The ‘Kiss the Bricks’ Tour takes you on the 2.5 mile narrated trip around the track via shuttle. You can feel the bank of the track on the turns. Once you arrive at the start/finish line, you are able to get out for your photo op and the chance to actually kiss the 3' wide section of bricks. For a moment in time you feel like the next winner of the 500! Standing on the track, it seems oddly narrow. You see all the cars lined up on race day, but down on the track it seems impossible at 200+mph. At that moment, you realize the extreme level of training and attention to detail the art of racing at this level requires. The thirty minute tour is over in a flash and you find yourself back at the museum. From there, you get to see nearly every winning car in the history of the 500. You can even partake in the racing simulator - you get four laps to see how you would fare on the track! You can take a photo sitting in a hollowed out IndyCar, and during my visit we were able to see the prized Borg Warner trophy. The complete 1+hr experience is a must for all those who call Indy home! |
The Move Indy Team "Kisses the Bricks"!
Caleb standing on the speedway!
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Community Impact
As a small business owner myself, I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the impact the race has on the local community. Dozens of local shops and restaurants in the town of Speedway (and Indianapolis at large) are impacted by the large influx of racegoers. And while the big race weekend is certainly the main event, local businesses are impacted all month long, with over 1-million people visiting and enjoying the festivities.
With many racegoers choosing to support local companies, Speedway's restaurants, coffee shops, and other local businesses see giant spikes in revenue throughout the month of May. Some local restaurants have reported doing $20K in sales in just one evening!
Additionally, much of the revenue generated from parking services gets funneled back into the community. In years past, revenue generated from parking cars at Speedway High School was used to help fund their Athletic Department for an entire season! The race has a tremendous impact on the community. Check out a few of our favorite local shops in Speedway:
Dawson’s on Main
Daredevil Brewing Company
Founders Grounds Coffee Company
Fundae’s
Big Woods
With many racegoers choosing to support local companies, Speedway's restaurants, coffee shops, and other local businesses see giant spikes in revenue throughout the month of May. Some local restaurants have reported doing $20K in sales in just one evening!
Additionally, much of the revenue generated from parking services gets funneled back into the community. In years past, revenue generated from parking cars at Speedway High School was used to help fund their Athletic Department for an entire season! The race has a tremendous impact on the community. Check out a few of our favorite local shops in Speedway:
Dawson’s on Main
Daredevil Brewing Company
Founders Grounds Coffee Company
Fundae’s
Big Woods
Are You Ready?
Ready to join us for the big race? Or looking for some extra things to do throughout the month of May? Move Indy has you covered! Check out ticket availability and pricing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway here. Head over to IMS’s website and check out some great guides for planning ahead to navigate race day! You can also check out some additional cool events leading up to the big day. Join Move Indy in celebrating racing month in Indianapolis - and don’t forget to support your favorite local Speedway businesses!
The Move Indy Team at the start/finish line at IMS!
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Move Indy's truck & crew visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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