this race is called the greatest spectacle in racing welcome to
spectacle in racing welcome to
spectacle in racing welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the Indianapolis 500
learning more about the Indianapolis 500
learning more about the Indianapolis 500 the history of the Indy 500 did not
the history of the Indy 500 did not
the history of the Indy 500 did not start with the first race it began two
start with the first race it began two
start with the first race it began two years earlier in 1909 with the
years earlier in 1909 with the
years earlier in 1909 with the construction of the Indianapolis Motor
construction of the Indianapolis Motor
construction of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway Indiana as a
Speedway in Speedway Indiana as a
Speedway in Speedway Indiana as a testing space for the local auto
testing space for the local auto
testing space for the local auto industry amid an increase in interest in
industry amid an increase in interest in
industry amid an increase in interest in auto racing founder Carl Fisher
auto racing founder Carl Fisher
auto racing founder Carl Fisher suspected people would pay to watch
suspected people would pay to watch
suspected people would pay to watch these cars being tested against each
these cars being tested against each
these cars being tested against each other and the idea of the Indy 500 was
other and the idea of the Indy 500 was
other and the idea of the Indy 500 was born races on this tar and gravel track
born races on this tar and gravel track
born races on this tar and gravel track began attracting huge crowds
began attracting huge crowds
began attracting huge crowds however after fatal accidents on the
however after fatal accidents on the
however after fatal accidents on the speedway it was deemed too dangerous and
speedway it was deemed too dangerous and
speedway it was deemed too dangerous and was paved with brick that’s why the
was paved with brick that’s why the
was paved with brick that’s why the track was nicknamed the Brickyard
track was nicknamed the Brickyard
track was nicknamed the Brickyard finally on May 30th 1911 the first
finally on May 30th 1911 the first
finally on May 30th 1911 the first Indianapolis 500 was run with 80,000
Indianapolis 500 was run with 80,000
Indianapolis 500 was run with 80,000 spectators in attendance it has been
spectators in attendance it has been
spectators in attendance it has been held almost every year since on Memorial
held almost every year since on Memorial
held almost every year since on Memorial Day weekend the winner of the first Indy
Day weekend the winner of the first Indy
Day weekend the winner of the first Indy 500 was American Ray Haroon and he was
500 was American Ray Haroon and he was
500 was American Ray Haroon and he was awarded a purse of $25,000 he and his
awarded a purse of $25,000 he and his
awarded a purse of $25,000 he and his Marmon wasp finished with a time of
Marmon wasp finished with a time of
Marmon wasp finished with a time of roughly 6 hours and 42 minutes and ran
roughly 6 hours and 42 minutes and ran
roughly 6 hours and 42 minutes and ran an average speed of seventy four point
an average speed of seventy four point
an average speed of seventy four point six miles per hour
six miles per hour
six miles per hour his wasp was fitted with the first
his wasp was fitted with the first
his wasp was fitted with the first rearview mirror in any motor vehicle by
rearview mirror in any motor vehicle by
rearview mirror in any motor vehicle by October 1961 the entire track had been
October 1961 the entire track had been
October 1961 the entire track had been paved over with asphalt as a tribute to
paved over with asphalt as a tribute to
paved over with asphalt as a tribute to the Brickyard nicknamed three-foot wide
the Brickyard nicknamed three-foot wide
the Brickyard nicknamed three-foot wide strips of the original brick were left
strips of the original brick were left
strips of the original brick were left at both the start and the finish lines a
at both the start and the finish lines a
at both the start and the finish lines a tradition was then started by NASCAR
tradition was then started by NASCAR
tradition was then started by NASCAR champ Dale Jarrett visitors and drivers
champ Dale Jarrett visitors and drivers
champ Dale Jarrett visitors and drivers now kiss the bricks to pay homage to the
now kiss the bricks to pay homage to the
now kiss the bricks to pay homage to the history of the speedway in fact this is
history of the speedway in fact this is
history of the speedway in fact this is one sporting event that’s big on
one sporting event that’s big on
one sporting event that’s big on tradition since 1936 successful drivers
tradition since 1936 successful drivers
tradition since 1936 successful drivers are awarded the coveted BorgWarner
are awarded the coveted BorgWarner
are awarded the coveted BorgWarner trophy in the winner’s circle another
trophy in the winner’s circle another
trophy in the winner’s circle another custom that has been carried on since
custom that has been carried on since
custom that has been carried on since 1956
1956
1956 is for the winners of the Indy 500 to
is for the winners of the Indy 500 to
is for the winners of the Indy 500 to drink milk in victory lane a number of
drink milk in victory lane a number of
drink milk in victory lane a number of popular names have participated in these
popular names have participated in these
popular names have participated in these Indy Kustoms throughout the years these
Indy Kustoms throughout the years these
Indy Kustoms throughout the years these include Mario Andretti AJ Foyt Al Unser
include Mario Andretti AJ Foyt Al Unser
include Mario Andretti AJ Foyt Al Unser Juan Pablo
Juan Pablo
Juan Pablo toya and Helio Castroneves however women
toya and Helio Castroneves however women
toya and Helio Castroneves however women haven’t been left out of the fun at Indy
haven’t been left out of the fun at Indy
haven’t been left out of the fun at Indy the first woman to compete was Janet
the first woman to compete was Janet
the first woman to compete was Janet Guthrie in 1977 and over the years
Guthrie in 1977 and over the years
Guthrie in 1977 and over the years others have followed suit with Danica
others have followed suit with Danica
others have followed suit with Danica Patrick becoming one of the most
Patrick becoming one of the most
Patrick becoming one of the most recognized faces in the sport something
recognized faces in the sport something
recognized faces in the sport something that has remained relatively unchanged
that has remained relatively unchanged
that has remained relatively unchanged is the track the Indianapolis Motor
is the track the Indianapolis Motor
is the track the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 2.5 miles long and features
Speedway is 2.5 miles long and features
Speedway is 2.5 miles long and features two straightaways each measuring five
two straightaways each measuring five
two straightaways each measuring five eighths of a mile long as well as two
eighths of a mile long as well as two
eighths of a mile long as well as two shorter straightaways at an eighth of a
shorter straightaways at an eighth of a
shorter straightaways at an eighth of a mile each there are also four quarter
mile each there are also four quarter
mile each there are also four quarter mile turns that are all banked at 9
mile turns that are all banked at 9
mile turns that are all banked at 9 degrees drivers must run the track 200
degrees drivers must run the track 200
degrees drivers must run the track 200 times to finish the race and when it was
times to finish the race and when it was
times to finish the race and when it was conceived it was planned to last the
conceived it was planned to last the
conceived it was planned to last the better part of seven hours however today
better part of seven hours however today
better part of seven hours however today the race is finished well under the
the race is finished well under the
the race is finished well under the three-hour mark with only a few
three-hour mark with only a few
three-hour mark with only a few exceptions there has been a 33 car limit
exceptions there has been a 33 car limit
exceptions there has been a 33 car limit on the race since the Indy 500 first
on the race since the Indy 500 first
on the race since the Indy 500 first started the cars used have undergone
started the cars used have undergone
started the cars used have undergone substantial changes engine size
substantial changes engine size
substantial changes engine size authorized speeds and safety features
authorized speeds and safety features
authorized speeds and safety features have all been altered today’s average
have all been altered today’s average
have all been altered today’s average speed exceeds 160 miles per hour while
speed exceeds 160 miles per hour while
speed exceeds 160 miles per hour while individual lap speeds can top 220 miles
individual lap speeds can top 220 miles
individual lap speeds can top 220 miles per hour the prize money has grown
per hour the prize money has grown
per hour the prize money has grown substantially as well
substantially as well
substantially as well winners in the Centennial era took home
winners in the Centennial era took home
winners in the Centennial era took home well over 1 million dollars while ray
well over 1 million dollars while ray
well over 1 million dollars while ray Haroon net just over $14,000 in the
Haroon net just over $14,000 in the
Haroon net just over $14,000 in the races inaugural year today with a
races inaugural year today with a
races inaugural year today with a capacity of roughly 400,000 spectators
capacity of roughly 400,000 spectators
capacity of roughly 400,000 spectators the Indy 500 is one of the world’s best
the Indy 500 is one of the world’s best
the Indy 500 is one of the world’s best attended one-day sporting events as part
attended one-day sporting events as part
attended one-day sporting events as part of the Triple Crown of motorsport it is
of the Triple Crown of motorsport it is
of the Triple Crown of motorsport it is also one of the fastest and most popular
also one of the fastest and most popular
also one of the fastest and most popular races for the most expensive cars in the
races for the most expensive cars in the
races for the most expensive cars in the auto world
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