Indianapolis 500 facts for kids

The Indianapolis 500 is an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, which is near Indianapolis, Indiana. It is one of the biggest racing event in the world. Every year more than 200,000 people come there to watch the race. It occurs once a year on the day before Memorial Day. This event gives its name to the IndyCar class, a type of open-wheel race car that races in it. Fans of this race sometimes call the race The Indy 500.

History

The early years

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909 as a gravel-and-tar track and hosted an assortment of small events, including ones for motorcycles

Images for kids

Joe Dawson winning the 1912 Indianapolis 500
The Mercedes-Benz W154 entered by Don Lee at the 1947 Indianapolis 500 with Duke Nalon as driver
Emerson Fittipaldi driving the Penske PC-23 at the 1994 event
The Chrysler 300 pace setter used in 1963 in the 47th anniversary of the "Indianapolis 500"
Danica Patrick on Pole Day at Indy, 2007
The Borg-Warner Trophy, presented to the Indy 500 winners in victory lane, and kept the rest of the year on permanent display at the Hall of Fame Museum.
The starting field of the 2007 Indianapolis 500 in formation before the start
Helio Castroneves, winner in 2001, 2002 and 2009
Penske PC-23 Mercedes, 1994 Indianapolis 500 winning car
Scott Dixon makes his pole-winning qualification run for the 2008 Indianapolis 500.
An IndyCar on the Indiana state quarter