Speedway, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Speedway, Indiana
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Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the town of Speedway in 2005
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| Nicknames:
"Home of the 500"; "Racing Capital of the World"
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Location in Marion County, Indiana
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Indiana | |
| County | Marion | |
| Township | Wayne | |
| Incorporated | July 14, 1926 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.79 sq mi (12.40 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.79 sq mi (12.40 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) | |
| Elevation | 728 ft (222 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,952 | |
| • Density | 2,915.17/sq mi (1,125.55/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
46224
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| Area code(s) | 317 | |
| FIPS code | 18-71828 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2397670 | |
Speedway is a town located in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, USA. It's famous for being the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a very well-known race track! In 2020, about 13,952 people lived here, which was more than the 11,812 people in 2010. Speedway is like a small town completely surrounded by the larger city of Indianapolis.
Contents
History of Speedway
Speedway was created in 1912 as a place for people to live. It got its name from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was built three years earlier. This town was one of the first planned communities for workers who worked in nearby factories.
The founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Frank Wheeler, and Arthur Newby, planned the town of Speedway west of the race track. Fisher and Allison owned factories like the Prest-O-Lite factory and Allison Engine Company. They needed places for their workers to live. Their big idea was to create a town where people would drive cars instead of horses. They also wanted people to help make parts for new types of transportation.
Speedway officially became a town in July 1926. The Speedway Historic District, an important area with old buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Geography and Location
Speedway is in the western part of Marion County. It is about 5 miles (8 km) west-northwest of downtown Indianapolis.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Speedway covers a total area of about 4.79 square miles (12.40 square kilometers). Only a tiny part of this, about 0.004 square miles (0.01 square kilometers), is water. The town has streams like Eagle Creek, Dry Run, and Little Eagle Creek. Eagle Creek flows along the southwest edge of town and eventually joins the White River.
Speedway's Climate
The weather in Speedway has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. The climate is called a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain and has warm temperatures for most of the year. However, with an average January temperature of about 28°F (-2°C), it's also very close to a humid continental climate, which has colder winters.
| Climate data for Speedway | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34 (1) |
39 (4) |
48 (9) |
63 (17) |
72 (22) |
81 (27) |
84 (29) |
82 (28) |
77 (25) |
64 (18) |
50 (10) |
39 (4) |
61 (16) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28 (−2) |
32 (0) |
39 (4) |
52 (11) |
63 (17) |
72 (22) |
75 (24) |
73 (23) |
66 (19) |
55 (13) |
41 (5) |
32 (0) |
52 (11) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
50 (10) |
61 (16) |
64 (18) |
63 (17) |
54 (12) |
43 (6) |
32 (0) |
25 (−4) |
41 (5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.8 (72) |
2.5 (63) |
3.8 (96) |
3.7 (94) |
4.1 (103) |
4.0 (102) |
4.0 (102) |
3.3 (84) |
3.1 (78) |
2.7 (68) |
3.2 (82) |
2.9 (73) |
40.0 (1,017) |
People in Speedway
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,420 | — | |
| 1940 | 2,325 | 63.7% | |
| 1950 | 5,498 | 136.5% | |
| 1960 | 9,624 | 75.0% | |
| 1970 | 14,523 | 50.9% | |
| 1980 | 12,641 | −13.0% | |
| 1990 | 13,092 | 3.6% | |
| 2000 | 12,881 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 11,812 | −8.3% | |
| 2020 | 13,952 | 18.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 11,812 people living in Speedway. These people lived in 5,550 homes. About 2,931 of these were families. The town had about 2,481 people per square mile (958 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people in Speedway were White (74.2%). About 16.7% were African American. Other groups included Asian, Native American, and people from two or more races. About 7.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Speedway was 37.8 years old. About 21.7% of residents were under 18. About 14.8% were 65 years old or older. The town had slightly more females (51.7%) than males (48.3%).
Education in Speedway
Speedway has its own school system called the School Town of Speedway. It has six different school buildings. One of these is the Speedway Senior High School. Around 1,650 students attend these schools. There is also a private school called St Christopher School.
The town also has a public library where people can borrow books and other materials. It is called the Speedway Public Library.
Economy and Businesses
Speedway is a hub for racing-related businesses. Besides the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, many other companies are located nearby. These include the headquarters of the United States Auto Club. The Dallara factory, which builds racecars, is also here.
Several racing teams, like A. J. Foyt Racing and Harding Racing, are based in Speedway. You can also find the Speedway Indoor karting racetrack for fun. Another important company nearby is Allison Transmission, which has a factory in the area.
Famous People from Speedway
Many interesting people have come from Speedway, Indiana. Some of them include:
- Donald Davidson, a well-known historian
- Joyce DeWitt, an actress
- Barbara Higbie, a jazz musician and composer
- Mason Jobst, an ice hockey player
- J. Emmett McManamon, who was the 33rd Indiana Attorney General
- Stevie Reeves, a racing driver
- Zachary Tinkle, another racing driver
Sister Cities
Speedway has special connections with two other cities around the world. These are called "sister cities":
Motegi, Tochigi, Japan
Varano de' Melegari, Italy
See also
In Spanish: Speedway (Indiana) para niños
