Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The United States' most celebrated car race, the legendary Indianapolis 500, is run on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 7 mi. north-west of downtown Indianapolis, which is used only for this one race. The circuit, a 2 1/2 mi. oval, was originally designed as an automobile test track, but the first 500 mi. race in 1911 was so successful that it became a regular fixture. In the course of time the track, which was originally paved with bricks (still used to mark the finishing line), was adapted to cope with ever-increasing speeds and the accommodation for spectators increased: there is now room for 250,000 in the stands and another 150,000 in the ground.