Race results from the automobile and motorcycle races contested at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Races have been held on seven different track configurations:
On four race weekends in 1909 and 1910, a total of 82 automobile races were held, with lengths varying between 5 and 250 miles. Of these, 17 were of distance of 20 miles or more.[1] None of the short races served as a qualifying race, or "heat" race, for the longer events. Each race stood on its own, and awarded its own trophy. All 82 races were sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA). The 1909 races took place on the original crushed stone and tar surface. As the weekend progressed, the track surface began breaking up badly, and the final race of the weekend, scheduled for a 300-mile length, was shortened to 235 miles. The next scheduled weekend of auto races, planned for early October, was canceled so the track could be repaved in brick during the fall of 1909. Over two days in December, several automobile and motorcycle racers conducted speed exhibitions, in extremely cold temperatures. No races had been planned for that event. The next races were run over three holiday weekends in 1910.
Beginning in 2000, the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, a round of the Formula One World Championship, was held on a combined road course, utilizing part of the oval and a new infield segment. The first running was widely popular, and marked the return of Formula One to the United States for the first time since 1991.
During the 2005 Formula One season, a rule mandated all cars must run an entire (305 km / 190 miles) race on one set of tires, and there was a tire war between Bridgestone and Michelin during the season. That led to controversy when two crashes in practice took place with Michelin-shod cars because of tire failure, especially with the high g-loads through turns 12 and 13. On race morning, all cars utilizing Michelin tires withdrew from the race on the formation lap due to safety concerns and the rules in question at the time. The controversy tarnished the event, angered fans and media, and led to costly ticket refunds.
The event recovered, with successful races held in 2006 and 2007, but crowds never matched the year 2000 attendance. After the contract expired in 2007, an agreement could not be reached to hold the race in 2008. A future return to Indianapolis had been rumored, but was always denied. Speedway officials claimed they made profit on the first four runnings, but lost money on the last four runnings. After the announcement of a new United States Grand Prix in Austin, and management and schedule changes at the Speedway, a return of Formula One is highly unlikely.
The Porsche Supercup series held twin races, as support to the United States Grand Prix. On September 23, 2000, by winning the first of two races, Bernd Maylander earned the distinction of becoming the first driver to win a race of any kind on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. All participating cars: Porsche.
The Ferrari Challenge series held races, as support to the first three United States Grand Prix events. Beginning in 2019, the championship returned to IMS with a stand-alone event, featuring four races over two series. All participating cars: Ferrari.
The Formula BMW USA series held twin races, as support to the United States Grand Prix.
The Porsche Carrera Cup North America, which replaced the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge in 2021, holds twin races. It was held as support to the United States Grand Prix in 2007. All participating cars: Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
The Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational is a series of races for various classes of vintage racing automobiles. The event is sanctioned by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association.[2][3][4][5] The event returned in 2022 after a two year absence.
The Formula 4 United States Championship held twin races as support to Sportscar Vintage Racing Association sanctioned racing. All participating cars: Crawford / Honda
The Trans-Am Series held twin races, with the TA2 class competing in one while the remaining classes ran concurrently in the other.[6] When the series returned in 2023 after a three year absence, the TA2 race was dropped. It is held in support of the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational. The 2018 event was run in conjunction with the Trans-Am West Coast Championship.
The Global MX-5 Cup held twin races, as support to the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational in 2017 and the IndyCar Harvest Grand Prix in 2020. All participating cars: Spec Miata.
The SCCA National Championship Runoffs is a series of end-of-year championship races for various classes of automobiles. One of the largest annual gatherings of amateur road racing drivers in the world, the event is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America and frequently rotates venues. [7][8]
The Xfinity Series' Pennzoil 150 has been held on the track's infield road course after being moved from the oval in 2020.[9][10]
The Indianapolis 8 Hours is a GT class sports car endurance race held by the Intercontinental GT Challenge series, in conjunction with the GT World Challenge America series.
Note: The 2021 race was run on the 2.589 miles (4.167 km) layout used by the SCCA Runoffs, and not the 2.439 miles (3.925 km) layout as used by INDYCAR because of kerbing damage from the NASCAR meeting.
The GT4 America Series holds twin races, as support to the Indianapolis 8 Hours. After the 2020 season, the Sprint and SprintX classifications were abolished.
The TC America Series holds twin races, as support to the Indianapolis 8 Hours.
The NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard has been held annually on track's infield road course after being moved from the oval in 2021, creating a three-race weekend on the road course.[11]
The GT America Series holds twin races, as support to the Indianapolis 8 Hours.
The Porsche Sprint Challenge North America held twin races, as support to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. All participating cars: Porsche.
The Formula Regional Americas Championship held triple races as support to Sportscar Vintage Racing Association sanctioned racing. All participating cars: Ligier JS F3
In 2018, the Speedway added a 0.200 mile dirt track near Turn 3. It hosts an annual United States Auto Club-sanctioned midget invitational event, the Bryan Clauson Classic, featuring two races, the Stoops Pursuit and the Driven2SaveLives BC39.
The Stoops Pursuit is a 25-lap elimination race split into five stages of five green flag laps each. Eliminations occur when a car stops and causes a safety car at any time, and at the end of each stage, any car that lost track position or the last place driver. The winner winner earns $1,500 plus an extra $100 for each position gained.
The Driven2SaveLives BC39 is a 39-lap race, with a winner's prize of $20,039. The starting field is based on heat race results and passing points.
Note: The 2019 Stoops Pursuit was scored as of 24 laps because the red flag waved on the final lap and two cars were stalled after collisions, leaving just one car running at the end of the event.
After the original track surface of crushed stone and tar proved unsuitable, during the August 1909 races, the decision was made to re-pave the track with brick. Once that was completed, and a retaining wall added, a two-day time trial session was conducted.[1][12] Ten drivers and riders drove partial laps alone, attempting speed records at various distances of one mile and less. In addition, there was one 20-mile free-for-all session, with seven cars running concurrently. Finally, Lewis Strang drove a two-lap session. Although no races were held, or planned, the public was admitted, and programs were sold.[13]
Several weeks before its first auto races of 1910, the Speedway held a special competition, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Auto Show. Six stunts were attempted while driving, including popping balloons with the wheels, and balancing the car on a teeter board.[1] Most of the stunts required the participation of a passenger, such as dropping a potato into a basket, and holding a rubber ball in a spoon. At least two of the participants were professional race drivers (Harry Endicott and Johnny Aitken). The winner apparently was not, as his name does not appear in available race statistics of the day. The drivers in this event also included Katrina Fertig, making her the first woman to drive in a competition (though not in a race, as such) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The second day of the May, 1910, race weekend started with a special event, a "Hazard Race."[1] Each car went out separately, driving over portable ramps on the track, into the creek in the infield, under the track, into the parking lot, across the automobile bridge over the track, and eventually back onto the track. The total distance was a bit over a lap, and the winner was determined by the best time.
In August 1916, the Union Printers' National Baseball League held its annual tournament in Indianapolis. A special event for the entertainment of tournament participants was a day of exhibition automobile races held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway[12][14] Because the races were not part of a recognized series, and were conducted for a private audience, this is not generally regarded as an official race event.
In September 1921, the American Society for Steel Treating held its annual convention in Indianapolis. A special event during this convention was an exhibition automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway[12] Because this race was not part of a recognized series, and was for a private audience, it is not generally regarded as an official race event.
Beginning in 1927, The Samuel B. Stevens Challenge Trophy was offered to any automobile manufacturer to run a strictly stock, production automobile at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for a period of 24 hours at an average speed of 60 miles per hour or more. This was not a race as such, as only one team participated in any instance. Four manufactures earned the trophy over the next 27 years. The trophy was retired after Chrysler's win in 1954.[15][16][17][18]
Ford made an unsuccessful run 1956 with drivers Johnny Mantz, Chuck Stevenson, Chuck Davis, and Danny Ames. Though they failed to complete the 24 hours, they did set a 500-mile stock car record at the Speedway of 111.916 mph.[19]
In 1961, Ray Nichels, then a successful builder of race cars, prepared two production-based Pontiacs for a 24-hour endurance run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He assembled six drivers, three from USAC and three from NASCAR, taking turns in both cars.[17][18]
In 2014, the Stadium Super Trucks, officially known as Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, held a doubleheader event on a small modified course at the northwest corner of the track. This incorporated a portion of the oval track's pit entry, two small portions of the road course, a segment of an access lane, and dirt areas in between, with two jump ramps added. This occurred during the Indy 500's Carb Day activities,[24] and marked the first time in track history that trucks were raced.[25] Series founder Robby Gordon had tested at the track in April.[26]
In 2021, a race to determine the winner of the Indy Autonomous Challenge was held on the oval using full-scale autonomous race cars based on identical Dallara Indy Lights chassis supplied by Juncos Racing. The event was composed exclusively of teams from academic institutions, which were required to develop their own self-driving software.
