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Home > Things to Do > The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum celebrates the history of auto racing.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum celebrates the history of auto racing.

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Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! The storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hallowed ground where history is made and racing legends are born. For those who can’t get here on Memorial Day weekend to experience the race itself, there are still plenty of ways to experience this iconic landmark all year long. Here’s what to know before you go.

History and Background

The first Indianapolis 500 took place in 1911, when Ray Harroun piloted the Marmion Wasp to victory at an average speed of nearly 75 miles an hour. IMS facilities have certainly evolved through the decades to keep pace with technological advances; along the way, they have added events like the Brickyard 400, Formula One World Championship rounds, the United States Grand Prix, motorcycle racing, and air shows to accommodate fans of different stripes. 

Hulman & Company announced the sale of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in November 2019 after 74 years of family ownership. They sold it to Penske Entertainment Corp, a subsidiary of the Penske Corporation transportation services company that has deeply respected ties to the property.  

Seating at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hovers around 250,000, with an expansive infield area that brings the total capacity up to approximately 400,000 people. Factor in a global viewing audience of millions, and it’s easy to see how the Indianapolis 500 capably ranks as the largest single-day sporting event in the world.

The area inside the oval track clocks in at several hundred acres—for sheer scope, that’s big enough to comfortably fit the Rose Bowl, Churchill Downs, the Rose Bowl, Wimbledon, and Yankee Stadium with room leftover to spare.

Although the Indianapolis 500 logically covers 500 miles, the track itself is two and a half miles long, requiring 200 laps in total. 

How to Visit the Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 always takes place on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day. Plan to make a day of it and don’t get in a hurry. Traffic can be brutal and road closures are to be expected; allow more time than you think you’ll need to park and make your way in. Many attendees opt to shell out a few bucks to park their vehicles in a neighborhood front yard and walk in. Glamping, RV, and tent camping sites are also available in the infield and in lots surrounding the speedway. Alternatively, you can take a shuttle to and from Speedway for $60; Race Day shuttles pick up passengers at both the Indianapolis International Airport and downtown near Lucas Oil Stadium.

Visitors can bring in food and drink, or purchase on site from any number of vendors. By way of dress code, anything goes, but black and white fashions are always in style. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes and don’t forget your ear protection. Race cars are loud!

Indiana weather can be unpredictable. If there’s any chance of rain, pack a poncho. Otherwise, load up on sunscreen, pace yourself when it comes to alcohol consumption, and stay hydrated.

If you plan to attend, you can purchase your tickets on the IMS website ; tickets start at $35.

Indianapolis 500 Events in May

If you can't attend the Indy 500, the city celebrates the spirit of the race the entire month of May . The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon kicks off the festivities on the first Saturday in May; participants run a course to and from downtown, even taking a lap around the Speedway track.

Visitors are welcome to bring in box lunches and grab bleacher seats to watch race practices throughout May. Carb Day, the last session held on the Friday before the race, is followed by a pit crew competition and a concert. Tickets for the event start at $30. Other popular race-related events include the 500 Festival Parade, a kids’ day, a memorial service, and the Snakepit Ball. 

Check the IMS website for the full schedule of events.

Other Events and Experiences

Brave visitors with a serious need for speed can arrange a two-seater ride around the track at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour through Indy Racing Experience .

Beyond a packed seasonal schedule of races, practices, and other events, IMS has been featuring a holiday “Lights at the Brickyard” tour since 2016. During this festive event, the facility is decorated with more than three million lights and displays along a two-mile course, which takes guests through the infield and down a portion of the track. 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

Inside the oval at the southern end of the track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is a good place to orient and educate yourself about all things IndyCar; displays detail IMS history and exhibits boast race cars past and present. Make sure to marvel at the esteemed Borg-Warner Trophy featuring the carved faces of winning Indy 500 drivers.

The museum is also where guests can sign up for track tours with pit stops at Gasoline Alley, Pagoda Plaza, and the Yard of Bricks. Make sure you kiss the bricks—it's track tradition for race winners to pucker up at the start/finish line.

Things to Do in Speedway

Speedway’s short stretch of Main Street just beyond the southwest corner of the IMS proposes territory for shopping, drinking, and dining. Look around: You might just find yourself rubbing elbows with drivers, owners, and other racing bigwigs at Dawson’s on Main , Barbecue and Bourbon , and Charlie Brown’s Pancake & Steak House . Big Woods and Daredevil Brewing Co. offer creative ways for craft beer lovers to wet their whistles, while wine drinkers can sample the wares at Foyt Wine Vault . 

The Dallara IndyCar Factory provides an up-close look at the engineering and technology that goes into creating contemporary race cars. Or, put your own pedal at the medal at Speedway Indoor Karting .

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June 14 – 16, 2024

Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, IN

Buy Tickets

FREE entry for kids  12 and under. Get  spectator tickets & parking passes, weekend & pre-sale discounts available.

Car Show Registration

Enter your car in the Hagerty | Cars & Caffeine . Open to all classic, vintage, exotic and collector vehicles.

Vendor Sign-up

If you would like to feature your business at a SpeedTour event, review our vendor options to promote your company.

Experience 850 hp Trans Am cars, classic Corvettes, Alfas, Porsches, Historic F.1 and Indy cars racing on this legendary track. Indianapolis SpeedTour provides the opportunity to get up close to celebrated drivers, legendary race cars and much more.  The SpeedTour is an event for the whole family so join us for the full weekend; one day won’t be enough!  Indianapolis SpeedTour will feature racers and cars from Trans Am, Sportscar Vintage Racing (SVRA), and more.

SVRA - Vintage Series

Trans Am Series

America's Road Racing Series - The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli offers a feast for the eyes and ears with races featuring 70+ grids populated by Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers and Corvettes in four classes, TA, TA2, SGT and GT.

Sportscar Vintage Racing Association

My SVRA Account | Contact Us

2024 Indy SpeedTour

Racing makes everything else look like a vague wish for something more or remotely adventurous. — Peter Egan

World-class vintage racing returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Indy SpeedTour. Vintage race cars will take center stage on the road course during the weekend, offering drivers the widest variety of motor racing adventures anywhere. All SVRA classes are invited. Some of the world’s finest vintage racing machines will take to the track, some of which date back before World War I. An incredible collection of race cars will be showcased, including Bugatti, Lotus, Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo. Enjoy a Saturday night driver and crew party in front of the pagoda. SVRA will also host the Hagerty Cars & Caffeine car show on the IMS grounds with hundreds of street and performance cars. Numerous special events are also being planned and will soon be announced.

Eligibility Contact:  Rob Elson –  [email protected] Licensing Contact:  Alex Miller –  [email protected] Vendor Sales/Car Show:  Toni Strollo –  [email protected] Event Information Contact:  Kathy Swinford –  [email protected] PR Contact:  Ashleigh Aungst –  [email protected] Photo/Media Credentials :  [Request Credentials] Pam Shatraw –  [email protected]

Competitors

Car Show Entrants

Hagerty | Cars & Caffeine Questions: [email protected]

Purchase spectator tickets

Event Countdown

Order The SVRA Chronograph by OMOLOGATO Limited to 250 Pieces

Solar Eclipse

Indianapolis motor speedway prepares for eclipse-viewing party, indianapolis motor speedway prepares eclipse-viewing party.

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — The Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday was gearing up for Monday’s total solar eclipse.

As the home of the Indianapolis 500, billed as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the track is ready to become the biggest viewing party for the greatest spectacle in space.

The speedway will hand out “the greatest spectacles” for eclipse viewing, which are IMS-themed solar glasses.

IMS will open the track at 2:15 p.m. Monday so people can venture on the track for the actual eclipse and experience totality on the over-100-year-old oval.

The team started planning its eclipse-viewing party on April 8, 2018, and expects at least 50,000 people to come to the track.

Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said Sunday, “I think the atmosphere will be a lot of fun. It’s going to be different, obviously, than a race crowd. Around 75% of the people that are coming never purchased anything from the speedway before, so likely they’ve never even been here before so that’s going to be new.”

NASA will set up shop at IMS. Retired astronaut Drew Feustel will be among other activities and even some gear-like rocket engines.

“If you think about racing and space, there’s a lot of crossover,” Boles said. “A lot of the engineering and math that goes into having a great spacecraft is the same kind of stuff that has a great race car, so there are a lot of similarities and we are excited to partner with them.”

Boles say the party has the potential to be the largest eclipse gathering in the United States because IMS can handle so many people.

• More eclipse news from WISHTV.com

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Plan Your Visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Welcome to the Plan Your Visit section of IMS.com. Here you will find information for Race Days along with tips to getting in and out of IMS as smoothly as possible.  

Make sure to follow IMS on Twitter and Facebook for the latest information for Race Days.

Below you will find an outline of all the key measures IMS is taking at this year’s events to protect fans, participants, workforce and the broader community. These measures and the associated event plan have been developed in consultation with health experts and city/state officials.

These measures will make a big difference, but ultimately our success will depend on each individual community member showing respect for one another and making smart, safe and healthy decisions.

Wear a Face Covering

• Wear a mask or face covering at all times
• IMS will have complimentary masks available for guest entering the venue. Masks or face coverings will be required throughout the facility for all guests over the age of 4.
• Wash or sanitize your hands often.

Maintain Distancing

• Maintain physical distance between yourself and others.
• Be patient and adhere to physical distancing requirements at gates, restrooms, concession and merchandise stands, and elsewhere throughout the venue.

• Download the IMS Mobile App and/or check IMS.com and IMS social media for the latest information.
• Plan your route - know where you’re parking, where you're entering the venue and where you're sitting in advance.

What You Need to Know

Limited Venue Capacity

Up to 40 percent of venue capacity will be permitted, totaling approximately 135,000 fans. Spectator viewing mounds will be closed to the general public with no Race Day General Admission tickets sold.

Fans are able to use tunnels 6 and 7 to visit the infield, including Pagoda Plaza (the infield cannot be accessed through tunnel 2 or 10 this May). Please note spectator viewing mounds and the Midway, including the Kids Zone, will not be open this May.

Bronze Badge

Bronze badge holders will have access to the garage area during public event hours. Holders will be required to show proof of vaccination in Pagoda Plaza each day to receive their wristband to enter the garage area.

Free shuttles will run during IMS gate hours to the IMS Museum from tram stops located at 6th & Hulman and Tunnel 10. Visitors should park in open IMS lots and use shuttles to access the Museum. IMS Museum visitors must possess an event ticket or credential to enter the Museum. Gate 2 will not be open for parking at the Museum.

Parking for the Month of May is available in a variety of locations outside the track. There is no general spectator parking allowed in the infield. Paid public parking is available in various locations. Motorcycle parking has been relocated to Lot 2. Paid ADA parking is located in Lot 3P and Lot 2.

Concessions and Merchandise

All IMS concession stands and merchandise locations are cashless this year. Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located throughout the facility.

These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted. Parking and gate locations will take cash. Distancing will be enforced in queues.

Cleaning and Sanitation

The venue will be cleaned, sanitized and disinfected regularly, with frequent cleaning of high-traffic areas and surfaces throughout the day.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations for IMS spectators will be available at first aid stations located inside Gates 1 and 6. Vaccinations are also available at Gate 9 on weekends only. IMS encourages fans who have not yet been vaccinated to take advantage of this opportunity.

Communication and Signage

Fans and stakeholders will receive frequent advance communications outlining policies/procedures and on-site signage and PA announcements will reinforce health and safety messaging throughout the event.

This Plan Ahead guide will help race fans prepare for a smart, safe and healthy trip to the Racing Capital of the World with up-to-date information about parking, directions, gate regulations, points of entry and much more available for race fans before they visit.

QUICK HOW-TO

Download the new ims mobile app.

Be prepared for your trip to the Racing Capital of the World with the new and improved IMS Mobile App! Features include:

• Latest News and Event Alerts
• Digital Tickets
• Interactive Maps
• Custom Schedules
• Test Your Knowledge

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Indycar schedule: start times, tv networks, and more in 2024, share this article.

The IndyCar schedule has undergone some significant changes heading into the 2024 season. The sport returns to the Milwaukee Mile, hosting a doubleheader weekend. Meanwhile, Texas Motor Speedway is off the calendar due to a scheduling conflict. Finally, IndyCar introduces a $1 Million Challenge weekend between the first and second races of the season.

Below, you can check out the full IndyCar schedule for the 2024 season, with start times and TV networks for each race.

IndyCar schedule: Race dates, TV start times for 2024

Sunday, April 21: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Streets of Long Beach (3:00 p.m. ET, USA Network)

• IndyCar weekend schedule for Long Beach (April 19 to 21) can be found below!

How to watch IndyCar live in Long Beach in 2024, weekend schedule

Sunday, April 28: Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix, Barber Motorsports Park (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Saturday, May 11: Sonsio Grand Prix, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (3:00 p.m. ET, NBC)

Saturday, May 26: 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (11:00 a.m. ET, NBC)

Sunday, June 2: Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Detroit Street Circuit (Noon ET, USA Network)

Sunday, June 9: XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, Road America (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Sunday, June 23: Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca (6:00 p.m. ET, USA Network)

Sunday, July 7: Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (1:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Saturday, July 13: Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend Race 1, Iowa Speedway (8:00 p.m. ET, NBC)

Sunday, July 14: Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend Race 2, Iowa Speedway (Noon ET, NBC)

Sunday, July 21: Honda Indy Toronto, Streets of Toronto (1:00 p.m. ET, Peacock)

Saturday, August 17: Bommarito Automotive Group 500, World Wide Technology Raceway (6:00 p.m. ET, USA Network)

Sunday, August 25: BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland, Portland International Raceway (3:00 p.m. ET, USA Network)

Saturday, August 31: Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250 Race 1, The Milwaukee Mile (6:00 p.m. ET, Peacock)

Sunday, September 1: Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250 Race 2, The Milwaukee Mile (2:30 p.m. ET, USA Network)

Sunday, September 15: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, Nashville Superspeedway (3:00 p.m. ET, NBC)

What time is the IndyCar race on today?

You can watch the IndyCar race today on the USA Network as the sport travels to Long Beach, California, for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, which will kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 21.

When is the 2024 Indianapolis 500?

The 2024 Indianapolis 500 will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 26. Live coverage of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing will be underway at 11:00 a.m. ET on NBC.

IndyCar pushing for new charter system, how it would effect the Indianapolis 500

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Is It May Yet?!?

Home of 'the greatest spectacle in racing', may is yours.

May is special. May is yours. And soon, May is OURS! The countdown is on to the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Is It May Yet?

Month of May Events

The chapters of this story take a whole month to tell. This is blood. Sweat. Tears. And maybe a few beers. 33 engines will roar to life on Sunday, May 26.

Sonsio Grand Prix - Race Day

The Month of May shifts into high gear when the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES take on the action-packed IMS road course for the Sonsio Grand Prix.

PPG Armed Forces Qualifying - Day 2

Four Laps. Ten Miles. High Drama. Don't miss who will make the show and who will go home.

Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge

It’s the buzz of energy in the Indiana air. It’s the sense of pride racing through your heart. It’s that feeling connecting you to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” It’s time to come Back Home Again Sunday, May 26 for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Latest News

More Than 50,000 Flock to IMS for Total Solar Eclipse Event

More than 50,000 guests from all 50 states and 33 countries around the world flocked to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, April 8 to stare at the greatest show in the sky during the Total Solar Eclipse Event presented by Purdue University.

Bike to the 500 Tickets On Sale

Two departure times provide more flexibility for fans who want to commute to the track on their bike on Race Day.

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Legge To Drive for DCR at Indy with Support of e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. is believed to be the first beauty brand to serve as a primary sponsor for an entry in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” as Legge will drive the No. 51 e.l.f. Honda on Sunday, May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway sued by Snake Pit guest over thrown glass bottle

SPEEDWAY — A guest who attended the Snake Pit at the Indy 500 last year is suing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after they were allegedly injured by a glass bottle during the event.

Plaintiff Taylor A. Brown filed a lawsuit against Indianapolis Motor Speedway LLC on Monday, alleging they suffered permanent damages during 2023’s Snake Pit event.

According to the lawsuit, Brown suffered severe injuries after they were hit in the head with a glass bottle that was thrown by an “unknown patron” during the concert event on May 28, 2023.

The lawsuit claims IMS failed to provide “ordinary care” due to the IMS prohibiting glass bottles and containers. It says security guards employed by IMS are not properly trained to prevent guests from bringing in prohibited items.

According to the lawsuit, Brown suffered pain, scarring, disfigurement and mental anguish due to the incident.

WRTV reached out to IMS for comment regarding the lawsuit. They said the following:

Thank you for reaching out. We cannot comment on pending litigation.

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Fashion, gourmet food coming to IMS for Opulence at the Speedway on qualifying weekend

Fine wines, prime cuts and lots of pink are coming to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for qualifying weekend .

The inaugural Opulence at the Speedway , which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 18, will feature gourmet food and drinks, live music and high fashion throughout the Pagoda Plaza.

During the celebration, guests can sit in grandstand seats to watch 33 of the world's best IndyCar drivers vie for starting positions at the 108th Indianapolis 500 on May 26.

General admission ticket holders ($175 for one guest, $300 for two) can enjoy a catered brunch and hors d'oeuvres, an open bar and live music from Indianapolis-based DJs MetroGnome and Topspeed throughout the East Chalet and Pagoda Plaza. VIP guests ($225 for one ticket, $400 for two) will also receive complimentary champagne and themed merchandise, plus early access to the Chalet, Plaza and Gasoline Alley. All guests are encouraged to dress formally in shades of pink — promotional materials prominently feature dresses and men's and women's suits — as part of a "spring time chic" theme.

The five-hour foray into luxury will be hosted by Opulent Crowns of the Heartland , an Indianapolis social club of "progressive, professional women" formed in 2018, and Emerald Street Creative, an events organizer best known for bringing globally renowned dinner party series Le Dîner en Blanc to Indianapolis.

Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite through April 20.

Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.

The latest on the Milwaukee Mile from Roger Penske and Josef Newgarden during their visit to Wisconsin

WAUKESHA – The worlds of higher education and high-level auto racing intersected Tuesday night at Carroll University.

As part the Sullivan School of Business and Technology “Champions of Industry” series , dean Tim Sullivan brought in entrepreneur Roger Penske, whose holdings include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar Series and its most successful team; Josef Newgarden, a two-time champion and reigning Indy 500 winner for Penske; and Shari Black, CEO of the Wisconsin State Fair and a Carroll alumnus.

For the students, the hourlong event was an opportunity to soak up the wisdom of a man whose companies employ 72,000 people and have consolidated revenues of more than $42 billion, as well as a one of the sport’s biggest stars.

For IndyCar and Black, it was a chance to reach a different audience of potential ticket-buyers for the return of the series to the Milwaukee Mile at State Fair Park for a doubleheader on Labor Day weekend.

Before the on-stage conversation, the guests met individually with reporters. Here are some takeaways.

Ticket sales for the Milwaukee IndyCar races are a tick ahead of expectations

When the races were announced in September, Penske set an attendance goal of 30,000 for the event, which will be promoted by the Fair in partnership with IndyCar. The Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s are still 4½ months away, and a serious social media campaign and paid advertising won’t start for weeks, but Black said she was encouraged by early sales.

“About 25% of our tickets are sold of the goal we’ve set,” she said. “We have a trajectory that we followed with NASCAR (trucks last year) as to month by month when people are purchasing tickets. If we follow that same trajectory, then we should be above our goal.”

The grandstands hold about 30,000. Infield admission and camping are being sold. As expected, Black said, sales were brisk as soon as the tickets went on sale in November. Race weekend weather will significantly affect whether the attendance target is hit.

The Carroll University event had a business feel, but the traditional fan hasn’t been forgotten

While the historic Mile conjures up thoughts of working-class families at the track, racing attendance shifted with the proliferation of corporate sponsorship. The setting and all the suits Tuesday offered little reassurance the traditional fan still has a place.

 “Race fans come in all shapes and sizes and I think they’re going to come out for this event,” Black said.

Added Newgarden: “We have to stay true to the history of what IndyCar racing is and you don’t want to turn away your old fanbase, but at the same time you’ve got to make the younger generation interested in what you’re doing and provide opportunities for them to learn about racing and why it’s exciting.”

Penske and State Fair look for ways to succeed that Andretti never found

The Mile opened in 1903, eight years before the first Indianapolis 500, and has been the site of 114 Indy-style championship races sanctioned by AAA, USAC, CART, Champ Car and IndyCar.

The most recent of those were a struggle from a business standpoint. Champion driver and team owner Michael Andretti was the last to try during a frustrating four-year run that ended after the 2015 race.

“You’ve got to figure out what are the right ingredients, which is not easy,” Newgarden said. “How do you get people excited about it? How do you get the word out efficiently?

“It’s not as simple as saying we can make it work. There’s a lot that goes into finding the formula. If anybody’s going to find it, it’s us.”

Penske pointed to his organization’s investment in the series, increased attendance at other venues – including another expected sellout of more than 300,000 for the Indy 500 in May – and a stronger partnership with State Fair than previous promoters had as some of the reasons to expect the weekend to succeed.

“Those races are going to be awful important to the championship ,” Penske said. Only the season finale two weeks later in Nashville will be left when the series leaves Milwaukee.

“The diversity to run here, two races in a weekend, and I think we’re getting some good interest from a corporate sponsor perspective, and we’re utilizing for the first time ever, we’re utilizing the entire facility – so we can use some of the neat little bars they have instead of building big chalets and things like that. Let’s get people a place to have fun, and then they can go in the stands and see the race.”

IndyCar drivers have to a play a role in promotion, Newgarden says

While the IndyCar community likes to talk about momentum, the series remains far behind where it was in its heyday compared to other major motorsports such as NASCAR and Formula One.

Closing that gap – which could help an event like Milwaukee – requires everyone in the series to play a role.

“With IndyCar there’s a lot of great stories that are going on and people will miss them if we don’t tell them,” Newgarden said. “There’s different programming we’re working on. (The CW docuseries) ‘100 Days to Indy’ has been good for us but we need more of that, we need more social media activation and understanding where people are consuming content.

“We’ve all got to pitch in and tell our story and try and reach people.”

Hy-Vee is committed to the Mile, Iowa Speedway and IndyCar, Penske says

Hy-Vee, an Iowa-based grocery chain, came into IndyCar as a sponsor of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and played a huge role in building the series’ doubleheader at Iowa Speedway by bringing in A-list musical entertainment before adding the Mile to its portfolio.

In the meantime, the company also become more involved in NASCAR, and the new Cup Series race at Iowa this season sold out quickly, while IndyCar has been a struggle. That might signal cause for concern about the future of a major partner.

“Look, we’re not trying to compete with NASCAR. We’re not at all,” said Penske, who takes some credit for helping to get NASCAR-owned Iowa Speedway in shape to host the Cup Series. “We want to run our own show.

“And I think from a Hy-Vee perspective, they’re committed to us, they’re committed to Rahal and certainly committed to the series. We have a long-term deal here and we have a long-term deal with them at Iowa. So this is not a touch-and-go.”

Track work is progressing and test days are set

As nearly $3 million worth of improvements continue, concrete is in place for the pit boxes and work is ongoing on the outside wall down the back stretch and through Turn 3, Black said.

The work, approved by the State Building Commission in December 2022, is being paid for with funds from State Fair Park, the state and private fundraising.

“They should be finishing up this phase at the beginning of June,” she said. “We have tire testing then that following week.”

The IndyCar Series test is scheduled for June 11-12.

“We’ll have everybody here and that’ll be a great kickoff for us also,” Penske said.