Indianapolis 500

Nine winners of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Road Race

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is situated in Speedway, a suburb of Indianapolis.  This purpose-built racing circuit opened in 1909 and from 1911 has held the Indianapolis 500 Mile Road Race, the world’s longest continuously-held motor race, with breaks only for two world wars.  

The first surface to be laid was asphalt, but when this broke up, it was replaced by 3.2 million bricks, hence the nickname for the circuit being “The Brickyard”.  A yard of bricks has been left at the startline to commemorate this.  The circuit is 2.5 miles long, has 9 degree banked turns and with a crowd of 400,000 people, it is the highest-capacity sporting venue in the world.

A pace car has always been used to start the races.  In 1911, this was a locally-built Stoddard-Dayton and the race was won by another local make of car, a Marmon Wasp, driven by Ray Harroun.  In 1912, the grid was restricted to 33 cars, which is where it remains today.

Over the decades that have followed, the Indy 500 has become an American Institution, with drivers such as A.J.Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves becoming legends in the field of American motor sport.  Up until the mid-1960’s most cars had engines at the front, but with Scotsman Jim Clark’s rear-engined Lotus 38 winning the race in 1965, the last front-engined car to appear was in 1968.  Advances in aerodynamic technology mean cars can now exceed 230 mph on the straightaways.

The Indy 500 is held over Memorial Day weekend in May each year and is part of the Indy Car Series of races that are held annually in North America.

From 1945, the Hulman family have owned the speedway circuit and Tony Hulman was instrumental in founding the Hall of Fame Museum that is situated there.  This world-class museum is a tribute to him and a “must-see” on any visit to Indianapolis.  And for all motorsport fans, a trip to the Indy 500 should surely be on your “bucket list”!

1911 Marmon Wasp. Winner - Ray Harroun. This Franklin Mint model was bought at the Indy Race Track at the 100th Anniversary Meeting in 2011
1914 Delage 6.2 litre. Winner - Rene Thomas
1920 Peugeot 3 litre. Driven by Jules Goux. Model by Norev
1926 Miller Special. Winner - Frank Lockhart. Model by Replicarz
1928 Miller Special. Winner - Louis Meyer. Model by Replicarz
1929 Simplex Miller. Winner - Ray Keech. Model by Replicarz
1933 Miller Tydol Special. Winner - Louis Meyer
1939 Maserati 8CTF Boyle Special. Winner - Wilbur Shaw. Model by Grani & Partners
1939 Alfa Romeo P3. Driven by Louis Tomei. Model by Rio
1940 Maserati Boyle Special. Winner - Wilbur Shaw drinks the traditional pint of milk at the end of the race. Model by Brumm
1947 Mercedes-Benz W 154. Driver - Duke Nalon. Model by Brumm
1948 Blue Crown Special. Winner - Mauri Rose. Model by Replicarz
1952 Agajanian Special. Winner - Troy Ruttman. Model by Replicarz
1952 Ferrari 375. Driven by Alberto Ascari. Model by Brumm
1952 Ferrari 375. Driven by Johnnie Parsons. Model by Brumm
1957 Belond Special. Winner - Sam Hanks. Model by Replicarz
1958 Belond Special. Winner - Jimmy Bryan. Model by Replicarz
1960 Ken-Paul Special. Winner - Jim Rathmann. Model by Hobby Horse
1961 Bowes Seal Fast Special. Winner - A.J.Foyt. Model by Hobby Horse
1961 Hoover Special. Driven by Bobby Marshman. Model by Replicarz
1962 Leader Card "500" Roadster. Winner - Rodger Ward. Model by Hobby Horse
1965 Lotus 38. Winner - Jim Clark. Model by Spark
1966 Lola T90. Winner - Graham Hill. Model by Spark
1967 Coyote. Winner - A.J.Foyt. Model by Spark
1968 Eagle Mk 4. Winner - Bobby Unser. Model by Spark
1968 Lotus 56. Driven by Graham Hill. Model by Spark
1969 Brawner-Hawk. Winner - Mario Andretti. Model by Spark
1972 McLaren M16B. Winner - Mark Donohue. Model by Spark
1974 McLaren M16C. Winner - Johnny Rutherford. Model by Spark
1976 McLaren M16C. Winner - Johnny Rutherford. Model by Spark
1980 Chaparral. Winner - Johnny Rutherford. Model by Spark
1980 Porsche Type 940. Driven by Danny Ongais. Model by True Scale Miniatures
1985 Miller American/Penske. Winner - Danny Sullivan - "Spin to Win". Model by Replicarz
1990 Masters Penske. Driven by Kevin Cogan. Model by Onyx
1990 RCA Penske. Driven by Tom Sneva. Model by Onyx
1990 Amway Speedway Lola. Driven by Scott Brayton. Model by Onyx
1990 Havoline Lola. Driven by Dominic Dobson. Model by Onyx
1990 Tune-Up Penske. Driven by Didier Theys. Model by Onyx
1990 March Porsche. Driven by Teo Fabi. Model by Onyx
1990 AMP Penske. Driven by Randy Lewis. Model by Onyx
1990 Copenhagen Lola. Driven by A.J.Foyt. Model by Onyx
1990 Glidden Lola. Driven by Jim Crawford who survived this practice crash to finish 15th in the race. Model by Onyx
1990 Lola Kraco. Driven by Bobby Rahal. Model by Onyx
1990 Target Penske. Driven by Eddie Cheever. Model by Onyx
1991 Valvoline Lola Ford. Driven by Al Unser Jnr. Model by Onyx
1991 Glidden Lola. Driven by Gary Bettenhausen. Model by Onyx
1991 Havoline Lola. Driven by Mario Andretti. Model by Onyx
1991 Havoline Lola. Driven by Michael Andretti. Model by Onyx
1991 Pennzoil Lola. Driven by John Andretti. Model by Onyx
1992 Glidden Lola. Driven by Al Unser Snr. Model by Onyx
1992 Amway Lola. Driven by Scott Brayton. Model by Onyx
1992 Mackenzie Lola Chevrolet. Driven by Scott Goodyear. Model by Onyx
1992 Lola Chevrolet Budweiser. Driven by Scott Pruett. Model by Onyx
1992 Lola Ford. Driven by Arie Luyendyk. Model by Onyx
1992 Lola Ford Duracell. Driven by Raul Boesel. Model by Onyx
1992 Miller Lola. Driven by Bobby Rahal. Model by Onyx
1993 Target Scotch Lola. Driven by Arie Luyendyk. Model by Onyx
1993 Lola Ford K-Mart. Driven by Mario Andretti. Model by Onyx
1993 Molson Lola. Driven by Danny Sullivan. Model by Onyx
1993 Lola Ford T93. Driven by Nigel Mansell. Model by Vitesse
1993 Duracell Lola. Driven by Raul Boesel. Model by Onyx
1993 Quaker State Lola Buick. Driven by Roberto Guerrero. Model by Onyx
1994 Penske PC23. Winner - Al Unser Jnr. Model by Minichamps
1994 Penske PC23. Driven by Emerson Fittipaldi. Model by Minichamps
1994 Lola K-Mart. Driven by Nigel Mansell. Model by Onyx
1994 Target Scotch Lola. Driven by Michael Andretti. Model by Onyx
1994 Lola Valvoline. Driven by Bobby Gordon. Model by Onyx
1994 Lola Reynard Conseco. Driven by Jimmy Vasser. Model by Onyx
1994 Interstate Lola. Driven by Roberto Guerrero. Model by Onyx
1994 Lola T94 Ford. Driven by Bobby Rahal. Model by Minichamps
1995 Newman Haas. Driven by Paul Tracey. Model by Onyx
1998 G-Force Aurora V8. Driven by Arie Luyendyk. Model by Ertl Collectibles
1998 Honda Reynard 98i. Driven by Jimmy Vasser. Model by UT Models
1999 Lola Newman Haas K-Mart. Driven by Michael Andretti. Model by Action Models
2002 Team Kool Green Reynard 98i. Driven by Dario Franchitti. Model by UT Models