Indianapolis Speedway

Black text on a yellow semi circle background with a blue semi circle with two blue cars racing on a race track with a checkered flag. 

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) was constructed in 1909, and was the first automobile racetrack to be called a speedway. The IMS was the brainchild of Carl Graham Fisher, an Indiana native and auto parts and highway entrepreneur. Fisher envisioned the speedway after attending an automobile race in France, and based his design, at least in part, on England's Brooklands Motor Circuit. Fisher determined that Indianapolis would be a logical location for the speedway, primarily due to the city's proximity to the many car manufacturers based in Indiana. The first official event at the IMS was a helium balloon race in June, 1909; motorcycle and automobile races followed soon after. Currently, the IMS plays host to several major race events each year, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400.