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Centennial Era Reflections
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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is celebrating 100 years of worldwide leadership in motorsports entertainment through its Centennial Era from 2009-2011, which is featuring many special events and a new, retro corporate logo.
Plans for the Centennial Era celebration were revealed by IMS Chief Executive Officer Tony George and IMS President and Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood during an event May 22, 2008 at Allison Mansion of Marian College in Indianapolis.
IMS is honoring the 100th anniversaries of the opening of the venerable racetrack, in 1909, and of the inaugural Indianapolis 500, in 1911, through the Centennial Era celebration.
Indiana businessmen Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Arthur C. Newby and Frank H. Wheeler pooled their resources to build the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909 as an automobile testing ground to support Indiana’s growing automotive industry. The focus of the facility soon turned to racing, with Ray Harroun winning the inaugural Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 1911.
"No other motorsports facility in the world has the rich history and tradition of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said IMS Chairman of the Board Mari Hulman George. "The Centennial Era celebration pays homage to the heroes and events of our storied past while anticipating an even more glorious future."
There are many intertwined components to the Centennial Era celebration:
- Centennial Gala. A Centennial Gala took place Feb. 27, 2009 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. Nineteen of the 27 living Indianapolis 500 winners – including four-time winners A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears – were among the featured guests at the black-tie event. Proceeds benefited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, which operates the Hall of Fame Museum.
- Balloon Festival. The Centennial Era Balloon Festival presented by AT&T Real Yellow Pages will take place May 1-3 at IMS with a full schedule of evening balloon "glows" and daytime ascensions. The event will commemorate the first competitive event ever at the Speedway, a gas-filled balloon race June 5, 1909.
- Centennial Era Logo. A new Centennial Era logo is being used at IMS from 2009-2011. The logo, designed by IMS Creative Services, draws elements from 1909, 1934 and 1961 IMS graphics in a historic motif.
A variety of multimedia pieces is available to fans to celebrate the Centennial Era at IMS. Two video series, Centennial Era Moments and Centennial Era Gala, highlight the legends of the Speedway through interviews, historical footage and footage from the Centennial Era Gala. The Centennial Era Reflections series mates historic IMS photos with words describing a quality of competition at IMS over the last 100 years.
Fans are encouraged to embed and share these multimedia pieces online in blogs, social media, forums and bulletin boards.
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