Two departure times provide more flexibility for fans who want to commute to the track on their bike on Race Day. Read More>
This partnership represents the first time a major athlete's sponsorship has been decided by a vote using blockchain technology. Read More>
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. Read More>
View images from the shortened first day of the Indianapolis 500 Open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
View images from the once-in-a-lifetime Total Solar Eclipse event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
Josef Newgarden unveils the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Ticket View Photos>
Why does Scott McLaughlin move his hands around so much in the car? What "button" is he pushing? What's the pressure of the iconic Yellow Submarine like? We cover that and so much more with Scott McLaughlin on the latest Doug and Drivers. Watch Video>
On this episode of Behind the Bricks, IMS President Doug Boles truly goes behind the bricks of the IMS Museum and checks in on the renovation progress. He also gets an exclusive look at the vision of the refreshed Museum, which opens a year from this week. The Museum is a separate entity from IMS and is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Consider supporting the Museum by visiting imsmuseum.org Watch Video>
On this episode of Doug and Drivers, 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi talks his chances to win "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" again, adjusting to Arrow McLaren, getting married over the offseason and so much more. Watch Video>
March 17, 2017 | By IMS
All things Irish are celebrated in the United States and around the world on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. At least for one day, life’s too short not to be Irish, as the saying goes. Drivers of Irish heritage also have celebrated on Memorial Day weekend in late May in Indianapolis while standing in Victory Lane for the Indianapolis 500. Jimmy Murphy was an early winner of the “500” among drivers of Irish descent, speeding to Victory Lane in 1922 in the No. 35 Murphy Special Duesenberg/Miller in a then-record average pace of 94.484 mph. Murphy was born in 1894 in a poor, predominantly Irish section of San Francisco. Murphy’s Irish immigrant parents owned a fuel and feed store in the city. His mother died when Murphy was 2, and his father was killed in the earthquake and fire in 1906 in San Francisco, leaving Murphy an orphan. 1956 winner Pat Flaherty was one of the more prominent Indianapolis 500 champions of Irish descent. Flaherty was born in 1926 in Los Angeles as George Francis Flaherty Jr. but was nicknamed “Pat.” The red-haired Flaherty, who won from the pole in 1956, wore his Irish heritage on his sleeve – or more accurately, his head. His well-worn, white Cromwell racing helmet featured either a large green shamrock or four-leafed clover, both symbols of Ireland. The Irish theme continued the year after Flaherty’s victory when Pat O’Connor won the pole for the 1957 Indianapolis 500 in the Sumar Special before finishing eighth. While Murphy, Flaherty and O’Connor each were born in the United States, an Irish breakthrough was made in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1983. Derek Daly became the first driver born in the Republic of Ireland to compete in the Indianapolis 500, qualifying 28th and finishing 19th.
Daly, born near Dublin, made six career starts in the “500” between 1983-89, with a best finish of 12th in 1985. He went on to become a motivational speaker, author, motorsports driver developer and manager, and popular racing analyst on television. Daly’s son Conor, born in the Indianapolis area, will attempt to make his fourth Indianapolis 500 start this May, driving for A.J. Foyt Racing. Michael Roe attempted to become the second Irish-born driver to race in the Indianapolis 500, in 1985. But he failed to qualify in a Hemelgarn Racing entry. But 1985 did feature a winner of Irish descent who used some of the famous “luck o’ the Irish” to earn a piece of racing immortality and a spot on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Danny Sullivan, born in Louisville, Kentucky, spun in the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 after passing Mario Andretti for the lead. Sullivan miraculously kept the car off the wall and recovered to win. While drivers of Irish descent have enjoyed success in the Indianapolis 500, a man whose nickname was “Irish” is believed to have made “500” history, too. IMS Public Address announcer John Francis “Irish” Horan was the first person to make the formal command to start engines before the start of the race, believed to be in 1950.