No. 3: IMS Works with Indiana To Vaccinate Over 100,000
December 29, 2021 | By Zach Horrall
Note: The editorial staff at IMS.com is taking a look back at the 10 biggest moments of 2021 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
In 2021, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was one of the world’s leaders in hosting mass vaccination clinics, and it resulted in more than 100,000 Hoosiers and counting receiving their COVID-19 shots at the Racing Capital of the World.
It all started in early March when IMS and the Indiana Department of Health announced a mass vaccination clinic would be held March 5-7 at IMS to get as many Hoosiers as possible vaccinated to protect them from COVID-19.
It was a rousing success, and the two entities announced in late March that three mass vaccination clinics would be held throughout April on conjunction with IU Health to help protect Hoosiers from COVID-19.
The efforts to vaccinate the Indianapolis community continued in May as race fans who attended Indianapolis 500 practices, qualifying or even the race itself could receive their COVID-19 vaccine while at the track.
It was a thrilling experience for race fans as they received their shot in one of the pit-side garages and got to drive down the famed pit lane at IMS after receiving their dose. But more than that, it helped the Indianapolis community, and in many respects the state of Indiana, return to a sense of normalcy.
Hosting many vaccination clinics was an incredible example that above all else, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a community-first organization that just so happens to live on a global stage. And the work IMS put into coordinating with federal, state and local officials to protect the community rival the efforts of the early 1900s when the Speedway was used as a military base during World War I from 1917-18.
And it is directly because of IMS’ efforts to vaccinate hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers that the Indianapolis 500 was held safely with 135,000 race fans in attendance.
These efforts continued into the fall and winter as the Health Department and IMS extended the COVID-19 vaccination and testing clinic, still in full effect today. Hoosiers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine or booster can register for COVID-19 vaccinations and testing at www.ourshot.in.gov and search by ZIP code 46222.