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 29, 2018 | By Paul Kelly, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Check out the IMS YouTube page every Thursday through May for more videos going down "Memory Lane," showcasing historical moments from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 1961 Indianapolis 500 served as a junction between two eras in the history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” It was the last year of a distinctive look at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the start of an era of dominance by one of the greatest drivers in history. Young Texan A.J. Foyt started to make waves in USAC competition in 1957 before making his Indianapolis 500 debut with a 16th-place result as a 23-year-old in 1958. Foyt finished 10th in 1959 and 25th in 1960 but entered the 1961 race as a favorite after winning the 1960 USAC National Championship. Foyt qualified seventh in the No. 1 Bowes Seal Fast Trevis roadster powered by an Offenhauser engine but quickly climbed into contention for victory. He was one of seven drivers who swapped the lead 20 times, first taking the top spot on Lap 76. Pole sitter Eddie Sachs and Foyt traded the lead nine times in the last 105 laps in one of the most stirring duels for victory in “500” history. After the third and presumably final pit stop, Foyt began to pull away from an incredulous Sachs after the two had been evenly matched for most of the race. Unknown to either driver, Foyt’s refueling mechanism malfunctioned on the recent stop, and he received no fuel. Foyt’s car, not weighed down by a full fuel tank, gained speed and pulled away. With 16 laps remaining, Foyt had to pit for an emergency “splash and go” of fuel. Sachs inherited a 30-second lead, but his effort to catch the speedy Foyt wore his tires. Sachs was forced to pit with three laps remaining for a new right rear tire, and Foyt sped away for an 8.28-second victory. It was the first of three Indy 500 victories in the 1960s by Foyt, who also became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times with his triumph in 1977. Foyt’s victory in 1961 also was the last in which the entire front straightaway was still paved with the original bricks laid on the 2.5-mile oval in 1909. In October 1961, the remaining bricks on the front straight were paved with asphalt, with only a 3-foot strip of bricks left exposed at the start-finish line, creating the famous “Yard of Bricks.”