Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a raceway that is tucked in a suburban neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana. It has been around for just over a century and is host to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Brickyard 400 and the IRL race Indianapolis 500. Additionally, the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix motorcycle race is run on the IMS road course.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/35637/

On Memorial Day of 2010, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500. In July of 2010, Jamie McMurray became just the third driver to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year. Both Franchitti and McMurray race for Chip Ganassi, owner of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, allowing Ganassi to become the first car owner to win all three races. And Ganassi's team was able to do it in the same year.http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/cup/07/25/jmcmurray.wins.indy/index.html

The surface of Indianapolis Motor Speedway has as much of an interesting history as the races that have been run there and as the drivers who have driven there. When the track opened in 1909, the surface was comprised of stone dust, a layer of tar, a 1/2 inch of crushed stone chips mixed with larger stones, crushed limestone topped with more tar, and then a bottom layer of two inches of gravel.

Later in 1909, after summer racing had damaged the surface, a two-inch layer of sand was laid first; then, several weeks later, more than 3 million street-paving bricks were laid. They were placed in the sand a quarter-inch apart and filled in with a sand/cement mixture. The surface remained basically the same until 1961, when the main straightaway was, save for a three-foot strip at the start/finish line, covered in asphalt.

Fifteen years later, asphalt was laid over the entire surface, the first time it had been completely resurfaced since 1909, and it was done again twelve years later. In 1995, it was completely resurfaced again, but not before the original five inch-surface underneath was removed. In 2002 and 2004, it was resurfaced again in order to make the surface smoother.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/35450-Track-Surface-History/

As for racing, the Indianapolis 500 has been the centerpiece of the track's annual schedule. It is raced each Memorial Day weekend and has been since 1909, except during World War I and World War II. Ray Harroun won the first version of the Indianapolis 500. Over the hundred years of the race, Harroun has been joined in the winner's circle by such drivers as A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Jr., and Bobby Unser, Arie Luyendyk, Juan Pablo Montoya, Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, Mario Andretti, Joel Schumacher, Helio Castroneves, and more.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com:8080/var/assets/stats/500/2010-indianapolis-500-race-winners.pdf

NASCAR didn't start racing at the Brickyard until 1994 when the Brickyard 400 was first run. Though the race doesn't have a long history, the race is considered to be one of the most significant to win among NASCAR drivers.http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=2346808 Jeff Gordon, who spent the latter half of his childhood in Indiana, has won the race four times, more than any other driver. Jimmie Johnson is second with three wins. Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart have won it twice.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/brickyard400/history/stats/careerwins/

In addition to the races, visitors to the Brickyard have many choices of entertainment. Autograph sessions with drivers, various kinds of mini-racing (including pedal-car and slot-car racing), balloon racing, and more.

An educational program is offered by IMS. Fourth-grade Indiana students learn about the historical, economic, and social importance of racing in the state. An optional field trip to the Speedway to tour the IMS Hall of Fame Museum and other track landmarks is offered.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/brickyard400/eventinfo/35212-Family-Affair/

The Hall of Fame museum houses a collection of items from throughout the history of motorsports. Visitors can see the roughly 75+ vehicles that are always on display, including the car that won the first Indianapolis 500, more than 30 of the cars that have won the Indianapolis 500, A.J. Foyt's four winning cars, and other cars such as an SSI Chevrolet Corvette, a Ferrari 250 LM, and a two-time race-winning Maserati from the late 1930s. The museum is open every day except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/facility/35204-Museum/