The Indianapolis 500, also known as the Indy 500, is an iconic annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States. Here are some key details about the Indy 500:
History: The first Indianapolis 500 race took place in 1911 and has been held annually ever since, except for the years during World War I and World War II.
Track: The race takes place on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) oval-shaped track. It is known as "The Brickyard" due to the original track surface being made of bricks.
Distance: The Indy 500 is a 500-mile (805 km) race, hence the name. Drivers complete 200 laps around the track to reach the total distance.
Cars: The race features open-wheel, single-seat cars known as Indy cars or Indy race cars. These cars are purpose-built for racing and reach high speeds on the oval track.