Indianapolis Speedrome

Stock car racing track in Indiana, US

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: empty section. Please help improve this article if you can. (September 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Indianapolis SpeedromeKitley
Speedrome

Location| Indianapolis, Indiana
Time zone| UTC-5 (UTC-4 DST)
Coordinates| 39°45′27″N 86°03′21″W﻿ / ﻿39.7574841°N 86.0558009°W﻿ / 39.7574841; -86.0558009
Capacity| 6,000
Address| 802 S. Kitley Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219
Opened| September 9, 1941; 83 years ago (September 9, 1941)
Former names| Art Zipp's Speedway
Major events| World Figure 8 Championships
Carb Night Classic (1962-1964, 1979)
Website| www.speedrome.com
Oval
Surface| Paved
Length| 0.200 miles
Turns| 4
Figure 8
Surface| Paved
Length| 0.200 miles
Turns| 4

The Indianapolis Speedrome is the oldest operating figure 8 track in the United States as it opened in 1941.[1] It is believed by many historians that this is the first figure 8 track where cars intersect.

The Speedrome is home to the World Figure 8 Championships, the Annual Spring Shootout, and the 3 Hour Endurance Race.[2]

The Speedrome is the USAC's most active track with 496 events held,[3] and also produced Tony Stewart’s maiden USAC win on August 9, 1991.[4]

## History

[edit]

Figure 8 racing late 1940s at the Indianapolis Speedrome |

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2024)

|

## Events

[edit]

### Carb Night Classic

[edit]

Main article: Carb Night Classic

The Speedrome hosted the carb night classic from 1962 to 1964 and then once again in 1979.

### Three-hour figure 8 championship

[edit]

The three-hour figure 8 championship is an annual three-hour endurance race featuring late models. It began in 1977 and like any other sport had sprees of dominance.

Champions[5][6] Year | Champion

|

1977 | Jim Fox
1978-82 | Kenny St John
1983 | Wayne Arnold
1984 | Bobby Ellett
1985 | Wayne Arnold
1986 | Rance Harmon
1987 | Mike St John
1988 | Leonard Basham
1989 | Wayne Arnold
1990-91 | Mike St John
1992 | Duane Lee
1993-94 | Jack Dossey Jr
1995 | Duane Lee
1996-99 | Jack Dossey Jr
2000 | Bruce Tunny
2001 | Bobby Douthitt
2002 | Curtis McMurtrey
2003 | Bill Tunny Jr
2004-05 | Bruce Tunny
2006 | Curtis McMurtrey
2007 | Doug Greig
2008 | Fred Bear Jr
2009 | Ben Tunny
2010 | RJ Norton Jr
2011 | Doug Greig
2012 | Ben Tunny
2013 | Mark Tunny
2014 | Danny Smith
2015 | Ben Tunny
2016 | Austin Tunny
2017 | Mike Hadley Jr
2018 | Mark Tunny
2019 | Eddie VanMeter
2020 | Jesse Tunny
2021 | Ben Tunny
2022 | Mark Tunny
2023 | Austin Tunny
2024 | Mark Tunny

## The death of Don Vogler

[edit]

On May 1, 1981, Don Vogler and his son Rich Vogler were registered for a USAC midget car feature. Don was about to complete his final warm up lap when he suddenly collided with the wall on turn 3, flipping over the concrete barrier and coming to rest in the catch fence. He was seen gripping his chest before the accident by multiple witnesses. He was pronounced dead in a local hospital a few hours later from blunt force trauma. The cause of accident is believed to be a heart attack. His son later raced in IndyCar and NASCAR but died in 1990 at Salem Speedway.[7][8][9]

## Job Corps riot of 1965

[edit]

During a Saturday night race in 1965 there were 35 Job Corps men and youths invited as special guests for that night‘s race. The Job Corps members were siting in the back of a pickup truck, when they started yelling obscenities at women entering the restroom. Later, 15 of the youths were standing by the restroom and continued to yell obscenities at race goers until the spectators confronted and attempted to silence the youths. While the youth were being finally escorted out they began throwing sticks and stones into the crowd. A woman suffered lacerations to her arms.[10]

## COVID-19 guideline violations

[edit]

On October 3, 2020, a picture of the Speedrome at full capacity surfaced on the media. At this time, the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in place in Marion County had a guideline requiring that all sporting events were to be held at 25% capacity. The Speedrome was fined $1000.[11]

## See also

[edit]

* List of attractions and events in Indianapolis

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "From the Cataloger's Desk: Calling all race fans!". Indiana Historical Society. October 5, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
2. ^ "Schedule". Indianapolis Speedrome. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
3. ^ "INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDROME RETURNS WITH MAY 23 HPD MIDWEST MIDGETS". www.sprintsource.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
4. ^ ""Tony Stewart Classic" at the Lincoln Tech Indianapolis Speedrome". www.myracepass.com. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
5. ^ "3-Hour Figure 8". Indianapolis Speedrome. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
6. ^ "Results of the 2023 speedrome" (PDF). Retrieved September 19, 2023.
7. ^ "Don Vogler, the veteran driver who was killed in... – UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
8. ^ The Evening Independent. The Evening Independent.
9. ^ The Item. The Item.
10. ^ Congress, United States (1965). Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office.
11. ^ "Health department issues notice of violation to Speedrome". wthr.com. August 10, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2023.