Indianapolis Speedrome
{{Short description|Stock car racing track in Indiana, US}}
{{Cleanup|reason=empty section|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
|Name = Indianapolis Speedrome
|Nicknames = Kitley
Speedrome
|Location = Indianapolis, Indiana
|Logo = Indianapolis speedrome.jpeg
|Image = Overheadspeedrome.jpg
|Coordinates = {{coord|39.7574841|-86.0558009|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|Capacity = 6,000
|Opened = {{Start date and age|September 9, 1941}}
|Events = World Figure 8 Championships
Carb Night Classic (1962-1964, 1979)
|Former_names= Art Zipp's Speedway
|Miles_first = true
|Layout1 = Oval
|Surface = Paved
|length_mi = 0.200
|Turns = 4
|Layout2 = Figure 8
|Surface2 = Paved
|length2_mi = 0.200
|Turns2 = 4
|website = www.speedrome.com
|Address = 802 S. Kitley Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219}}
The Indianapolis Speedrome is the oldest operating figure 8 track in the United States as it opened in 1941.{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2016 |title=From the Cataloger's Desk: Calling all race fans! |url=https://indianahistory.org/blog/from-the-catalogers-desk-calling-all-race-fans/ |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=Indiana Historical Society |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Schedule |url=http://www.speedrome.com/schedule.html |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=Indianapolis Speedrome |language=en}}
The Speedrome is the USAC's most active track with 496 events held,{{Cite web |title=INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDROME RETURNS WITH MAY 23 HPD MIDWEST MIDGETS |url=https://www.sprintsource.com/news/?i=20143 |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=www.sprintsource.com}} and also produced Tony Stewart’s maiden USAC win on August 9, 1991.{{Cite web |title="Tony Stewart Classic" at the Lincoln Tech Indianapolis Speedrome |url=http://www.myracepass.com/tracks/1737/news/2015/article/32177/tony-stewart-classic-at-the-lincoln-tech-indianapolis-speedrome |access-date=May 17, 2023 |website=www.myracepass.com}}
History
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Events
= Carb Night Classic =
{{Main|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 =
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.
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ Champions{{Cite web |title=3-Hour Figure 8 |url=http://www.speedrome.com/3-hour-figure-8.html |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=Indianapolis Speedrome |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Results of the 2023 speedrome |url=https://nebula.wsimg.com/7fe7caac02d08fcbd6e8d2197a328057?AccessKeyId=9A8EF66D3E6508E13B9F&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |format=PDF}} | |
| 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
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.{{Cite web |title=Don Vogler, the veteran driver who was killed in... – UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/05/02/Don-Vogler-the-veteran-driver-who-was-killed-in/1439357624000/ |access-date=September 30, 2024 |website=UPI |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U8xaAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Indianapolis+Speedrome%22&pg=PA20&article_id=6769,619657 |title=The Evening Independent |publisher=The Evening Independent |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i3QiAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Indianapolis+Speedrome%22&pg=PA76&article_id=4419,4852896 |title=The Item |publisher=The Item |language=en}}
Job Corps riot of 1965
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.{{Cite book |last=Congress |first=United States |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mGITKgvlIdoC&dq=%22Indianapolis+Speedrome%22+-wikipedia&pg=SL1-PA5528 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress |date=1965 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |language=en}}
COVID-19 guideline violations
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.{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2020 |title=Health department issues notice of violation to Speedrome |url=https://www.wthr.com/article/sports/local-sports/health-department-looking-into-possible-violations-at-indianapolis-speedrome/531-af492482-623c-4d0b-9b9d-83f7cf6ab35d |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=wthr.com |language=en-US}}