Hey there! I’m John Green, and welcome to my video all about the Indianapolis 500, also known as the Indy 500. Did you know that every winner of this famous race gets their face sculpted onto a huge trophy called the Borg-Warner Trophy? It’s over 5 feet tall! The trophy was first made in the 1930s, and by 1987, they had to add more space for all the winners’ faces. Winners also get a smaller version of the trophy to keep. Let’s dive into some cool facts about the Indy 500, which is celebrating its 100th race this year!
The Indy 500 takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, but more specifically in a city within Indianapolis called Speedway. It’s kind of like how the Vatican is its own place within Italy. The race happens at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was built in 1909. The track is 2.5 miles long and shaped like a rectangle with rounded corners. Drivers race 200 laps to complete the 500 miles. The track is so big that there’s even a golf course inside it, and it can seat 235,000 people!
The Speedway is nicknamed the Brickyard because it used to be paved with 3.2 million bricks. Now, most of it is asphalt, but there’s still a strip of bricks at the start/finish line. The first Indy 500 was held in 1911, but the 100th race is in 2016 because they skipped some years during World War I and World War II.
Unlike most Formula One races, the Indy 500 starts with a flying start behind a pace car. This tradition began with the first race in 1911. The race is always held on Memorial Day weekend, and since 1974, it’s been on the Sunday before Memorial Day.
To race in the Indy 500, drivers must qualify by being among the fastest 33. There have been exceptions, like in 1916 when only 21 cars raced. Before the race, there’s a practice day called Carb Day. It used to be for adjusting carburetors, but now it’s just a fun day with music and refreshments since cars don’t use carburetors anymore.
Since 1911, 758 drivers have raced in the Indy 500. The first winner, Ray Harroun, drove at an average speed of 75 mph. Today, winners average between 150 and 190 mph. Harroun is also credited with using the first rear-view mirror in a race.
In 1936, winner Louie Meyer was photographed drinking milk after the race, starting a tradition. Now, winners choose their preferred type of milk to drink. In 2015, most drivers chose whole or 2% milk, but none picked buttermilk.
No driver named Smith has ever raced in the Indy 500, and the most wins by a driver is four, achieved by AJ Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. Rick Mears also holds the record for starting from the pole position six times. The most laps led in a race is 198 by Billy Arnold in 1930, while Dan Wheldon won in 2011 by leading only the final lap.
This year, the Indy 500 becomes the first car race to be held 100 times, making it a historic event. Thanks for joining me to learn about this exciting race. Let me know if you think you could drive 200 laps without a break! Remember, as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
Research the key events in the history of the Indy 500, starting from its inception in 1911 to the present day. Create a timeline that highlights significant milestones, such as the introduction of the Borg-Warner Trophy, the first use of a rear-view mirror, and the tradition of drinking milk. Use images and brief descriptions to make your timeline engaging.
Imagine you are a driver in the Indy 500. Design your own race car, considering factors like aerodynamics, color scheme, and sponsor logos. Draw your design on paper or use a digital tool. Write a short paragraph explaining your design choices and how they would help you win the race.
Use math to explore the Indy 500. Calculate the average speed of a car that completes the 500 miles in 3 hours and 15 minutes. Compare it to Ray Harroun’s winning speed of 75 mph in 1911. Discuss how technology and engineering have influenced these changes over time.
Research the traditions associated with the Indy 500, such as the flying start, Carb Day, and the milk-drinking ceremony. Create a presentation or poster that explains these traditions and their origins. Share your findings with the class and discuss why traditions are important in sports.
Role-play an interview with a famous Indy 500 driver, such as AJ Foyt or Rick Mears. One student can act as the driver, while another is the interviewer. Prepare questions about their experiences, challenges, and achievements. Perform the interview for the class and discuss what you learned about the driver’s career and the race.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green. Welcome to my salon. This is a Mental Floss video, and you know that every winner of the Indianapolis 500 has their face sculpted onto a 5-foot tall trophy—well, 5 feet 4.75 inches to be exact. It’s known as the Borg-Warner Trophy. The trophy itself was created in the mid-1930s, and in 1987, they ran out of room and had to add a second base for all the new heads. Around that time, another tradition started: winners receive a smaller replica of the trophy too. That’s the first of many facts about the Indianapolis 500, celebrating its 100th running this year, that I’m going to share with you in today’s video.
The Indy 500 takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, although technically it actually happens in a city within Indianapolis called Speedway. Speedway is to Indianapolis what the Vatican is to Italy—other than that, they have literally nothing in common. Anyway, this also happens to be where we film Mental Floss videos, and I happen to be a huge IndyCar fan, so we’re kind of experts here.
The race takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was built as a combination racetrack and testing facility in 1909. The track itself is two-and-a-half miles long and has a rectangular-shaped oval. It consists of two long parallel straights, about 5/8 of a mile each, and then there are two short straights at the north and south ends of the Speedway, each measuring 1/8 of a mile. They’re linked together by four turns of exactly 440 yards from entrance to exit. This means that over the course of the 500-mile race, the drivers will take 200 laps. It also means that the racetrack is huge—there’s actually a golf course inside of it, and there are 235,000 permanent seats at the venue.
The Speedway also has a nickname: the Brickyard, because the track once contained 3.2 million bricks, but they were eventually replaced by asphalt. However, there is still brick at the start/finish line. The Indianapolis 500 was held for the first time in 1911, so how come the 100th running is in 2016? Well, because 1917 and 1918 were taken off for World War I, and 1942 to 1945 were taken off because of World War II.
Unlike most Formula One races, every Indianapolis 500 has featured a flying start behind a pace car. By the way, the pace car driver at the 2016 Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis was this guy. It’s believed that the 1911 inaugural Indy 500 marked the first-ever mass rolling start for an automobile race anywhere in the world and quite possibly the first-ever use of a pace car to start a major event. The race has always been held on Memorial Day weekend, and for a long time, it was almost always on Memorial Day proper, May 30th, regardless of the day of the week. Unless it fell on a Sunday, in which case the race was moved to Monday after Memorial Day. But then in 1971, the Uniform Holiday Bill came into effect, fixing Memorial Day as the last Monday in May.
In 1974, the Indy 500 was held on a Sunday for the first time and has remained the Sunday before Memorial Day ever since. The starting field has normally been restricted to the fastest 33 qualifiers—a number based on a 1912 formula theorizing that cars spread equally around the track should be entitled to 400 feet of track apiece. But there have been some exceptions, like in 1916 when only 21 cars started the race, and in 1933 when there were 42.
After they know who qualifies for the Indy 500, the drivers do get to practice a little. By the way, like on the Friday before race day, there’s an event called Carb Day. When it first started, teams used this time to calibrate their carburetors, but nowadays the cars don’t have carburetors, so it’s just a practice day when lots of people show up and listen to music and enjoy refreshments.
Speaking of qualifying drivers, we have to talk a little bit about the people who race in the Indy 500. A lot of people dismiss it as just turning left turns. I have turned left at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and they are quite intense. A total of 758 drivers have started the race since 1911. A man named Ray Harroun won that first race with an average speed of about 75 miles an hour. Nowadays, winners typically average between 150 and 190 miles per hour. Harroun sometimes gets credit for inventing the rear-view mirror in cars; he allegedly got the idea from buggy drivers at the time and used a mirror during the race to see what was happening behind him.
Moving forward in history a little bit, the 1936 winner Louie Meyer was photographed drinking milk post-race. Apparently, he liked to drink buttermilk on hot days. A milk executive saw the photo, and a tradition was born. Nowadays, officials keep a list of the drivers’ milk preferences so they know which type to make available depending on who wins the race. In 2015, 15 of the drivers chose whole milk, 14 preferred 2%, and just four opted for skim. Nobody chose buttermilk.
Now, I don’t like to criticize professionals, but these are not the best milk choices. I mean, you’re expected to chug the milk, and you’ve just spent hours inside a car. Here’s an astonishing tidbit: of the 758 different drivers starting in the Indy 500 over the last 105 years, not a single one of them has had the surname Smith. The greatest number of 500 victories by a driver is four—three drivers have managed it so far: AJ Foyt, Al Unser, and Rick Mears. No driver has ever won the 500 three years in a row, but five have won it twice in succession: Wilbur Shaw, Mori Rose, Bill Vukovich, Al Unser, and Elio Castroneves.
The record for the most number of starts from the pole position is six, held by Rick Mears in 1979, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1991. And yes, I do have that memorized. The greatest number of laps led in a race is 198 out of 200, led by Billy Arnold in 1930—he led all but the first two laps. The greatest number of laps led during a non-winning effort is 196 out of 200 by Ralph De Palma in 1912, who suffered a mechanical failure after leading laps 3 through 198 consecutively. The fewest number of laps led by a winner was by the late great Dan Wheldon of Great Britain, who in 2011 led only the final lap.
Finally, I return to my salon to tell you that this year, the Indianapolis 500 will become the only automobile race in history to have been conducted 100 times, so it really is a very historic year. Congratulations to all involved! Thanks for watching Mental Floss video, which is made with the help of all of these nice people. Let me know in the comments if you think you could make it for 200 laps without needing a break. Funny story: I asked a racecar driver about that once. He said it’s very dehydrating running a race like the Indianapolis 500, but then again, when I have to go, I just do. Thanks again for watching, and as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version removes any inappropriate or potentially sensitive content while maintaining the essence of the original transcript.
Indy 500 – A famous annual car race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, known for its long history and high-speed competition. – The Indy 500 is one of the most prestigious events in the world of motorsports, attracting thousands of fans every year.
Race – A competition of speed, where participants strive to be the fastest to reach a specific goal or finish line. – The race was intense, with each driver pushing their limits to cross the finish line first.
Drivers – Individuals who operate vehicles, especially in competitive racing events. – The drivers prepared for months to compete in the challenging conditions of the Indy 500.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, or the record of such events. – The history of the Indy 500 is filled with legendary drivers and unforgettable races.
Speedway – A racetrack designed for high-speed automobile racing. – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the most iconic speedways in the world.
Trophy – An award given for victory or success in a competition, often in the form of a cup or plaque. – Winning the Indy 500 trophy is a dream for many race car drivers.
Bricks – Refers to the “Yard of Bricks,” a strip of bricks at the start/finish line of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a nod to its original brick surface. – The tradition of kissing the bricks is a cherished moment for winners of the Indy 500.
Traditions – Customs or beliefs passed down through generations, often associated with specific events or ceremonies. – The Indy 500 is rich with traditions, including the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana” before the race starts.
Qualifying – The process by which competitors are selected or ranked for participation in a race based on their performance in preliminary rounds. – Drivers must go through qualifying rounds to secure a good starting position in the Indy 500.
Memorial Day – A U.S. holiday for remembering and honoring military personnel who have died in service, often associated with the Indy 500 race weekend. – The Indy 500 is traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend, adding to the event’s significance.
