Indianapolis 500 History
INDIANAPOLIS 500 HISTORY
The Indianapolis 500 first race was held at the speedway on Memorial Day May 30 1911. With 80,200 spectators coming from all around to see this event, it is belived that they paid one dollar admission to watch the very first Indianapolis 500 mile race.
The Indainapolis 500 of 1913 was the first race with international interest with entrants from England, France, Italy, and Germany as well as the United States. The 1913 Indianapolis 500 winner was Jules Goux with his 1913 Peugeot. The first European to win the Indianapolis 500
1917 and 1918 There were no races held on account of World War one. The track was closed for racing it was used as an air strip, as a fuel stop between the airforce base in Dayton, Ohio and Rantoul, Illinois. The track then reopened in 1919.