Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500, commonly called the Indy 500, is an automobile race held every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis in the United States. It is traditionally run over Memorial Day weekend as part of the IndyCar Series, the top level of American open-wheel racing, and is billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The track is nicknamed the Brickyard because its surface was first paved in brick in 1909. The first race was held in 1911 and won by Ray Harroun, and the 100th running took place in 2016. A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears and Hélio Castroneves have each won four times, and Team Penske is the most successful car owner. Along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix it makes up the Triple Crown of Motorsport, and among its traditions are the 33-car grid in rows of three and the winner's bottle of milk.