The Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is located in Speedway, IN (a suburb of Indianapolis) and is home of the Indianapolis 500 mile Indy race and the Brickyard 400 mile NASCAR race.  It has existed since 1909 and is the original Speedway, the first racing facility so named.  It can seat over 400,000 people making it the highest capacity stadium-type facility in the world.  The track is considered relatively flat by American standards and is 2 1/2 miles around nearly oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since it was built.  There are four 1/4 mile turns, two 5/8 mile long straightaways between the 4th & 1st and 2nd & 3rd turns and two 1/8 mile short straightways termed 'short chutes' between the 1st & 2nd and 3rd & 4th turns.  Between 1998-2000 a modern infield road course was constructed in the track to created a 2.605 mile course.  In 2008 the infield course was modified for motorcycle use creating 2.621 mile course.  Since Aug 19, 1909 248 automobile races have taken place with 137 different drivers winning.  On the grounds of the Speedway there is also the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort. 
The Speedway was built due to George C Fisher who had helped a friend with his motor racing in France and thought that the U.S. needed to establish itself in automobiles and motor sports.  He chose Indianapolis because there were so many auto manufacturers in the city and after getting some investors and buying a farm 5 miles outside Indianapolis the track began it's construction.  Building of the track took 500 laborers, 300 mules and a fleet of steam powered machinery.  The first surface was 2" of graded and packed soil covered with 2" of gravel and 2" of limestone which was then covered with taroil (a solution of tar and oil). Then a 1"-2" of crushed stone chips (drenched in taroil) and a final topping of crushed stone was laid to finish the track surface.  During the first week end of car racing the track broke several speed races but after a terrible accident due to the track breaking away it was decided to change the track surface and have it paved (which in 1909 was a relatively new concept) with bricks or concrete.  Bricks were chosen.  Each brick was hand laid on a 2" cushion of sand with mortar added to fill the gaps.  The last brick laid was made of gold and was laid during a ceremony by Governor Thomas R Marshall.  Today a one yard section of the original brick surface is at the Start/Finish Line on the track giving the track it's nickname, The Brickyard.
As a kid growing up the only car race I knew was the Indianapolis 500 and it was always a big event where I would actually watch the race on TV.  It was fun to see what I consider the Icon of racing in person and was amazed on the size of the track and the fact that is it surrounded by city streets.  We drove around the block to see glimpses of the track.  It is an amazing sight and if you are visiting Indianapolis you have to visit the Speedway and the museum.