Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (formerly Indianapolis Raceway Park, O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, and Lucas Oil Raceway) is an

auto racing Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

facility in Brownsburg, Indiana, about northwest of

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. It includes a oval track, a road course (which has fallen into disrepair and is no longer used), and a drag strip which is among the premier

drag racing Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...

venues in the world. The complex receives about 500,000 visitors annually.

History

In 1958, 15 Indianapolis-area businessmen and racing professionals led by Tom Binford, Frank Dickie, Rodger Ward, and Howard Fieber invested $5,000 each to fund the development of a farm tract into a recreational sporting complex that would focus on auto racing. The original intention was to create a 15-turn, road course, but as an insurance measure against economic problems, the investment group decided to incorporate a quarter-mile drag strip into the long straightaway of the road course design. Constructed with assistance from the

National Hot Rod Association The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...

(NHRA), the drag strip was the first to be completed, with the facility's first event held on the strip in the fall of 1960. The facility was called Indianapolis Raceway Park. A year later, a paved oval was completed to finish off the track capabilities of the complex. The oval track was used as-is until an overall track renovation was completed in 1988 in order to increase speed on the track. The premier feature of Lucas Oil Raceway is a long drag strip. The single NHRA event held at the facility is the oldest and most prestigious of the series. The NHRA U.S. Nationals, held every year during the

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

weekend, is the only event on the NHRA schedule with final eliminations scheduled on a Monday. An all-star style race, called the Traxxas Nitro Shootout, is held for the two nitro divisions (Top Fuel on Saturday and Funny Car on Sunday). The winners in each division win $100,000 US, while the race itself has the largest purse of any NHRA sanctioned event at over $250,000 US. The drag strip has held the event every year since 1961, when the race was moved from Detroit. Sprint and midget races are held on the oval, along with other events suited to a shorter track. Raceway Park traditionally stages an extensive program on the Saturday nights of major races at the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, and and formerly the home of the U ...

. On

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...

weekend, the venue hosts a USAC Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget Car event, serving as something of an unofficial preliminary event to the

Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...

. It was previously held on Saturday Night under the name Night before the 500, and is currently held on Friday night as the Carb Night Classic. Similarly, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200 was given a "Night before the

400 __NOTOC__ Year 400 (Roman numerals, CD) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Stilicho and Aurelianus (consul 400), Aurelianus (or, less frequently, year ...

" status; a Truck Series race was added to the weekend in 1995. When

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

raced at IMS, midget, sprint, and stock car races were held at ORP in the "Night Before F1" meets, including the 2002 and 2003 USGP races that featured a twin 25-lap midget format, with a full inversion, and the winner winning $50,000 if they could win both features. The 15-turn road course was used by the Indianapolis area

Sports Car Club of America The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting Autocross, Rallycross, HPDE, Time Trial, Road Racing, RoadRally, and Hill Climbs in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs ...

road racing Road racing is a North American term to describe motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held on a race track, closed circuit—generally, a purpose-built racing facility—or on a street circuit that uses temporarily c ...

events. The initial Indianapolis Raceway Park road race was an SCCA event held in 1961. In 1965, rookie driver

Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an American former racing driver and businessman, who competed in Formula One from to , and American open-wheel racing, IndyCar from 1964 USAC Championship Car season, 1964 to 1994 IndyCar se ...

won his first Indy car race on the road course, in an event that was historic in that it was the first time in modern history that American Indy cars raced on a road circuit. For the next six years, the road course hosted the Hoosier Grand Prix, a round of the USAC National Championship Series, the same series that included the

, as well as the USAC Stock Car series, including the Yankee 300. Notably, in the 1969 movie ''

Winning Winning may refer to: * Victory Film * Winning (film), ''Winning'' (film), a 1969 movie starring Paul Newman * ''Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman'', a 2015 documentary by Adam Carolla and Nate Adams Music * ''Winning'', an album by Ten Fo ...

'',

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

's character, Frank Capua, competes in a USAC Stock Car event on the road course. After an insurance investigation of the pit out opening for the road course, which is located along the left lane wall of the drag strip, the insurance carrier demanded the pit out be closed off with a permanent concrete wall. This effectively meant closing the road course for competition purposes, as there is no other area on the current track layout suitable to relocate a viable pit lane. However, club racing and private testing used a section of track that runs parallel to the backstretch of the oval (Turns 6–8) as a makeshift pit, although enough section of the return road for the drag strip could also be used if realigned. The last SCCA club road race was held in 2007. The road course surface is in disrepair and very bumpy, and would need improvement to be of use again. There are plans to redesign and renovate the road course, but track officials say it is a long term goal. In 2012, it was announced that the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway would move to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the Indiana 250 to replace the Kroger 200, and that it would be joined by

Rolex Sports Car Series The Rolex Sports Car Series was the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It was a North American-based sports car series founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed ...

and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races under the banner " Super Weekend at the Brickyard". The Camping World Truck Series event was replaced with a new event at Eldora Speedway. As a result, the ARCA Racing Series became the lone national

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

series to sanction a race at the track, running its own 200-lap event. NASCAR announced in September 2021 that the Truck Series would return to Lucas Oil Raceway in 2022 as the first playoff race, marking the return by NASCAR after an eleven year absence. On December 8, 2021, the track announced the track's renaming to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Track configurations

File:Indianapolis Raceway Park-Streetcircuit.svg, Road Course File:Indianapolis Raceway Park-Dragster.svg, Drag Strip File:Indianapolis Raceway Park-Oval.svg, Oval

Records

As of May 2024, the fastest lap records at Indianapolis Raceway Park are listed as:

.686-mile oval

Qualifying records *

USF Pro 2000 Championship The USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, formerly known as the Star Mazda Championship, Pro Mazda Championship, and later Indy Pro 2000 Championship, is an Open-wheel car, open-wheel racing series serving as the third step on the ...

Qualifying: Braden Eves, 19.4602 sec. = , May 23, 2024 * SCCA Formula Super Vee Qualifying: Mark Smith, 19.581 sec. = , May 27, 1989 * USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series Qualifying: Jason Leffler, 20.298 sec. = , May 20, 2000 * U.S. F2000 National Championship Qualifying: Aaron Justus, 20.930 sec. = , September 23, 2000 * ARCA/CRA Super Series Qualifying: Evan Jackson, 21.284 sec. =, September 22, 2007 *

NASCAR Busch Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...

Qualifying: David Green, 21.766 sec. = , August 5, 1994 *

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...

Qualifying:

Joe Ruttman Raymond Joseph Ruttman (born October 28, 1944) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series. With 13 career wins in the Truck Series he is currently t ...

, 22.081 sec. = , August 3, 2000 * ARCA Racing Series Qualifying: Ty Gibbs, 21.820 sec. = , October 5, 2019 Race lap records *

Race: Braden Eves, 19.7522 s = (), May 25, 2024 * USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series Race: Mike Bliss, 21.415 s = (), May 12, 2001 (100 laps) * U.S. F2000 National Championship Race:

Bryan Sellers Bryan Sellers (born August 19, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American racing driver. Sellers won the title in the U.S. F2000 in 2002 and later competed in the Atlantic Championship and in racing sports cars. Racing career Bryan Sellers first co ...

, 21.016 s = (), May 25, 2002 *

Race: Jimmy Hensley, 25.258 s = (), June 22, 1985 *

Race: John Hunter Nemechek, 22.983 s, July 29, 2022 * ARCA Racing Series Race: Brandon Jones, 27.962 s = (), July 25, 2014

2.5-mile road course

''Source:'' *

IMSA The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is a North American sports car racing sanctioning body based in Daytona Beach, Florida, under the jurisdiction of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States, ACCUS arm of the Féd ...

WSC Race: Eliseo Salazar, Ferrari 333 SP, 1:23.622 sec. = , July 10, 1994 * SCCA Formula Atlantic Race: Larry Connor, Ralt RT41, 1:24.529 sec. = , July 1, 2000 * IMSA GTS Race: Irv Hoerr,

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile between 1966 and 1997. It was positioned as a premium offering at the top of the Oldsmobile Cutlass, Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, ...

, 1:27.451 sec. = , July 10, 1994 * SCCA Formula Continental Race: Jeff Shafer, Nemesis, 1:29.771 sec. = , July 1, 1997 * SCCA A Sports Racer Race: Jerry Hansen, Lola T333, 1:25.880 sec. = , May 1, 1980 * SCCA C Sports Racer Race: Tony Coniewski,

Swift Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to: * SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks ** SWIFT code * Swift (programming language) * Swift (bird), a family of birds It may also refer to: Organizations * SWIF ...

, 1:27.130 sec. = , July 4, 2004 * IMSA GTO Race: Joe Pezza,

Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...

, 1:32.515 sec. = * IMSA GTU Race: Jim Pace, Nissan 240SX, 1:34.479 sec. = * FIA

Group 4 Group 4 may refer to: *Group 4 element Group 4 is the second group of transition metals in the periodic table. It contains only the four elements titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and rutherfordium (Rf). The group is also called the t ...

Race: Peter Gregg, Porsche Carrera RSR, 1:40.200 sec. = , October 14, 1973 * USAC Formula Junior Race: Jim Hall, Lotus 18, 1:42.400 sec. = , July 29, 1962 *

Sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...

Race: Augie Pabst, Scarab Mk. II, 1:50.500 sec. = , June 25, 1961

Major events

; Current * May:

''Freedom 90'',

USF2000 Championship The USF2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tire is an American racing series using an American variation of the Formula Ford standard, "F2000", that resumed operation for the 2010 season. As of 2022, it is sanctioned by the United States ...

''Freedom 75'', USAC Silver Crown Series '' Dave Steele Carb Night Classic'' & ''

Hoosier Hundred The Hoosier Hundred is a United States Auto Club, USAC United States Auto Club#USAC Silver Crown Series, Silver Crown Series race scheduled for Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as of 2023. It is a revival of the original race held from 1953� ...

'' * July:

'' TSport 200'',

ARCA Menards Series The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car racing, stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into ...

'' Reese's 200'' * September: NHRA '' NHRA U.S. Nationals'' * October: USAC Silver Crown Series ''Championship Saturday'' ; Former * ASA National Tour (1997–2004) * Fast Masters (1993) * Hooters Pro Cup Series (2001–2002, 2004–2006) * IMSA GT Championship ** '' Hoosier Grand Prix'' (1973, 1994) * NASCAR Busch North Series (1987–1990) * NASCAR Nationwide Series ** '' Kroger 200'' (1982–2011) * NASCAR Winston Modified Tour (1988–1989) * NHRA E3 Nationals, Summernationals, and Indy Nationals (2020) * Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship (2017) *

USAC Road Racing Championship The USAC Road Racing Championship was a sports car racing series in the United States held from 1958 until 1962. The series was organized by the United States Auto Club as a fully professional alternative to the Sports Car Club of America's SCCA Na ...

** '' Hoosier Grand Prix'' (1961–1963, 1965–1970) * USAC Stock Car ** '' Yankee 300'' (1963–1972) * USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Championship ** '' Night before the 500'' (1969–1971, 1974–2014) – Midgets were swapped with Silver Crown cars beginning in 2015. * Superstar Racing Experience (2021)

References

External links

*
Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis Page
o
NASCAR.com
{{Lucas Oil Sports venues in Indianapolis Motorsport in Indianapolis NASCAR tracks ARCA Menards Series tracks NHRA Division 3 drag racing venues Motorsport venues in Indiana IMSA GT Championship circuits Lucas Oil Hendricks County, Indiana