Built in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was originally conceived of as not only a race track, but as a test track for the rapidly growing car industry. (At the time, Indianapolis was the 4th largest auto manufacturer, with dozens of companies located in and around Indianapolis.)
Early plans for the track envisioned a 5 mile oval. That plan morphed into a 3 mile oval, with a 2 mile section of road track which could be “added” to a race to create a 5 mile lap. The final design became the iconic 2½ mile oval we know today.
Various races started at IMS in 1909 and included motorcycles as well as cars.
The first 500 mile race was held in 1911 with Ray Haroun, an engineer for the local Marmon Motor Car Company, being the winner.
Since then, IMS has played host to not only the annual 500 mile race, but races for several other series, including Formula 1, NASCAR, IROC, MotoGP, and even the Red Bull AirRace.
Still, it's the iconic 500 mile race, the largest 1-day sporting event in the world, which has made the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the Racing Capital of the World.
I am providing 2 ways to log this Virtual Cache.
If you are here between 9am and 5pm any of the 363 days the museum is open, then you can choose which way you'd like to make your find. If you're visiting on Thanksgiving, Christmas, after hours, or during a ticketed event you are not attending, then only option 2 will be available for you.
Option 1: At Waypoint 1 you will discover 2 commemorative bricks that were purchased by celebrities. Using the Geocaching messaging system, please send me the name of the 2 celebrities and whether or not the bricks are decorated the same way. (Please, do not post a picture of the bricks themselves.)
While I cannot require a picture of you, I would absolutely love to see a picture of you with the museum, the track, one of the sculptures or anything else that moves you while you soak in the history of the “500”.
Option 2: At Waypoint 2 you will find a commemorative brick purchased by a company closely associated with IMS. Using the Geocaching messaging system, please send me the name of the company and the question they ask. (Please, do not post a picture of the brick itself.)
Again, while I cannot require a picture of you, I would absolutely love to see a picture of you in front of the iconic entry here at Gate 1 (the old main entrance), or anything else that moves you while you soak in the history of the “500”.
Virtual Rewards 5.0 - 2026-2027
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2027. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 5.0 on the Geocaching Blog.