Indy 500 / Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Fan Group
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The pandemic has changed history forever. For the very first time since I was born, the Indianapolis 500 will not happen on Memorial Day Weekend. For many, the Indy 500 is a pilgrimage -- including this man, Mark, who, like me, could not stay away on Memorial Day Weekend. Seeing the gates locked and the grounds empty at the greatest spectacle in racing, on this weekend, is a tough pill to swallow for thousands of race fans. There is no place and no race like the Indianapolis 500.
In the history of auto racing, there’s really nothing else like the Offenhauser “Big 4” engines. This engine was fundamentally designed in the 1920s and refined in the 1930s, and it has been winning races since its inception. The same design dominated Indianapolis racing throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. As late as the mid-1970s, Offenhauser-powered cars continued to win the Indy 500 year after year.
The Offenhauser engine was actually conceived by Harry Arminius Miller, who was a well-known and respected automobile and racecar designer in the 1920s. A Miller-designed car won the 1922 Indy 500, and won again four more times in that decade.
The Great Depression forced Miller’s company into bankruptcy in 1933, and all the assets went up for auction. Fortunately for the racing world, his shop foreman Fred Offenhauser and designer Leo Goossen were able to buy the designs and the tooling at the bankruptcy auction, and went on building and developing the Miller engines.
Taking over the Miller engine business in the 1930s wasn’t easy. Because of rule changes at Indianapolis, Offenhauser focused on large displacement 4-cylinder engines. The Miller/Offenhauser design was actually very simple. The cylinders and head were integral, preventing any head gasket issues. The crankcase was a separate assembly bolted to the bottom of the cylinder and head casting. To assemble the crankcase, the bearings are bolted around the crank, and then lowered into the crankcase, which must be heated to seat the bearing carriers into place. Pistons and rods are inserted into the cylinders, and then the two halves of the engine are joined.
The Offenhauser engine won its first Indianapolis 500 in 1935, and won again in 1937 and 1941. World War II put an end to racing from 1942 to 1945, and the Offenhauser shop spent the war years producing hydraulic equipment for the military. The postwar years were a golden era for Offenhauser racing engines. From 1947 to 1964, every winner of the Indianapolis 500 was driving an Offy engine, and in most of those years the entire podium was powered by Offenhauser.
Even after the Offenhauser was supplanted at Indianapolis in the mid-1960s, many drivers continued to run the engines through the mid-1970s. Turbocharging came into vogue, and that gave the venerable Offy a new lease on life. Offenhauser won Indy again in 1968, powering Bobby Unser to the winner’s circle with a turbocharged 2.75-liter (168 cubic inch) engine. Then Offy had another golden era, winning five years in a row from 1972 to 1976 with a turbocharged 2.6-liter (159 cubic inch) engine format.
Mike Nazaruk's rookie attempt at the Indianapolis 500 was his best finish at the Speedway. Before winning the 1950 Indianapolis 500, car builder Frank Kurtis sold Johnnie Parson's Kurtis-Kraft 1000 to team owner Jim Robbins after the conclusion of the 1950 race. The following year, Robbins entered rookie Mike Nazaruk in the defending Indianapolis 500-winning car. Nazaruk qualified the Kurtis-Kraft seventh position with a four-lap average of 132.783 mph. Only eight of the 33-car starting field finished the race, which came down to avoiding wrecks and fuel lasting 500 miles. With orders from his chief mechanic to continue to run the Kurtis fast and not to hold back, Nazaruk finished second to winner Lee Wallard by 1 minute 47 seconds.
Robert Wickens, a so-called rookie this year, is driving in his first year for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. His years of experience as a DTM driver are helping him rocket to the elite ranks of the Indycar field.
thinkin' I may splurge for a pit ticket next year ✔
please also view → flic.kr/p/oCFUHs → pre-race pits 2
Another shot from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This GT was extensively modified, including what appears to be a custom engine cover, plus a chromed Whipple supercharger, lots of carbon, and Asanti rims. I found it parked behind a service entrance.
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Ford GT | Indianapolis Motor Speedway
"Gasoline Alley" To think about the drivers and riders who have walked these paths since 1909. Like um, WOW!
This composite image of multiple exposures shows the progression of a total solar eclipse as seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
The following Monday Wilson would be involved in a crash that left him with a broken vertebrae and had to miss the race...
I saw some great cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday; stay posted for more.
Please press "L"; this looks better on black.
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Porsche Carrera GT | Indianapolis Motor Speedway
these gentlemen had been chatting,
even as the lens poked through the pit fence they chatted,
while I panned & framed other shots they kept chatting,
but when I aimed the lens in their direction...
just couldn't help themselves, had to strike a pose!
note to sports professionals... yes, you're handsome but please don't pose (unless asked), just keep doing what you're doing, makes a much more interesting picture ;-)
please also view → flic.kr/p/e8gYb2 → red, complex
please also view → flic.kr/p/fvEpZH → even our "every day heroes" got to relax a bit that day... HFF!
A total solar eclipse is seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
The Saturday practice session for the 2025 Indianapolis 500 is one of the most intense and revealing moments of the Month of May. Held just hours before qualifying begins, this session is the final opportunity for teams to dial in their cars, test trim levels, evaluate tire behavior, and simulate the high‑pressure conditions of four‑lap qualifying runs. With the field preparing for the most important time‑trial in American open‑wheel racing, every lap carries meaning.
The qualifying format for the Indy 500 remains one of the most demanding in global motorsport. Drivers must complete a four‑lap average at full speed, balancing outright pace with aerodynamic stability and engine durability. Honda and Chevrolet bring their most refined Indy 500‑specific engine maps, pushing the limits of boost, fuel efficiency, and thermal management. Teams experiment with ultra‑low downforce configurations, meticulously adjusting rear wings, undertray settings, and tire pressures to extract maximum speed without sacrificing stability in turbulent air.
The stars of the NTT IndyCar Series — former champions, Indy 500 winners, rising rookies, and returning veterans — all take part in this critical session. The Dallara IR‑18 chassis, equipped with the Aeroscreen, becomes a precision instrument as drivers search for the perfect balance between straight‑line speed and cornering consistency through Turns 1 and 3. Pit lane is a hive of activity as engineers analyze telemetry, adjust weight jacker settings, and refine gearing for the long front and back straights of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This practice session often reveals which teams have found raw speed and which are still searching for answers. It sets the tone for the drama of qualifying weekend — from the fight for the Fast 12 and the coveted pole position to the tension of Last Chance Qualifying. For fans and photographers, Saturday practice is a rare blend of anticipation, speed, and the unmistakable energy that defines the Indianapolis 500.
Just in case you've forgotten, this truck and trailer combination reminds us exactly what IMS is famous for.
1:64 Greenlight Collectibles:
2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Trailer
Hitch & Tow Hobby Exclusive
Click on the notes for more views:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Olympus M.14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R
For more info about the dioramas, check out the FAQ: 1stPix FAQ
During practice for the 1969 Indianapolis 500, prior to a accident, learn more here:
blog.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/2010/10/25/mario-andre...
The Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is unlike anything else in global motorsport. For the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Practice 1 on May 12, 2026 marked the official beginning of on‑track preparations as the full field of Dallara IR‑18 machines took to the iconic 2.5‑mile oval. These early sessions are critical: teams evaluate aero configurations, race‑trim balance, traffic behavior, and engine performance from both Chevrolet and Honda as they begin the long buildup toward qualifying weekend and the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Practice 1 immediately delivered speed. According to the official timing sheet, Alex Palou topped the charts with a blistering 39.8342-second lap at 225.937 mph, setting the tone for the week. Marcus Armstrong followed closely at 225.895 mph, just 0.0074 seconds back, while Conor Daly slotted into third with a 225.838 mph lap. Veterans like Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Graham Rahal, and Helio Castroneves logged heavy mileage as they dialed in long‑run consistency, while rookies such as Jacob Abel, Dennis Hauger, Caio Collet, and Mick Schumacher gained their first official laps of Indy 500 practice.
Across the field, 1,996 total laps were completed, showcasing the intensity and preparation that define the Month of May. The Dallara IR‑18 chassis, Firestone tires, and the mix of Honda and Chevrolet powerplants all play a role in shaping the competitive landscape as teams chase every fraction of a mile per hour. Practice 1 is where storylines begin — speed trends, drafting packs, and early favorites — and these photos capture the opening chapter of the 2026 Indianapolis 500.
Apparently, they go so fast, you can't even capture a photograph at IMS.
1:64 Greenlight Collectibles:
2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Trailer
Hitch & Tow Hobby Exclusive
Click on the notes for more views:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Olympus M.14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R
For more info about the dioramas, check out the FAQ: 1stPix FAQ
It's only natural that this store is on wheels...
I bet that trailer is just stocked full of Official die cast collectibles.
1:64 GreenLight
2015 Chevy Silverado
w/ Concession Trailer
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Gift Shop
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
Olympus M.14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R
For more info about the dioramas, check out the FAQ: 1stPix FAQ