Take a tour and visit the museum to understand all about the history and technical details of Indy car racing. The tour allows visitors to walk on the track and touch the bricks at the finish line. The $25 combo price is well worth the cost.
The original track was made of gravel and tar in 1909 but that was unsuitable for racing. The track was later paved with brick, which still exists today under many layers of asphalt. The bricks came from 13 factories across several states. The only original brick that remains exposed is at the finish line, it has become a tradition for winning drivers to kiss the bricks at the end of the race.
The museum houses dozens of historic race cars and hundreds of pieces of racing paraphernalia. Visitors can even sit inside the shell of a retired Indy car. The exhibit on racing safety is excellent, I learned that modern foam and steel barriers around the exterior is designed to reduce fatalities.
It is the oldest continuously operating auto race track and the largest single-day sports event in the world. In 1975, it was listed as a national historic place in the US.
