It’s called The greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also
known as the Indianapolis 500, the Indy 500 or The 500. The auto race is held
annually, typically on the last weekend in May (specifically over the Memorial Day weekend) at the Indianapolis motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The first “500”
was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911. It had a field of 40
starters, with Ray Harroun (below) driving a Marmon Model 32-based Wasp across
the finish line. He was the only driver in the race without a riding mechanic, who
checked the oil pressure and would let the driver know when traffic was coming. The
car driven by Harroun was outfitted with his invention, the rearview mirror. A total of 80,000 spectators were reportedly in attendance that day.

RACE WINNER RAY HARROUN (average speed of 75 mph)

Harroun’s  # 32 car as it looks today

Driver/owner Tony Stewart  has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars, as well
as midget, sprint and USAC Sliver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of
"one of the finest racers of his generation." Stewart currently owns and drives
the No. 14 (below) Office Depot Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Sprint Cup  
Series for his own team, Stewart-Haas under crew chief Darian Grubb.

Race car driver A.J. Foyt (seated) scored his first professional victory, in a U.S. Automobile Club (USAC) midget car race in Kansas City, Missouri. He was 22
years old. 

A. J. Foyt has been named the pace-car driver for the 2011 Indianapolis 500

Kyle Thomas Busch is a NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No.
18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs racing in the Sprint Cup Series (shown below), and the 
the No.18 Toyota in the Nationwide Series. He also drives the No. 18 Toyota Tundra for his own team, Kyle Bush Motorsports, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Kyle currently holds the record for most NASCAR wins in a season between the top three NASCAR series with 21, which he accomplished in 2008. He is also the only NASCAR driver to win races in two of its national touring series on the same day, winning the Truck Series and Nationwide Series races held on February 21, 2009. Kyle is the younger brother of driver Kurt Bush.

Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001). The stock car
racing legend died in a final-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. He has 
been inducted in numerous halls of fame, including the inaugural class of the
NASCAR Hall of Fame.