INDIANA'S AUTO SPEEDWAY

Topics:  Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The New York Times
February 8, 1909

Near Indianapolis—To Be Finished by June for Balloon Meet.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Feb. 7.—The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company, capital $250,000, filed its articles of incorporation yesterday.  The company will operate a motor speedway, now in course of construction four and a half miles from the centre of Indianapolis.  A contract has been made with the Aero Club of America to have the speedway finished by June 1 in order to serve as the starting point of the next National balloon meet.

The design of the track is odd.  The outer circular track is a course of two miles fifty feet wide, and banked at the curves to stand a racing speed of 100 miles or more an hour.  Inside of this track is a winding course twenty-five feet wide, banked to permit a speed of 60 miles an hour.  The inner course connects with the outer one and may be used when desired to give a five-mile lap, affording plenty of curves.  The curves are broad, the ground is all level, and there are no fences or buildings within fifty feet of the track.