With the racing world paused amid the COVID-19 outbreak, SPEED SPORT is highlighting race tracks around the United States. This is part of that ongoing series.
Track of the Day: Lucas Oil Raceway
Address: 10267 East US Hwy 136, Indianapolis, IN 46234
Website: www.lucasoilraceway.com
History: Led by Tom Binford, Frank Dickie, Rodger Ward and Howard Fieger, a group of 15 investors and racing professionals from the Indianapolis region came together in 1958 to fund the development of what eventually became Lucas Oil Raceway.
Each of the 15 men put in $5,000 and the money was used to purchase a 267-acre farm less than 10 miles fromIndianapolis Motor Speedway. Shortly thereafter the process to construct the racing facility began.
The initial plan was to create a 2.5-mile road course on the property, but the group later decided to include a quarter-mile drag strip as part of the 2.5-mile road course and a .686-mile paved oval was also added in 1961.
The drag strip was built with the help of the NHRA and the first race on the strip was run in 1960. The following season the NHRA moved the U.S. Nationals from Detroit, Mich., to Lucas Oil Raceway. Originally a three-year deal to host the event at the Indiana track, the U.S. Nationals is still run at Lucas Oil Raceway every Labor Day weekend.
In 1979, the NHRA purchased the facility and began to make improvements, including the construction of Parks Tower in 1983. Over the years, new grandstands, suites and a tower complex were all added to the facility.
Originally known as Indianapolis Raceway Park, the track has changed names a few times thanks to entitlement sponsors. In 2006, it was renamed O’Reilly Raceway Park and in January of 2011 it become known as Lucas Oil Raceway.
While the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series U.S. Nationals serve as the facility’s marquee event, the facility also hosts several additional events throughout the year.
In addition to weekly drag racing competition, the oval hosts the ARCA Menards Series as well as the Carb Night Classic for the USAC Silver Crown Series and, returning this year, the Night Before the 500 featuring non-winged sprint cars and midgets. Multiple Road to Indy divisions also race each year at the oval.
