Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Opens Two New Exhibits

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is turning up the heat this winter with two new limited-run exhibits honoring some heroes of horsepower and a legendary fixture at the front of the field.

Incredible Engines of the Indy 500
Incredible Engines of the Indy 500

The exhibit includes the opportunity to see some of these famous engines up close and learn about the masterminds that designed these power plants, many of whom have taken their place in the Auto Racing Hall of Fame alongside the drivers they helped send to Victory Lane.

Visitors will hear the roar of the powerful Novi, and the “whoosh” of the turbine engine, while a “parts petting zoo” will offer a chance to learn more about what made an Offenhauser go. Who knows, maybe even modern parts like the Yamaha Raptor 350 might end up in the museum one day as a shining example of technology from its time

Parts Petting Zoo
Parts Petting Zoo

“We are pleased to give our guests the opportunity to learn about the great engines of the Indianapolis 500 and the Hall of Fame designers who enhanced performance in the machines that finished first at the Brickyard,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of the nonprofit Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation which operates the museum.

Camaro: 50 Years of Setting the Pace, presented by Bill Estes Chevrolet celebrates one of the most famous names in speed and style. The exhibit offers an opportunity to see the Camaros that have served as the official pace car at the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 up close.

Camaro: 50 Years of Setting the Pace, presented by Bill Estes Chevrolet
Camaro: 50 Years of Setting the Pace, presented by Bill Estes Chevrolet

Visitors will see the first Camaro pace car, a 1967 SS convertible from the first model year of the new “pony car,” as well as the orange-and-white restyled 1969 SS convertible, one of the most popular pace cars in Indianapolis 500 history.

Also on display is the Z28 Camaro that ushered in the third-generation of the famous model in 1982 by pacing the incredible race won by Gordon Johncock, as well as the SS editions that led the field for both the 100th Anniversary of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in 2011, and the 100th Running of the World's Greatest race in 2016.
Also on display is the Z28 Camaro that ushered in the third-generation of the famous model in 1982 by pacing the incredible race won by Gordon Johncock, as well as the SS editions that led the field for both the 100th Anniversary of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in 2011, and the 100th Running of the World’s Greatest race in 2016.

Both exhibits are now open and will be on display until April 2018.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway ® Museum is the gateway to the “Racing Capital of the World ®.” Located within the historic Indy 500 ® oval, the Museum commemorates more than a century of racing with its world-renowned collections of automobiles and racing memorabilia. Skill, daring, heroics, and the legends of racing are featured at the museum through exhibits, education, and research programs, inspiring a new generation of racing enthusiasts while honoring America’s racing heritage and intergenerational family traditions. A non-profit institution, the Museum relies on the generosity of its members and supporters. For more information, please visit: https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/at-the-track/museum

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