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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 190 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 190

  Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 18, 2011

     Mr. Lugar (for himself and Mr. Coats) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the largest spectator sporting 
        facility in the world, with more than 250,000 permanent seats;
Whereas founders Carl G. Fisher, Arthur C. Newby, Frank H. Wheeler, and James A. 
        Allison pooled their resources in 1909 to build the Indianapolis Motor 
        Speedway 5 miles from downtown Indianapolis as a testing ground to 
        support the growing automotive industry of Indiana;
Whereas on August 14, 1909, the first motorized races, using motorcycles, took 
        place on the recently completed 2.5-mile oval, which had a racing 
        surface composed of crushed stone and tar;
Whereas on August 19, 1909, the first 4-wheeled automobile races at the 
        Indianapolis Motor Speedway took place;
Whereas for 63 days in late 1909, 3,200,000 paving bricks, each weighing 9.5 
        pounds, were laid on top of the crushed stone and tar surface to upgrade 
        the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading the facility to be nicknamed 
        ``The Brickyard'';
Whereas a 3-foot horizontal strip of that original brick remains exposed at the 
        start and finish line, known as the ``Yard of Bricks'';
Whereas on May 30, 1911, the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race took place and was 
        won by Ray Harroun at an average speed of 74.602 miles per hour;
Whereas the Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day spectator sporting event in 
        the world, has occurred on every Memorial Day weekend since 1911, except 
        during the involvement of the United States in world wars from 1917 
        through 1918 and 1942 through 1945;
Whereas in 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the 
        Indianapolis 500;
Whereas in 1991, Willy T. Ribbs became the first African-American driver to 
        compete in the Indianapolis 500;
Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, by hosting the IZOD IndyCar Series, the 
        NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the MotoGP Series, and the Formula One Series, 
        is the only facility in the world that has played host to these 4 elite 
        worldwide racing series;
Whereas every May since 1981 the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has served as the 
        backdrop for the annual Armed Forces Induction Ceremony, in which 
        citizens of Indiana who have volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces 
        are administered the oath of enlistment;
Whereas in 1987, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was officially listed on the 
        National Park Service list of National Historic Landmarks as the oldest 
        continuously operated automobile racecourse; and
Whereas the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race has played an enormous part in shaping 
        and defining the City of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, United 
        States motorsports, and the United States automobile industry, and is a 
        great source of pride to all citizens of Indiana: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 
Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
                                 <all>
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