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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 608 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 608

 Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Indianapolis 
                            Motor Speedway.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 7, 2009

 Mr. Carson of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Hill, Mr. Burton of Indiana, 
   Mr. Buyer, Mr. Pence, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. Donnelly of Indiana, Mr. 
 Souder, and Mr. Ellsworth) submitted the following resolution; which 
    was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Indianapolis 
                            Motor Speedway.

Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world's largest spectator 
        sporting facility, 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 early 1909 to build the Indianapolis 
        Motor Speedway on a site 5 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis to 
        provide an automobile testing ground to support Indiana's growing 
        automotive industry;
Whereas the first motorized races, using motorcycles, took place August 14, 
        1909, on the recently completed 2.5-mile oval, which had a racing 
        surface composed of crushed stone and tar;
Whereas a series of automobile races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 
        first four-wheeled races at the facility, took place August 19, 1909;
Whereas in a span of 63 days in late 1909, 3,200,000 paving bricks, each 
        weighing 9.5 pounds, were laid on top of the crushed rock and tar 
        surface to upgrade the Speedway and leading to the facility's popular 
        nickname, ``The Brickyard'';
Whereas a 3-foot horizontal strip of that original brick still is exposed at the 
        start-finish line, known as the ``Yard of Bricks'';
Whereas the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race took place May 30, 1911, and was 
        won by Ray Harroun at an average speed of 74.602 mph;
Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a pioneer in introducing seating 
        areas specifically for people with disabilities;
Whereas Harroun's Marmon ``Wasp'' race car was the first automobile to use a 
        rearview mirror, one of countless firsts in automotive technology and 
        safety devised or developed at the Speedway through the years, including 
        the first use of a Pace Car (1911), the first use of four-wheel 
        hydraulic brakes (1921), the first installation of color warning lights 
        (1935), the first mandatory use of helmets (1935), and the first use of 
        crash-data recorders (1993) and the SAFER Barrier (2002), an energy-
        absorbing barrier affixed to concrete walls that has become the standard 
        at all major United States oval tracks;
Whereas the Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day spectator sporting event in 
        the world, has taken place on Memorial Day weekend every year since 1911 
        except during the United States involvement in world wars, from 1917-
        1918 and 1942-1945;
Whereas Janet Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 
        in 1977, making IndyCar racing the first and only major sport where men 
        and women compete according to the same rules, against each other;
Whereas Willy T. Ribbs became the first African-American driver to compete at 
        the Indianapolis 500 in 1991, the first of several African-Americans to 
        compete in IndyCar racing;
Whereas in 2005, Danica Patrick became the first female driver to lead the 
        Indianapolis 500 Mile Race when she acquired the lead near the 140-mile 
        mark;
Whereas in 2009, Helio Castroneves became a three-time winner of the 500 Mile 
        Race and Danica Patrick finished in third place, the best finish ever by 
        a woman in the race;
Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the only facility in the world that 
        has played host to four elite racing series, the IndyCar Series, NASCAR 
        Sprint Cup Series, MotoGP, and Formula One;
Whereas nearly every global motorsports icon has competed and won at 
        Indianapolis, including A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, Dale Earnhardt, 
        Mario Andretti, Graham Hill, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, 
        Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Valentino Rossi;
Whereas each May since 1981, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has served as the 
        backdrop for the annual Armed Forces Induction Ceremony, in which 
        Hoosiers who have volunteered to serve our Nation in the Armed Forces 
        are administered the oath of enlistment;
Whereas in 1987, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was officially listed on the 
        United States National Park Services list of National Historic Landmarks 
        as the oldest continuously operated automobile race course anywhere; and
Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has played an enormous part in shaping 
        and defining the City of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, United 
        States motorsports, and the United States auto industry; and is a great 
        source of pride to all Hoosiers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 100th 
anniversary of the opening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
                                 <all>
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