•HRES 608 IH 
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 facil-
ity, 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 dis-
abilities; 
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 de-
veloped 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; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:52 Jul 08, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR608.IH
HR608
jbell on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 608 IH 
Whereas the Indianapolis 500, the largest single-day spec-
tator sporting event in the world, has taken place on Me-
morial 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 se-
ries, 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, Mi-
chael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Valentino Rossi; 
Whereas each May since 1981, the Indianapolis Motor Speed-
way has served as the backdrop for the annual Armed 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:52 Jul 08, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR608.IH
HR608
jbell on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 608 IH 
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 offi-
cially listed on the United States National Park Services 
list of National Historic Landmarks as the oldest con-
tinuously operated automobile race course anywhere; and 
Whereas the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has played an 
enormous part in shaping and defining the City of Indi-
anapolis, the State of Indiana, United States motor-
sports, 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 recog-
nizes the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Indian-
apolis Motor Speedway. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:52 Jul 08, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR608.IH
HR608
jbell on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS