Indy 500

Centenary Year

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is being honoured at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. This year marks 100 years since the first-ever Indy 500 motor race was staged and a stellar group of cars and drivers from America’s Great Race have assembled in West Sussex. The race has been run 95 times and 67 drivers have won it (including joint winners in 1924 and 1941), and the Festival has attracted more than 30 Indy single-seaters and many multiple winning drivers. Among those taking to the hill include such greats as Parnelli Jones, three-time winner Bobby Unser, Scotland’s own Dario Franchitti and British star Dan Wheldon who claimed repeat honours two months ago. 

Cars on display or taking to the hillclimb course include the Cooper-Climax T54 ‘The Kimberley Special’ which foretold the mid-engined revolution at The Brickyard when it raced in 1961, the Coyote in which AJ Foyt claimed his fourth victory in 1977 (which is being driven by Kenny Brack, himself a former winner), and the remarkable Lotus 56 ‘STP Special’ gas turbine car.