Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar hosted a special event on Monday, celebrating the total solar eclipse that passed directly over the iconic speedway.
The solar eclipse, which featured the moon completely covering the sun for three minutes and 47 seconds, darkened the skies over Indianapolis just after 3:00 PM Eastern Time, delighting people of all ages.
Approximately 50,000 people attended IMS for the once-in-a-lifetime event, with families arriving from all 50 states and 33 countries across the globe.
Those that were on hand were treated to a full day of activities, including demonstration laps run around the 2.5-mile oval by Ed Carpenter in his ECR Chevy, and an autograph session featuring IndyCar drivers and NASA astronauts.
There were also track tours, an atmospheric balloon launch, and the chance to talk with NASA TV and The Weather Channel personalities as both were broadcasting live from the track.
Although the path of the eclipse stretched across the United States from Texas all the way up to Maine, Indianapolis was one of only a few major metro areas that were in the direct path of the astronomical phenomenon.
The speedway’s facilities proved to be more than capable of hosting the large gathering, and gave IndyCar a chance to gain potential new fans in the process.
Many of those in attendance were not necessarily fans of IndyCar racing, and it is estimated that 80% had not been to an event of any kind at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the past.
An opportunity to see the facility, and witness how fast 220 MPH looks in person at a low-pressure gathering, could well have led to increased ticket sales for the races coming up later this year.
The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place in just under two months’ time on May 26, with multiple weekends of action scheduled leading up to the big event.
For those that missed the unique experience of combining a visit to IMS with a solar eclipse, tickets are not yet being sold for the next occurrence. The next total solar eclipse to cross the speedway will be on October 17, 2153.
