Two-wheeled vehicles are on their way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 2008 but they’ll look a little different than this one. This is a photo of a Grady Brothers Inc. employee compacting the new asphalt being laid in turns 7-9 of the Speedway’s recently modified road course. The MotoGP motorcycles that will race on the course weigh something over 300 pounds with a max speed of about 208mph, while the Caterpillar CB-534D XW Asphalt Compactor in the photo weighs almost 25,000 pounds and can travel at a max speed of just 8mph!   read more »

The King of the Dragsters, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits is back in Indianapolis for the 53rd running of the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals to be held at O’Reilly Raceway Park August 29 - September 3. While Garlits himself will not be racing in the event, the 8-time U.S. Nationals Champion and his 1964 Swamp Rat VIII took part in the “cacklefest” portion of the NHRA Fan Fest held on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.   read more »

You might look at this photo of Indy Pro Series drivers Tom Wierenga (#40) and Al Unser III (#12) dicing it up at about 190 mph on the front straight of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 2007 Freedom 100 and think “Dang, that’s some tight racing! Those drivers must have nerves of steel!” (or perhaps something more colorful). And to that I’d say, “Forget about the guys protected by helmets and carbon fiber… check out the photographer!”   read more »

P.J. Jones passes down the front stretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during practice on Bump Day for the 2007 Indianapolis 500. Unable to attain enough speed, Jones elected not to make a qualification attempt and was unable to make the field of 33 starters.   read more »

Two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves survived a dramatic last-minute challenge from longtime friend and rival Tony Kanaan to win the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award for the 91st running of the Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average qualifying speed of 225.817 mph.   read more »