The 97th annual Indianapolis 500 is this Sunday, May 26th, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - it's the premiere event for the IZOD IndyCar Series season, and 3 time winner Dario Franchitti is the defending champion. Such a fun race to watch, but also very historic!

Our friends at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway shared some fun facts about this premiere racing event, and what goes on behind the scenes of one of the most famous races in US history.

    • Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Colosseum and Vatican City all can fit inside the IMS oval, which covers 253 acres.
    • The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world’s largest spectator sporting facility, with more than 250,000 permanent seats. If the seat boards from the grandstands at IMS were laid end-to-end, they would stretch 99.5 miles.

As far as the ever important concessions go:

  • Coca-Cola products: More than 16,000 gallons, which would fill two tanker trucks
  • Miller Lite and other beer products: More than 14,000 gallons
  • Indy Dogs: If laid end-to-end, would circle the 2.5-mile IMS oval more than two times
  • Bratwurst: If laid end-to-end, would circle the 2.5-mile IMS oval more than one time
  • Brickyard Burgers: More than 10,000 pounds, equal to the weight of six IZOD IndyCars
  • Track fries: More than 24,000 pounds, equal to the weight of an elephant
  • Chicken tenders: More than 2,000 pounds, equal to the weight of 13 Borg-Warner Trophies
  • Ketchup: More than 475 gallons, which would fill 10 bathtubs
  • Ice: More than 300,000 pounds WHEW!

And of course, we all need souvenirs!:

  • If all the post cards sold in IMS Gift Shops were laid end to end, they would span more than 3 miles
  • The most popular item sold in the Gift Shops was the Indianapolis 500 Official Program
  • The most expensive item in the Gift Shops: A TAG-Heuer watch, $1,450
  • The least expensive item in the Gift Shops: A post card, 33 cents
  • If all T-shirts sold at IMS were stretched end to end, they would reach Terre Haute, Ind.

Even if you can't be there in person, you can watch all the race day activities, beginning with qualifying at 11:00am CST Sunday on NBC. Gentlemen - start your engines!!!

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