rssTHE HULMAN YEARS

In 1945 a wealthy Terre Haute business man made a bid for the purchase of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after being approached by former three time Indy 500 winner, Wilbur Shaw.  Shaw knew the Speedway needed a new owner who would be more concerned about the preservation of the legacy than the bottom line. Tony Hulman, who’s family owned the famous Clabber Girl baking powder company and a number of other successful businesses, purchased the track from the Rickernbacker group in 1945.

During the 33 years Tony Hulman presided as President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he consistently reinvested revenues from the 500 mile race back into the speedway with the intention of making it an unrivaled world class racing venue.  Today the speedway holds 257,000 seats and executive suites on the outside of turn 2 and on both sides of the main straightaway.  The Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, commissioned by Tony Hulman, is a shrine to the history of the Indy 500 and the cast of thousands who made it possible.