Walt Disney World Speedway
Encyclopedia
Walt Disney World Speedway is a racing facility located on the grounds of the Walt Disney World resort near Orlando, Florida
.
It was built in 1995 by IMS Events, Inc., a subsidiary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Corporation, and was designed primarily as a venue for the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World, an Indy Racing League event.
Currently, the circuit's primary use is as a venue for the Richard Petty
Driving Experience, and the Indy Racing Experience, programs that allows fans to drive or ride in real race cars. It no longer hosts any professional competition.
AutoWeek
magazine and the Orlando Sentinel
dubbed the track "The Mickyard" (a portmanteau
of the Disney icon Mickey Mouse
and Indianapolis Motor Speedway
's nickname, the "Brickyard").
, designed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway chief engineer
Kevin Forbes and the location was chosen in September 1994 by Greg Ruse of Buena Vista
Construction. The track is situated on a triangular plot of land adjacent to the Magic Kingdom
's parking lot
. Plans for the track were first announced on January 23, 1995. The track was designed to fit within the boundaries of the existing infrastructure, requiring minimal rerouting of existing roads.
On June 27, 1995, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Chairman of the Board Mari Hulman George
took part in a groundbreaking ceremony. She presented the track with one of the original paving bricks from the famous "Brickyard." In a rather compact schedule, the one-mile (1.6 km) track was completed with ten miles (16 km) of safety restraint cabling, 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of fencing, 1800 yards (1,645.9 m) of concrete for outside walls, 2300 feet (701 m) of concrete for pit walls and 5,200 tons of asphalt for the track surface. Despite 1995 having the wettest June–July in Orlando on record (75 inches of rain), including Hurricane Erin
, the construction was completed on-time, with final paving completed October 18, 1995.
The track was dedicated on November 28, 1995. Indy Racing League drivers Arie Luyendyk
, Eddie Cheever
, Eliseo Salazar
, Lyn St. James
and Davey Hamilton
drove a five-car "Flying V" formation amongst fireworks. Initial testing at the facility for the Indy Racing League took place November 27-December 9, 1995.
The track officially opened in January 1996 as the first-ever event of the Indy Racing League, the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World. The date for the 1996 Indy 200 had been announced during a press conference on April 13, 1995. The date was chosen as a Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl
. In 1999 only, the race was held on a Sunday, during the bye week between the AFC
/NFC
Championship games and the Super Bowl. It was effectively, the first major auto race of the year in the United States. In 1997-1998, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series held races at the track the weekend before the IRL event. Support races for the two events included Formula Ford
2000 and USAC
Silver Crown.
s (such as Long Beach
& Monte Carlo
). No permanent garages were built on the premises, however, this was not entirely unusual. Race teams would simply work out of their transporters, a practice used frequently at street circuits and other tracks without garages.
The initial savings in construction costs was significant. Temporary bleachers and restrooms would be erected each year beginning in November, in preparations for the January races. The lack of permanent grandstands also allowed track officials to adjust the configuration and capacity of seating annually, reflecting ticket demand. This practice, however, would prove to be inconvenient, and increasingly expensive in the long run, since the grandstand area encompassed portion of the Magic Kingdom
parking lot. That area would be unusable for nearly three months, including during the busy Christmas
and New Year
's holiday season at the theme park.
Three linked ponds in the track’s infield are formed in the shape of Mickey Mouse
. The pond, dubbed "Lake Mickey", was built a year after the track opened due to drainage concerns.
parking lot. Race spectators would walk to the nearby Speedway, while all guests to the Magic Kingdom were required to take the Disney Monorail
or a Disney bus
from Epcot, a trip of several minutes. Several complaints surfaced. In 1997, the IRL race was shortened by a sudden rainstorm, and fans scurried to their cars. The resulting rush created a severe gridlock
of World Drive and surrounding roads which lasted several hours.
Starting in 1998, spectators to the race events were diverted to park at Epcot, and were taken by shuttle bus to the Speedway. Visitors to the Magic Kingdom were directed to park as usual, in the Magic Kingdom parking lot. While this eased many guest complaints, it also was now inconvenient for race patrons, and resulted in a significant cost increase for operations. The Disney Transport
infrastructure did not own enough buses to smoothly run the operation, and outside bus companies had to be hired to run the shuttle service. In addition, it necessitated race spectators to arrive earlier to account for the additional transportation time.
broke his neck after a practice crash in turn three. On January 6, 2000, IRL driver Sam Schmidt
was paralyzed
after a crash in preseason testing. The track was built before the SAFER barrier
was introduced, which many feel may have lessened the injuries in all three cases.
After the 2000
IRL season, series officials and Walt Disney World were not able to come to an agreement for a race date for 2001
. IRL officials were unsatisfied with the January date, as it was seen to be too early for most teams to be prepared for the season. There was typically a six week gap until the second race of the season. Disney officials also were concerned with the impending conflict with Super Bowl XXXV
, to be held in Tampa
presumably the same weekend. Initial talks planned to move the race date to Labor Day
weekend, and ultimately to a new facility to be built near U.S. 192. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series had already declined to renew their contract with the Speedway for similar reasons after 1998. The talks quietly ceased between the IRL and Disney, and the race was not scheduled for 2001
. It was ultimately removed from the IRL schedule permanently.
machines, or ride along with a professional driver. That now serves as the track's primary function, year-round. It is the only track used by the RPDE that, weather permitting, operates roughly 365 days a year. To assist in the increased ingress and egress, a one-lane automobile tunnel
was built for the 1997 season. In the summer of 1999, a new visitor's center and gift shop was built to permanently house operations for RPDE. A new modest garage facility was built for them also. The operation had previously worked out of trailers and tents, without significant utilities.
On November 13, 2008, it was announced that track would be shared with the Indy Racing Experience, a similar program to RPDE. The IndyCar
two-seater machine would be used for fan ride-alongs, and Indy cars would also be available to be driven by fans. After appearing at various tracks on a largely irregular schedule, the Indy Racing Experience will make the track its permanent year-round home.
Indy 200 was the first event held at the track. The 1996 running marked the first race conducted by the IRL, and the original intent for the facility.
Craftsman Truck Series
event held at the track from 1997
-1998
. It served as the season opening event of both years. The race was discontinued after 1998 due to the wide gap (10 weeks) it created until the second event of the season.
Formula Ford
2000 series. It was held as a support race to the Indy Racing League event for the first three years of operation.
Silver Crown Series. During its first running, it was held in support to the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series
race. For 1999-2000, it was held as a support race to the Indy Racing League event.
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
.
It was built in 1995 by IMS Events, Inc., a subsidiary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
Corporation, and was designed primarily as a venue for the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World, an Indy Racing League event.
Currently, the circuit's primary use is as a venue for the Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
Driving Experience, and the Indy Racing Experience, programs that allows fans to drive or ride in real race cars. It no longer hosts any professional competition.
AutoWeek
AutoWeek
AutoWeek is a fortnightly automotive enthusiast publication based in Detroit, Michigan. One of 32 titles published by Crain Communications Inc, its parent company, AutoWeek is unique as the only consumer title among its sister publications....
magazine and the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
dubbed the track "The Mickyard" (a portmanteau
Portmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
of the Disney icon Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
and Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
's nickname, the "Brickyard").
History
The track is a three-turn tri-ovalTri-oval
A tri-oval is a shape which derives its name from the two other shapes it most resembles, a triangle and an oval. Rather than meeting at sharp, definable angles as the sides of a triangle do, in a tri-oval these angles are instead rounded into smooth curves. While an oval has four turns, a...
, designed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway chief engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
Kevin Forbes and the location was chosen in September 1994 by Greg Ruse of Buena Vista
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
Construction. The track is situated on a triangular plot of land adjacent to the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
's parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
. Plans for the track were first announced on January 23, 1995. The track was designed to fit within the boundaries of the existing infrastructure, requiring minimal rerouting of existing roads.
On June 27, 1995, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
Chairman of the Board Mari Hulman George
Mari Hulman George
Mari Hulman George, born Mary Antonia Hulman on December 26, 1934, in Terre Haute, Indiana, is the daughter of the late Anton "Tony" Hulman and Mary Fendrich Hulman, prominent Indiana philanthropists and business owners...
took part in a groundbreaking ceremony. She presented the track with one of the original paving bricks from the famous "Brickyard." In a rather compact schedule, the one-mile (1.6 km) track was completed with ten miles (16 km) of safety restraint cabling, 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of fencing, 1800 yards (1,645.9 m) of concrete for outside walls, 2300 feet (701 m) of concrete for pit walls and 5,200 tons of asphalt for the track surface. Despite 1995 having the wettest June–July in Orlando on record (75 inches of rain), including Hurricane Erin
Hurricane Erin (1995)
Hurricane Erin was the fifth named tropical cyclone and the second hurricane of the unusually active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. Erin began as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on July 22, and crossed the Atlantic ocean without ever developing. On July 31, the last day of the month,...
, the construction was completed on-time, with final paving completed October 18, 1995.
The track was dedicated on November 28, 1995. Indy Racing League drivers Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500....
, Eddie Cheever
Eddie Cheever
Edward "Eddie" McKay Cheever, Jr. is an American racing driver who raced for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 World Championship Formula One races and started 132, more than any other American, driving for nine different...
, Eliseo Salazar
Eliseo Salazar
Eliseo Salazar Valenzuela is a Chilean racing driver, and the only one of his countrymen to compete in Formula One. He participated in 37 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix scoring a total of three championship points...
, Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James is a retired professional IndyCar driver with 8 CART and 5 Indy Racing League starts to her name. She is just one of seven women who successfully qualified for the Indianapolis 500, and became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award...
and Davey Hamilton
Davey Hamilton
Davey Jay Hamilton is a race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He has made 50 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second 3 times...
drove a five-car "Flying V" formation amongst fireworks. Initial testing at the facility for the Indy Racing League took place November 27-December 9, 1995.
The track officially opened in January 1996 as the first-ever event of the Indy Racing League, the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World. The date for the 1996 Indy 200 had been announced during a press conference on April 13, 1995. The date was chosen as a Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. In 1999 only, the race was held on a Sunday, during the bye week between the AFC
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
/NFC
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
Championship games and the Super Bowl. It was effectively, the first major auto race of the year in the United States. In 1997-1998, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series held races at the track the weekend before the IRL event. Support races for the two events included Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
2000 and USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Silver Crown.
Design
Walt Disney World Speedway was constructed on a very limited budget. By design, permanent features of the facility were built at a minimum. The track plans called for only the track surface, retaining wall, and catch fence to be constructed. The remainder of the facility, such as seating areas, restrooms, and race support areas, would be built on a temporary, as-needed basis. This strategy had never been used on an oval race track, but had been widely successful for years in temporary street circuitStreet circuit
A street circuit is a racing circuit composed by temporarily closed-off public roads of a city, town or village, used in motor races. Facilities such as the paddock, pit boxes, fences and grandstands are usually placed temporarily and removed soon after the race is over but in modern times the...
s (such as Long Beach
Long Beach Grand Prix
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
& Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
). No permanent garages were built on the premises, however, this was not entirely unusual. Race teams would simply work out of their transporters, a practice used frequently at street circuits and other tracks without garages.
The initial savings in construction costs was significant. Temporary bleachers and restrooms would be erected each year beginning in November, in preparations for the January races. The lack of permanent grandstands also allowed track officials to adjust the configuration and capacity of seating annually, reflecting ticket demand. This practice, however, would prove to be inconvenient, and increasingly expensive in the long run, since the grandstand area encompassed portion of the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
parking lot. That area would be unusable for nearly three months, including during the busy Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and New Year
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
's holiday season at the theme park.
Three linked ponds in the track’s infield are formed in the shape of Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
. The pond, dubbed "Lake Mickey", was built a year after the track opened due to drainage concerns.
Parking problems
Initially, the track location, adjacent to the Magic Kingdom parking lot, was seen to be convenient. However, after a couple of years, traffic control was overwhelming. Since the race spectators would be arriving at the same time and place as regular theme park visitors, overflow parking was required. In 1996–1997, Disney officials reacted by parking all race spectators in the Magic Kingdom parking lot, and sending all visitors to the Magic Kingdom to the EpcotEpcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
parking lot. Race spectators would walk to the nearby Speedway, while all guests to the Magic Kingdom were required to take the Disney Monorail
Walt Disney World Monorail System
The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a public transit system in operation at the Walt Disney World Resort.The Walt Disney World Resort currently operates twelve Mark VI monorail trains on three lines of service. The monorail system opened in 1971 with two routes and with Mark IV monorail trains...
or a Disney bus
Disney Transport
Disney Transport is the privately operated transportation system at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Most movements are made using buses that run along the resort's public roads maintained by the Reedy Creek Improvement District and private roads...
from Epcot, a trip of several minutes. Several complaints surfaced. In 1997, the IRL race was shortened by a sudden rainstorm, and fans scurried to their cars. The resulting rush created a severe gridlock
Gridlock
The term gridlock is defined as "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind." The term originates from a situation possible in...
of World Drive and surrounding roads which lasted several hours.
Starting in 1998, spectators to the race events were diverted to park at Epcot, and were taken by shuttle bus to the Speedway. Visitors to the Magic Kingdom were directed to park as usual, in the Magic Kingdom parking lot. While this eased many guest complaints, it also was now inconvenient for race patrons, and resulted in a significant cost increase for operations. The Disney Transport
Disney Transport
Disney Transport is the privately operated transportation system at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Most movements are made using buses that run along the resort's public roads maintained by the Reedy Creek Improvement District and private roads...
infrastructure did not own enough buses to smoothly run the operation, and outside bus companies had to be hired to run the shuttle service. In addition, it necessitated race spectators to arrive earlier to account for the additional transportation time.
End of professional racing
In its first few years of operation, the track was used frequently as a year-round test facility, due to the warm winter weather in Orlando. However, the track suffered three major accidents. During a week of preseason testing, on January 11, 1997, IRL driver Eliseo Salazar crashed in turn one. He suffered a fracture of his lower back, and missed two races.. Two weeks later, on January 23, 1997, IRL driver Davy JonesDavy Jones (racing driver)
Davy Jones is an American racing driver.In 1983 he came 3rd in the British Formula Three Championship behind Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle. He also that year tested the Brabham F1 car at Brands Hatch with Bernie Ecclestone, the then team owner, looking at Jones as the next American hope for F1...
broke his neck after a practice crash in turn three. On January 6, 2000, IRL driver Sam Schmidt
Sam Schmidt
Sam Schmidt is a former Indy Racing League driver and current IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series team owner....
was paralyzed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
after a crash in preseason testing. The track was built before the SAFER barrier
SAFER barrier
The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier, sometimes called a soft wall, is a technology found primarily on oval automobile race tracks and intended to make racing accidents safer...
was introduced, which many feel may have lessened the injuries in all three cases.
After the 2000
2000 in IRL
The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season was another season that saw a high level of parity as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full time and Chip Ganassi Racing came...
IRL season, series officials and Walt Disney World were not able to come to an agreement for a race date for 2001
2001 in IRL
The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Many other CART teams made clear their intention...
. IRL officials were unsatisfied with the January date, as it was seen to be too early for most teams to be prepared for the season. There was typically a six week gap until the second race of the season. Disney officials also were concerned with the impending conflict with Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
, to be held in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
presumably the same weekend. Initial talks planned to move the race date to Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend, and ultimately to a new facility to be built near U.S. 192. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series had already declined to renew their contract with the Speedway for similar reasons after 1998. The talks quietly ceased between the IRL and Disney, and the race was not scheduled for 2001
2001 in IRL
The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Many other CART teams made clear their intention...
. It was ultimately removed from the IRL schedule permanently.
Richard Petty Driving Experience & Indy Racing Experience
During the off-season in 1997, the track began hosting the Richard Petty Driving Experience, a stock car-based racing organization that allows the general public to drive real NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
machines, or ride along with a professional driver. That now serves as the track's primary function, year-round. It is the only track used by the RPDE that, weather permitting, operates roughly 365 days a year. To assist in the increased ingress and egress, a one-lane automobile tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
was built for the 1997 season. In the summer of 1999, a new visitor's center and gift shop was built to permanently house operations for RPDE. A new modest garage facility was built for them also. The operation had previously worked out of trailers and tents, without significant utilities.
On November 13, 2008, it was announced that track would be shared with the Indy Racing Experience, a similar program to RPDE. The IndyCar
Open wheel car
Open-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...
two-seater machine would be used for fan ride-alongs, and Indy cars would also be available to be driven by fans. After appearing at various tracks on a largely irregular schedule, the Indy Racing Experience will make the track its permanent year-round home.
Other uses
- On February 19–20, 1999, the track hosted the 7th Annual SunDay Challenge Alternative Energy Vehicle Rally. The highlight of the meet featured the Formula LightningFormula LightningFormula Lightning was an electric type of single-seat open-wheel formula racing. Rather unknown to the public, it was held for Colleges of Engineering student teams who built and designed these vehicles which were able to reach speeds up to and competed on both oval and road course type race...
teams of Ohio StateOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, KetteringKettering UniversityKettering University is a university in Flint, Michigan, offering degrees in engineering, math, science, and business. The campus is located along the Flint River on property that used to be the main manufacturing location for General Motors...
, and FAMUFlorida A&M UniversityFlorida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
/FSUFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. The event was covered by Central Florida News 13Central Florida News 13Central Florida News 13 is a cable news television station located in Orlando, Florida. It currently serves the greater Central Florida areas including Volusia County, Seminole County, Orange County, Osceola County, Lake County, Marion County, Flagler County, and Brevard County...
. - On April 9, 2002 the first test of the new Infiniti Pro SeriesIndy Pro SeriesFirestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
was conducted at the track, with Robby McGeheeRobby McGeheeRobby McGehee is a Indy Racing League driver from St. Louis, Missouri. He won the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award in 1999 after finishing fifth and raced for veteran owner Fred Treadway the next few seasons...
driving over 100 miles (160.9 km). The series debuted later that season. - The track has been part of the Walt Disney World MarathonMarathonThe marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
course in some years.
Indy Racing League
| Type | Distance | Date | Driver | Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying | 1 lap (1.0 miles) | January 25, 1996 | Buddy Lazier Buddy Lazier Robert Buddy Lazier is an American Indycar driver. He won the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and has finished in the Top Ten in that race six times... |
19.847 seconds | 181.388 |
| Race | 200 miles (321.9 km) | January 27, 1996 | Buzz Calkins Buzz Calkins Bradley "Buzz" Calkins is a former Indy Racing League driver. After a successful run in Indy Lights from 1993 to 1995 where he finished 11th, 10th, and 6th in his three seasons, he and his Bradley Motorsports team purchased a 1995 Reynard chassis to compete in the inaugural season of the IRL... |
1:33:30.748 | 128.748 |
Indy Racing League
The Indy Racing League IndyCar SeriesIndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
Indy 200 was the first event held at the track. The 1996 running marked the first race conducted by the IRL, and the original intent for the facility.
| Season | Date | Race Name | Winning Driver | Chassis | Engine | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 1996 in IRL The first season of Indy Racing League competition consisted of only three races. Walt Disney World Speedway was completed in time to host the first race of the season, and the first ever event of the IRL. Phoenix International Raceway switched alliances from CART to IRL and hosted the second event... |
January 27 | Indy 200 at Walt Disney World by Aurora Oldsmobile Aurora The Oldsmobile Aurora was a full-size sports sedan made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. The Aurora rode on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera.... |
Buzz Calkins Buzz Calkins Bradley "Buzz" Calkins is a former Indy Racing League driver. After a successful run in Indy Lights from 1993 to 1995 where he finished 11th, 10th, and 6th in his three seasons, he and his Bradley Motorsports team purchased a 1995 Reynard chassis to compete in the inaugural season of the IRL... |
Reynard Reynard Motorsport Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy... |
Ford | Bradley Motorsports Bradley Motorsports Bradley Motorsports was a racing team in the Indy Racing League owned by Colorado convenience store owner Brad Calkins. His son, Buzz Calkins, drove the bright red cars shod in the livery of Bradley Food Marts, Brad Calkins' company. Bradley won the first IRL race in 1996 at Walt Disney World... |
| 1997 1996-1997 in IRL The 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season was a result of the league abandoning the concept of ending each season with the Indianapolis 500. The 1996-97 season would ultimately comprise the events following the Indy 500 in 1996, and all events contested in the calendar year of 1997.The 1996-97 season... † |
January 25 | Indy 200 at Walt Disney World by Aurora Oldsmobile Aurora The Oldsmobile Aurora was a full-size sports sedan made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. The Aurora rode on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera.... |
Eddie Cheever, Jr. | G-Force Panoz Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante... |
Aurora Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory... |
Team Cheever |
| 1998 1998 in IRL The 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season was one of relative stability compared to the previous two seasons. For the first time the season consisted of a single and complete spring, summer, and fall like all other forms of motorsport. 15 drivers completed the entire 11 race schedule, twice as... |
January 24 | Indy 200 at Walt Disney World by Aurora Oldsmobile Aurora The Oldsmobile Aurora was a full-size sports sedan made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. The Aurora rode on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera.... |
Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart... |
G-Force Panoz Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante... |
Aurora Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory... |
Team Menard Team Menard Team Menard was an auto racing team in the Indianapolis 500 and Indy Racing League owned by John Menard. From 1991 to 1996 they modified their own Buick V6 engines for racing. This combination won pole for the 500 with Scott Brayton in 1995 and 1996; Tony Stewart used this combination for the first... |
| 1999 1999 in IRL The 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season was highly competitive and parity was the order of the year. Team Menard had a very good season with their driver Greg Ray capturing 3 race wins in a row and the series championship... †† |
January 24 | TransWorld Diversified Services Indy 200 | Eddie Cheever, Jr. | Dallara Dallara Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993... |
Aurora Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory... |
Team Cheever |
| 2000 2000 in IRL The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season was another season that saw a high level of parity as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full time and Chip Ganassi Racing came... |
January 29 | Delphi Indy 200 | Robbie Buhl Robbie Buhl Robbie Buhl is a former Indy Racing League competitor and current team-owner, with the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team in the IRL's IndyCar Series... |
Dallara Dallara Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993... |
Aurora Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory... |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American motor racing team in the open wheel Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with one series win by co-owner Robbie Buhl, who owns the team with Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen and Maserati dealer Dennis Reinbold.... |
- † Race shortened to 149 laps / 149 miles due to rain
- †† Race scheduled for and held on a Sunday
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The Chevy Trucks Challenge was a NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
event held at the track from 1997
1997 in NASCAR
- 1997 Team Chart :- Busch Clash :The Busch Clash, a race for polewinners from the previous season, and drivers who have won the event before, was run on February 9 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Terry Labonte drew the pole...
-1998
1998 in NASCAR
See Also: 1998 in NASCAR Busch Series-1998 Team Chart:-Bud Shootout Qualifier:The Bud Shootout Qualifier, a race for the fastest second round qualifier, from each race from the previous season, was run on February 8 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Sterling Marlin drew the pole...
. It served as the season opening event of both years. The race was discontinued after 1998 due to the wide gap (10 weeks) it created until the second event of the season.
| Year | Date | Driver | Truck Make | Winner's Prize (USD United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) | Distance (miles) | Average Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 1997 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began on January 19 and ended on November 19. Jack Sprague of Hendrick Motorsports won the title.See also: 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1997 NASCAR Busch Series- 1997 Team Chart :- Chevy Trucks Challenge :... |
January 19, 1997 | Joe Ruttman Joe Ruttman Joe Ruttman , is an American former racecar driver. He currently lives in Franklin, Tenn. He actively competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series and is a 13 time winner in the Truck Series, the seventh most wins by any driver in the Truck... |
Ford | $55,800 | 200 | 88.159 |
| 1998 1998 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The 1998 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began January 18 and ended November 8. Ron Hornaday of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the championship.See also: 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1998 NASCAR Busch Series- 1998 Team Chart :- Chevy Trucks Challenge :... |
January 18, 1998 | Ron Hornaday Ron Hornaday Ronald Hornaday, Jr. is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver. He is the father of former NASCAR driver Ronnie Hornaday, and son of the late Ron Hornaday, Sr., a two-time Winston West Champion. Adding on to the family legacy, Ron is a four-time champion in the Truck Series, his most recent... |
Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
$48,625 | 204‡ | 94.033 |
- ‡ 204 laps due to green-white-checker finishGreen-white-checker finishThe green-white-checker finish is a rule implemented into many levels of automobile racing in the United States. When the race would otherwise end during a yellow-flag caution condition , this rule gives the field an attempt to finish the race under a green-flag, racing condition...
USAC Formula Ford 2000
The Formula Ford Walt Disney World Challenge was a 50-lap, 50 miles (80.5 km) race for the USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
2000 series. It was held as a support race to the Indy Racing League event for the first three years of operation.
- 1996 Sam SchmidtSam SchmidtSam Schmidt is a former Indy Racing League driver and current IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series team owner....
- 1997 Urubatan Helou, Jr.
- 1998 David BesnardDavid BesnardDavid Besnard, , in Sydney, Australia is a professional race car driver. Starting in Karts in 1981, he quickly proceeded into Formula Ford in 1995. After initial success, he had a major accident at Eastern Creek Raceway and broke his leg. In 1996 he made a comeback and won the Australian title...
USAC Silver Crown Series
The Silver Bullet 50 was a 50-lap, 50 miles (80.5 km) race for the USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Silver Crown Series. During its first running, it was held in support to the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
race. For 1999-2000, it was held as a support race to the Indy Racing League event.
- 1998 Brian Tyler
- 1999 Mike BlissMike BlissMichael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
- 2000 Brian Tyler