Jimmy Boyd in 
The Indy 500 has become synonymous with American nationalism because of its placement during the Memorial Day weekend. Even non racing fans usually tune in for at least part of the race as it is a great chance to get together with some buddies to toss back a few cold ones.
Below is a list of facts to let you in on some of the intricacies of this event. Take note and you’ll be able to impress your friends with come race day.
Top Indy 500 Trivia Questions & Fun Facts
1. This year marks the 101st running. The first race was run in 1911. If you’re a math guy, you’ll notice the discrepancy in years, but there were breaks during both world wars.
2. Last year’s event featured a purse of $13.27 million with winner Alexander Rossi receiving a hefty payout just a little north of $2.54 million.
3. This race has the largest single-day attendance of any sporting event in the entire world. Even more than those crazy European soccer games. There will be roughly 300,000 people at the track on Sunday with upwards of 250,000 in the stands.
4. The 2017 pace car is a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport. It will mark the 14th time that a Corvette has acted as the pace car at this historic event.
5. Jim Cornelson has been given the honor of singing “Back Home Again in Indiana.” Jim Nabors’ had performed this cherished tradition from 1972-2014.
6. This year’s honorary starters are Jake Gyllenhaal and Jeff Bauman.
7. 2007 marked the first time it was broadcast in High-Definition.
8. Indy car racing is as global a sport as you’ll find. There will be drivers from 11 different countries at the starting line. The list of countries included are the United States, Brazil, France, Spain, Switzerland, Columbia, Monaco, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia
9. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the second oldest track in the U.S. and originally featured a gravel and tar surface.
10. A little known fact is that the track is actually located in Speedway, Indiana.
11. Why is it called the Brickyard you ask? The track was paved with 3.2 million bricks after the gravel and tar surface caused several deaths. A three-foot strip of those original bricks still exist s on the starting line.
12. Ray Harroun won the very fist Indy 500 and he also invented the rear view mirror. I’ll bet you didn’t know that.
13. The original name was the International 500-mile Sweepstakes Race. It had no chance of sticking if you ask me.
14. The winner gets the famous Borg-Warner Trophy. This trophy is over five feet tall and weighs more than some of the drivers at 153 pounds.
15. Kurt Busch became the first NASCAR champion to enter in 2014. You might want to argue that Bobby Allison, Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough already accomplished this feat, but all three of those drivers won their NASCAR championship after racing in the Indianapolis 500.