Whenever a motorsports fan hears the name ‘Indianapolis Motor Speedway,’ a few things and traditions cross their mind. As NASCAR fans, we first think of the Brickyard 400. Even though it is the Daytona of IndyCar, the longest-standing tradition of kissing the bricks was brought forth by two stock car veterans. Dale Jarrett and crew chief Todd Parrott were the first to kiss the yard of bricks after winning the Brickyard 400 in 1996. And, it has continued since then. The track is so impactful that it is a full-blown museum out there! And recently, they have evolved their operational capacity to the extent where Chip Ganassi said, “I do not recognize this place.”

The massive $60.5 million renovation unveiled just ahead of the 2025 Indy 500 is a 17-month tedious process that has transformed the museum from a place of reverence to a multi-level fun endeavor. IMS Museum President Joe Hale expressed with pride: “We’ve finally created a world-class museum devoted to the Indianapolis 500, and now it’s up to the public to validate that.” Looks like his words are true. 

An Experience Worthy of the Fans

With everything that this renovation meant, now the museum has over 150 race cars on display, along with 55000 artifacts. The improvement has bestowed a magnificent spread of 40,000 square feet of new exhibition and experience space that turns each nook and corner into yet another chapter of motorsport history. Now, the fans can walk through the lower level, an area that was previously open for admittance and viewing only with special guided tours, and up to the new mezzanine, harboring all the non-car goodies, including reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou’s race suit, the NASCAR Brickyard 400 trophy, and a piece of the SAFER barrier to underscore how the sport keeps innovating safety. And those are not the only galleries present.

There are seven permanent galleries and three rotating exhibits now, which keep the storytelling going. Immersive features have been added that evoke the spirit of race day. But you know what’s more interesting? Indianapolis Motor Speedway is all set to provide an immersive experience to the visiting guests. Now, fans get to experience racing firsthand!

The first special addition is the “Starting Line Experience.” This envelops fans in the sights and sounds of the pre-race spectacle of the Indy 500. It is no longer just a museum but a front-row seat to the heart of the tradition. This visual and sound simulator gives you the adrenaline rush experienced but the drivers getting ready to see the rolling start unfold. Feeling like a racer yet? If not, the next attraction will surely facilitate it.  

The museum also has a state-of-the-art racing simulator, the visitors to find themselves virtually behind the wheel in qualification attempts at competing with their peers in the Indy 500. Now that’s something tremendous. Picture this: While you win race after race in the racing simulator, you see a team owner approach you and go, ‘Hey kid, you got some skills there. Interested in a driver development program?‘ And boom! Your career just skyrocketed as a racer. But what if you are more of a technical guy and are looking forward to diagnosing a car at a pit stop? Well, Joe Hale has you covered. 

There is an innovative ‘Pit Stop Challenge’ which allows guests to perfect their skills with real tools of the trade. This is a hands-on experience in the high-paced world of race-day mechanics. And a hypothetical situation similar to the racing simulator might arise here as well. But all these are for adults. Is Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum a ‘kids-free’ zone?

Well, fear not! They have enough things to keep your future champions engaged. Plush car jungle gyms and little mini-race tracks will stop them from missing out on the action. They can push their favorite little toy cars around and keep themselves entertained, ensuring that imbibing an early fandom is just that much fun through the IMS Museum.

These days, it’s Indianapolis, currently likely even to upstage the long-held standard by NASCAR’s Hall of Fame in Charlotte. Purportedly different in reimagined design from the museum at IMS is a unique amalgamation of telling Indy history along a high-end storytelling path designed around the gritty and emotional high of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” But, how on par is it with NASCAR’s Hall of Fame?

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NASCAR’s ‘Hall of Fame’ vs IndyCar’s ‘Museum’

Needless to say, NASCAR’s Hall of Fame in Charlotte is a stock car enthusiast’s dream come true. With an interactive display and the Glory Road incline, it embodies the very being of the sport. However, Indianapolis has taken it all one step further in presenting a more complete motorsports experience. The newly renovated IMS Museum mixes IndyCar legacy with NASCAR history, principally through the Brickyard 400 display of the championship trophy and other stock car artifacts that made their way down the straightaways of Indy.

As Hale told Design News: “We’ve told the story of the ‘500’ in a way that honors the past while embracing the future.” In future motorsport storytelling, however, trophies will not be the sole currency; significant moments that remain with fans long after they leave the building will be key. And, we cannot undermine the fact that this is not a glitz renovation but an education renovation.

The museum has a new STEAM classroom to fire up K-12 curiosity with hands-on education in science, engineering, and racetrack physics. This also signifies that this museum isn’t just here to pay homage to the past, but to inspire future greatness. The three new rotating galleries are surely going to draw a hefty number of enthusiasts. But what’s in it for NASCAR fans?

Well, there are exhibits dedicated to legendary NASCAR teams and races. There are exhibitions dedicated to Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing, highlighting their impact on the sport. With that, there is a complete section dedicated to Brickyard 400 winners as well. They call this section, “NASCAR at the Speedway.” The plan is to showcase eight winning Brickyard 400 cars, including Jeff Gordon’s 1994, Dale Earnhardt’s 1995, and Jimmie Johnson’s 2006.

It is going to be a divine experience to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to experience racing up close and personal. So, when are you planning to get a piece of this cake? Here is a sneak peek. Let us know in the comments.