Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

, United States. The population was 11,812 at the

2010 U.S. Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

. Speedway, which is an

enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

of Indianapolis, is the home of the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United St ...

History

Speedway was laid out in 1912 as a residential suburb. It took its name from the

. It is an early example of a residential community planned for the industrial plants located nearby.

Carl G. Fisher Carl Graham Fisher (January 12, 1874 – July 15, 1939) was an American entrepreneur. He was an important figure in the automotive industry, in highway construction, and in real estate development. In his early life in Indiana, despite fam ...

James A. Allison James Asbury Allison (August 11, 1872 - August 3, 1928) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the inventor of the Allison Perfection Fountain Pen and with Carl G. Fisher, founded Prest-O-Lite, a manufacturer of automobile headlight ...

, Frank Wheeler, and Arthur Newby, founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, planned the suburb of Speedway west of the track. Fisher and Allison owned plants that needed workers, the

Prest-O-Lite Union Carbide Corporation is an American chemical corporation wholly owned subsidiary (since February 6, 2001) by Dow Chemical Company. Union Carbide produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers befor ...

factory and

Allison Engine Company The Allison Engine Company was an American aircraft engine manufacturer. Shortly after the death of James Allison in 1929 the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers. Fisher sold the company to General Motors, which owned it for most of it ...

. The investors' goal was to create a city without horses, where residents would drive automobiles, as well as participate in creating mechanical parts for new modes of transportation. The Speedway Historic District was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

in 2005.

Geography

Speedway is located at (39.791943, −86.249988). According to the 2010 census, Speedway has a total area of , of which (or 99.83%) is land and (or 0.17%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Speedway has a humid subtropical climate, ''Cfa'' on climate maps. With a January daily mean of however, Speedway is very close to the humid continental type.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, 11,812 people, 5,550 households, and 2,931 families resided in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . The 6,709 housing units averaged . The racial makeup of the town was 74.2% White, 16.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 4.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.6% of the population. Of the 5,550 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.2% were not families. About 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the town was 37.8 years. About 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, 12,882 people, 6,151 households, and 3,278 families resided in the town. The 6,151 households had 24.5% with children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6%

living together, 12.5% female householders with no husband present, and 46.7% not families. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,713, and for a family was $49,005. Males had a median income of $36,756 versus $26,954 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $21,468. About 5.6% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

* The

School Town of Speedway The School Town of Speedway is a public school district based in Speedway, Indiana (USA). The district has six campuses and an enrollment of approximately 1,650 students. Schools High school *Grades 9-12 **Speedway Senior High School Junior hi ...

has six campuses, including the Speedway Senior High School, and an enrollment of approximately 1,650 students. * St Christopher School The town has a lending library, the Speedway Public Library.

Economy

In addition to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself, several related companies are located south of the racetrack, including the

United States Auto Club The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapo ...

headquarters, the Dallara racecar factory, racing teams A. J. Foyt Racing, and Harding Racing, and the Speedway Indoor karting racetrack. Also,

Allison Transmission Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, ...

has a factory nearby.

Notable people

* Donald Davidson, historian * Joyce DeWitt, actress * Barbara Higbie, jazz musician and composer *

Mason Jobst Mason Kane Jobst (born February 17, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey left winger. He currently plays for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League (AHL). Growing up in Indiana, Jobst played high school ice hockey for t ...

, ice hockey player * J. Emmett McManamon, 33rd

Indiana Attorney General The Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term. The forty-fourth and Attorney General is Todd Roki ...

Sister cities

* Motegi, Tochigi, Japan * Varano de' Melegari, Italy

References

External links

* {{Authority control Towns in Indiana Towns in Marion County, Indiana Indianapolis metropolitan area Populated places established in 1926 1926 establishments in Indiana Enclaves in the United States