Speedway is a town in
Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana
Wayne Township is one of nine townships in Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 136,828. The school district is Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township.
Geography
Municipalities
* Clermont (south hal ...
, United States. The population was 13,952 at the
2020 census,
up from 11,812 in
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
.
Speedway, which is an
enclave
An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is so ...
of
Indianapolis
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
, is the home of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, and and formerly the home of the U ...
.
History
Speedway was laid out in 1912 as a residential suburb. It took its name from the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, and and formerly the home of the U ...
, constructed three years earlier. It is an early example of a residential community planned for the industrial plants located nearby.
Carl G. Fisher,
James A. Allison, 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 factory and
Allison Engine Company. 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.
Speedway was incorporated as a town in July 1926. The
Speedway Historic District was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 2005.
Geography
Speedway is located in western Marion County. It is west-northwest of
downtown Indianapolis
Downtown Indianapolis is a neighborhood area in and the central business district of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Downtown is bordered by Interstate 65 in Indiana, Interstate 65, Interstate 70 in Indiana, Interstate 70, and the White ...
.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, Speedway has a total area of , of which , or 0.08%, are water.
The town is drained by Eagle Creek, which runs along the southwest edge of town, and its tributaries Dry Run and Little Eagle Creek, which flow past or around the speedway. Eagle Creek continues east to join the
White River in southwest Marion County.
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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Speedway has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, ''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 (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, 11,812 people, 5,550 households, and 2,931 families resided in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...
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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
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
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
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%
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
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 average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
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 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 List of USAC Championship Car seasons, United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the ...
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 Holdings Inc. 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, includi ...
has a factory nearby.
Notable people
*
Donald Davidson, historian
*
Joyce DeWitt, actress
*
Barbara Higbie, jazz musician and composer
*
Mason Jobst, ice hockey player
*
J. Emmett McManamon, 33rd
Indiana Attorney General
*
Stevie Reeves, racing driver
*
Zachary Tinkle, racing driver
Sister cities
*
Motegi, Tochigi, Japan
*
Varano de' Melegari, Italy
See also
*
Burger Chef murders
*
Speedway bombings
*
List of Indianapolis neighborhoods
*
List of inner suburbs in the United States
In the United States, inner suburbs (sometimes known as "first-ring" suburbs) are the older, more densely populated communities of a metropolitan area with histories that significantly predate those of their suburban or exurban counterparts. Most ...
*
List of cities surrounded by another city
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