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It wasn't always called the Indy 500. How the world's best known race got its name

Dana Hunsinger Benbow, Indianapolis Star
·4 min read

INDIANAPOLIS  — How a race that launched as the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was whittled down to just The 500 and, at some point, was called the 500-Mile Sweepstakes and, at another point, the Liberty 500-Mile Sweepstakes then dropped "sweepstakes" and became the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and finally was dubbed the Indianapolis 500, but today is known better as the Indy 500 ...

How the name of the world's best-known race became the Indy 500 is a funky, winding, 112-year path that leads to no clear answer.

IndyStar searched through more than 100 years of newspaper archives dating back to 1911, the first Indy 500, which was named the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes. As the decades passed and the iconic race was called different things in newspapers, no article specifically wrote about any official name change.

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Not until 2016 when the Indy 500 got its first naming sponsor, a move the sports industry couldn't believe had taken so long.

"For the first time, the Indianapolis 500 will have a presenting sponsor this year for the 100th running of the historic race," the IndyStar reported in January 2016. "The May 29 race will be called the 'Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.'"

But before that title sponsorship worth $5 million over three years came with an official name, what the Indy 500 was called, especially in its first 50 years, fluctuated with at least nine different names.

Yet, no matter what the race was called, everyone knew. This was the 500-mile spectacle. The race didn't need an official identity as long as "500" was in the name.

After all, as 112 years passed, and as the race went through name changes, there was never an Indy 500 run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that didn't have the number "500" somewhere in its title.

Early on, there was no widely accepted name for iconic race

Today, it's clear why the race is commonly referred to as the Indy 500, an abbreviation for the race's official name, the Indianapolis 500. Google Trends says "Indy 500" has been searched for roughly three times as often as "Indianapolis 500" over the last 20 years.

This year's race is officially dubbed the "107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge," with an IMS logo that reads "Indy 500."

Yet as the race runs on May 28, track announcers and media will switch between calling it the Indy 500, the Indianapolis 500, the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and, sometimes, they will harken back to calling it the 500-mile race.

Their racing media predecessors did the same 100 years ago. In 1913, two years after its first run and when it was officially named the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes, an IndyStar article repeatedly referred to the race as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Sweepstakes.

This image is of the main stretch and stands of the inaugural “International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race,” later called the Indy 500. The race was held on May 30, 1911.
This image is of the main stretch and stands of the inaugural “International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race,” later called the Indy 500. The race was held on May 30, 1911.

In a 1918 IndyStar article, the race is referred to as the 500-Mile Sweepstakes but, on the same page, another article refers to it as the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race and another article on the same page calls it the 500-Mile Race.

And always, from the first race in 1911, sprinkled throughout articles were references to the race as the Indianapolis 500 or just The 500.

It seemed, for years, there was no widely accepted name for the world's best-known race.

Borg-Warner trophy drops 'International Sweepstakes'

Except that one race where most everyone in the country knew what to call the Indy 500. It was 1919, the year the race came back from a two-year hiatus following World War I. The Indy 500 was officially named that year the Liberty 500-Mile Sweepstakes.

The next year, the race reverted to the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes moniker, which was printed on tickets and other memorabilia at IMS. And it remained that way for 16 years.

But in 1936, Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker hosted a dinner and unveiled the Borg-Warner Trophy, declaring the relic as the annual prize for Indy 500 winners. On that trophy, it proclaimed the event as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, with no reference to the name International Sweepstakes.

Louis Meyer. center, receives the Borg-Warner trophy after winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1936. He'd already finished the milk at this point.
Louis Meyer. center, receives the Borg-Warner trophy after winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1936. He'd already finished the milk at this point.

Following World War II in 1945, the race was called various names: The 500, The 500-Mile Race, Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Indianapolis 500.

On radio stations throughout the years, it has been advertised as the Annual 500-Mile Memorial Day Race, the 500-Mile Memorial Day Race and sometimes just the Memorial 500.

But in 112 years, every name this Indianapolis race has been called has been a nod to the exhilarating, captivating moments that happen along 500 miles. On Sunday, the world will call the Indy 500 many names as the cars race around the track. Including, perhaps, its most legendary name, the greatest spectacle in racing.

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 has gone by other names, including Indianapolis 500-Mile Race