Museums must limit viewing of priceless artifacts to secure and preserve them, but the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is giving a limited number of fans unprecedented access to the rarest of racecars at its “Over the Ropes/Under the Hood” event on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The first 75 registrants (first-come, first-served basis) will get a detailed look – visually and via conversation with notable experts – at the Marmon “Wasp,” which won the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911; the 1928 Miller driven by Louis Meyer to his first “500” victory; the 1939/40 Boyle Special Maserati driven by Wilbur Shaw; the Chip Ganassi Racing “Cutaway Car,” a modern NTT IndyCar Series car sliced in half to reveal its internal components; and another notable Indy car from circa 2000, to be determined.
Tickets for this all-in journey for diehard Indianapolis 500 aficionados are just $20 for IMS Museum members and $25 for non-members.
The experts accompanying each car will share its fascinating history and explain the unique design cues and engineering innovations that made it successful. The team of experts for “Over the Ropes/Under the Hood:”
- The 1928 Miller: Louis “Sonny” Meyer Jr. (son of the three-time Indy 500 winner) and IMS Historian Donald Davidson
- The 1939/40 Maserati: Bill Shaw, son of Wilbur Shaw, and Johnny Pappas, Boyle Racing Headquarters Foundation co-founder
- The Marmon Wasp: Jason Vansickle, IMS Museum curator of vehicles
- The Chip Ganassi Racing Cutaway Car: Robbie Fast, race and testing spotter for Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon
- The circa-2000 IndyCar: Mike Devin, longtime IndyCar racing chief mechanic and technical director for the United States Auto Club (USAC)
The five cars will be placed in different areas of the Museum, and the 75 participants will rotate in five groups of 15 between cars to create an intimate atmosphere with opportunities for one-on-one conversation and questions with the experts.
Registration will begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by introductions at 6 p.m. and discussion/rotation between each car from 6:15-7:45. The inaugural “Over the Ropes/Under the Hood” concluding at 8 p.m.
For tickets and additional information, please contact Kelly Hartman at 317-492-6568 or khartman@brickyard.com.
