Indianapolis Motor Speedway MUSEUM RESTORATION INITIATIVES

THE MUSEUM PRESERVES HISTORIC CARS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Race cars are built for speed. But after decades, vintage vehicles require preservation, maintenance, and care to stay race ready. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is one of the few museums with an active car restoration department, and our team works hard to keep our cars in the best possible working condition. In fact, many of the 200+ vehicles in our collection could run with a minimal amount of preparation.

However, some of our vehicles were intentionally acquired as restoration projects. Over the last 100 years, open-wheel race cars have evolved significantly, and we believe that restoring these vehicles is critical to understanding the innovation behind that evolution.

With your support, the Museum Restoration Team will continue to preserve centuries of racing history for future generations. This restoration work helps us showcase the innovation behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and demonstrate the significant impact the motorsports industry has on both our state—and our nation.

YOUR GIFT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. HELP SUPPORT OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS!

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FEATURED RESTORATION PROJECT

THE LOTUS TYPE 29/1 (ADOPTED BY: THE MCGUIRE FAMILY)

The Lotus Type 29 helped usher in the rear-engine revolution, changing the course of racing history. Now, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has one of the three original Lotus 29s that debuted in the 1963 Indianapolis 500. The vehicle arrived at the Museum appearing to be Jim Clark’s second-place finisher, but there’s more to the story. Despite the green livery paint, research into the chassis’ history proves that it was actually the Lotus driven by Clark’s teammate and American racing legend, Dan Gurney.

Our goal is to honor this great champion—and its history—by getting the Lotus Type 29/1 back on the track, looking like it did on Race Day in 1963. With new fuel cells, suspension, and engine maintenance to return it to working condition, the Lotus 29/1 will also sport its original blue-and-white livery, just as it did when Gurney crossed the finish line.