Today in History: First race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

When you think auto racing, it's hard not to think about Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ground was broken in March of 1909, and five months -- and $3 million -- later, "the Brickyard" was born.

The legendary racetrack opened its doors for its first race on this day a whopping 105 years ago today. The race drew a crowd of 15 to 20 thousand, each paying a dollar or less for admission. On a track littered with tar, oil, dirt and other remnants, just four cars finished the race, and one wreckage left a driver dead. Naturally, there were safety concerns moving forward, but it was only a few years before the track was stable and home to classic showdowns.

More than a century later, Brickyard is perhaps the most iconic locations in all of racing. Click through the gallery above to relive some of its most memorable moments, and watch the video below for an interesting Indy 500 tale about a racing snail.

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