Behind the Bricks: Final IMS Museum Basement Tour 

From Chicago and I’ve never been to Indianapolis. I need to go someday. It’s so close! 🏎️

I won my index at the Lucas Oil Dragway in September of 2019 and the next day went to Kiss the Bricks for my First Win at Indy and see the museum. I will never forget it. It is a very Special Place and am looking forward to seeing this in 2025.

The museum is going to look amazing in 2025!

I was lucky to get access to "The Basement" about 15 years ago. Back then it was stacked deep with rows of cars, much more packed than in this video. They had several large Packards and a powder blue Cord along with many, many pace cars including the very first Dodge Viper to roll off the line. Saw Janet's car, Vucky's 1973 Sugaripe Prune Special, and a stage coach which had come straight off the set of a movie starring a famous move star whose name escapes me. Saw Pancho's 85 pole winner and Scott Brayton's car from the same year. Perhaps the most unique item was a Rolls Royce with bullet proof glass that had once belonged to Hitler and was purchased by Tony Hulman from the Shaw of Iran.....or so the story goes. It was a an opportunity I will never forget.

Awesome. I sure wish I hadn’t passed up the chance to see the basement in person when I had the chance. I love the rich history of F1 and it’s champions at the Indy 500. And that Fangio Mercedes W196! Wow…

This was amazing. Its a shame I won't be able to visit the museum when I make my first trip to the 500 in 2024, but I'm looking forward to going back in 2025 and seeing the amazing renovations.

As crazy as this may sound...the basement had always been a sacred place...as much as I think it should be open...a part of me feels it should remain a secret aspect...😢Doug you know best to keeping the speedway important.

Absolutely amazing! I always wanted to take the tour but never got around to it. Love this! I also love ALL of the Behind the Bricks series. Doug is an amazing person and love his passion! Can't wait to see the new museum!

On a visit to the museum I couldn’t find my dad but had seen him talking with a guy, they were pointing out things on a few cars! Well they both disappeared, come to find out it was Donald Davidson who took my dad to the basement for a private tour!! We connected when they came up from the elevator(as my sister and I had been looking for our dad Donald). A special memory that I will cherish as my dad is in Memory Care and Donald has since retired. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall as these two Donald’s swapped stories!! I had to edit this, I thought Donald D had passed but have been since corrected!

Love it, but wish you had included “Basement Bessie” in the video. My Uncle Paul (Russo) and Ray Nicholas built that baby.

wow this was awesome!! Cant wait to see the museum

What *amazing* cars! Thanks for the tour, Doug!

Indy during the 1950s/60s/70s is a remarkable era. Great owners & drivers; incredible gains in technology, breathtaking increases in speed. As horsepower, brakes and tires improved, drivers and teams were able to safely wring-out performance that nobody ever believed would be possible.

Clueless?! That is a F1 car ! Raced at high speed tracks like Avus in Germany.

You should have seen the basement when they first started the tours. It was jam packed with all kinds of cars, so much that it was difficult to get around in. The lighting wasn't the best, and there were no signs describing each car. Now, (or at least until the basement tours ceased and the basement was emptied), it's more like an exhibit in the museum. Still great to see, but I preferred the old basement.

Well well well. Very well done Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Can’t wait

Sad I didn't get to do one of the tours but looking forward to the new space.

The basement and all those cars are going to be general admission?!?

Perfect circle was a sponsor on the turbine car? hahaha.

Can't wait to see the new museum when it opens!

Goodwin Overpass

0047 Garett Trace

Kuhic Field

Thank you, what an awesome collection...

Hey that’s my uncle carl!!

Thank you. Sir !!!

Bucket list !

hey just putting this out there @IMS if you need to make some room in there I will take that GT40 home, just sayin

Joana Locks

Okay right off the bat this curator/guide pissed me off. He bables on about the Mercedes F-1 car that wasn't an F-1 car(F-1 is for OPEN WHEEL cars only)and only mentions that Jochin Rindt drove the last Ferrari to win Lemans. Now for the rest of the story. Not only is this the last Ferrari to ever win Lemans in 1965, it is the first car by an AMERICAN RACING TEAM to win Lemans(NART-North American Racing Team) oh and Rindts TEAMMATE?!!! An American named Masten Gregory! The Kansas City Flash! The Ferrari team wanted the car in second to win because it had Dunlop tires(which is why it was in second due to a blown tire)which sponsored Ferrari. The NART Ferrari had Goodyear tires. The factory actually approached The late great Luigi Chinetti, NART team owner to swap places and they'd make it worth his while with big discounts on future cars(he was the North American dealer for Ferrari). He basically told them to go pound sand as he was flabbergasted they would tell his drivers to not win Lemans. Leaving Masten Gregory's name out is akin to leaving out Ken Miles when telling the tale of Shelby Automotive.😠 The internet will keep you clueless people. It's no substitute for a book...EVER!!