Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Just months after debuting a complete overhaul, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum said Thursday it plans to spend $18 million to build a restoration and event facility on a parcel just a stone’s throw from the 2.5-mile oval track.
The museum plans to begin construction of the 60,000-square-foot facility later this year, on a 6.6-acre tract at 1111 Polco St., about a half-mile south of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The facility will house more than 150 vehicles from the museum’s collection as well as several bays for car restoration and detailing.
Work on the facility is expected to start this summer and be completed by the end of 2026. Museum officials said about half of the project’s funding has already been secured.
“It’s going to help keep our collection together, and give us the opportunity to have this almost as an adjunct [facility] to the museum,” IMS Museum President Joe Hale told IBJ. “I can’t tell you just how busy this [museum] is now, in terms of hosting different types of events, and that’s going to allow us to do even more.”
Showcasing the IMS Museum collection
Hale, who is set to step down from his post in June, oversaw the museum’s recent $61 million renovation.
He said the ancillary building will have six restoration bays and two detailing bays. Portions of the property will also be available for “different revenue streams,” such as race-day parking.
For visitors, the new facility will also offer tours of the rest of the organization’s expansive collection. It’s also expected to feature educational programs catering to students interested in automotive engineering and restoration careers.
Hale told IBJ that while pricing hasn’t been finalized for access to the new facility, it’s expected there will be a “modest upcharge” for those wanting to tour the site. It will likely come as an add-on option for admission to the museum, much like the museum’s Kiss the Bricks tour of the speedway itself.
The property is currently owned by 1111 Polco LLC, a holding company for Robert Dyson, the chair emeritus for the museum’s board of directors. Dyson acquired the property for nearly $1.85 million in 2024, but Hale said the benefactor plans to donate the property to the museum.
Leaving room to grow
Jason Vansickle, vice president of curation and education for the museum, said while the size of the facility will be large enough to accommodate the organization’s existing collection, he expects the building’s design will be able to accommodate expansion.
“That’s a good problem to have, and we’ll cross that bridge,” he said.
But the most integral part of the facility, Vansickle said, is that it will be provide plenty of space for the museum’s restoration team to complete improvement and upkeep work on its collection. Plans for the facility include adding several full- and-part time staff positions for restoration, event management and programming needs. Currently, six technicians work for the organization, overseeing a fleet of nearly 200 historic vehicles.
“Indy cars are so unique, and whether it be a modern car or something from almost 100 years ago, it does take an artisan and craftsman to keep these vehicles running,” he said. “I think this new location will allow for us to tell that story, too.”
Since it reopened, the IMS Museum has hosted more than 5,000 field trip participants, more than 40 private event bookings and has seen an explosion in the number of visitors and new members, officials said. In April, the museum recorded 21,459 visitors, doubling its attendance for the same month in 2023. So far in May, the museum has already recorded more than 30,000 visitors.
An architect for the new facility has not been finalized.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Making sure all those old Dallaras don’t turn to dust I guess.