INDIANAPOLIS At a venue where history has been made for a century, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Hall of Fame Museum will in 2009 set a record for the most behind-the-scenes Grounds Tours in a season. The Museum’s popular Grounds Tour, which provides a great opportunity to entertain family, friends or clients with a 90-minute tour rich in IMS history and landmarks, will take place on a record 68 days in 2009. Tickets are available now. This year also marks the start of the Speedway’s Centennial Era celebrations, marking the 100th anniversary of the Speedway’s founding in 1909 and the 100th anniversary of the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Knowledgeable Hall of Fame Museum staff members serve as hosts for the Grounds Tours, providing customers with a narrated historical journey through the decades at the “Racing Capital of the World” along with visits to notable IMS landmarks normally open only to officials, drivers and teams during events. Grounds Tour guests will visit the timing-and-scoring suite in the Bombardier Learjet Pagoda, the Media Center, Victory Podium, Gasoline Alley garage area and the world-famous “Yard of Bricks” at the start/finish line. Guests also will tour the Hall of Fame Museum and enjoy a ride around the famed 2.5-mile IMS oval in one of the Museum’s comfortable tour buses, culminating with an opportunity to stop at the “Yard of Bricks” and pose for photographs. 2009 Grounds Tours get underway in March and continue on select weekdays and weekends through Thanksgiving weekend. Tours are scheduled to depart from the Hall of Fame Museum four times per day on scheduled tour days: 9:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. (ET). The Hall of Fame Museum is located in the IMS infield, just inside the main gate (Gate 2) off 16th Street. Cash, travelers’ checks, personal checks, Visa or MasterCard are accepted for Grounds Tour tickets. Grounds Tour tickets and information are available by contacting Mary Geiss at the Hall of Fame Museum office at (317) 492-6747 or [email protected]. Tickets also will be available for purchase at the Museum, but space is limited and tours often sell out. Special arrangements can be made for groups of 20 persons or more on dates other than those scheduled for Grounds Tours. Call the Hall of Fame Museum office at (317) 492-6747 for details. 2009 IMS HALL OF FAME MUSEUM GROUNDS TOUR SCHEDULE (Dates subject to change) Thursday, March 12 Friday, March 13 Saturday, March 14 Sunday, March 15 Friday, March 27 Saturday, March 28 Sunday, March 29 Friday, April 3 Monday, April 6 Saturday, April 11 Thursday, April 23 Friday, April 24 Saturday, April 25 Saturday, May 30 Sunday, May 31 Sunday, June 7 Friday, June 12 Sunday, June 14 Saturday, June 20 Sunday, June 21 Friday, June 26 Saturday, June 27 Sunday, June 28 Monday, June 29 Tuesday, June 30 Wednesday, July 1 Thursday, July 2 Friday, July 3 Saturday, July 4 Sunday, July 5 Monday, July 6 Tuesday, July 7 Wednesday, July 8 Thursday, July 9 Friday, July 10 Saturday, July 11 Sunday, July 12 Monday, July 13 Tuesday, July 14 Saturday, July 18 Sunday, July 19 Wednesday, July 29 Thursday, July 30 Friday, July 31 Saturday, Aug. 1 Sunday, Aug. 2 Saturday, Sept. 5 Sunday, Sept. 6 Monday, Sept. 7 Saturday, Sept. 12 Sunday, Sept. 13 Monday, Sept. 14 Tuesday, Sept. 15 Wednesday, Sept. 16 Saturday, Oct. 17 Sunday, Oct. 18 Monday, Oct. 19 Tuesday, Oct. 20 Wednesday, Oct. 21 Thursday, Oct. 22 Friday, Oct. 23 Saturday, Oct. 24 Sunday, Oct. 25 Thursday, Nov. 5 Friday, Nov. 6 Saturday, Nov. 7 Friday, Nov. 27 Saturday, Nov. 28 2009 IMS tickets: Established in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long prevailed as an icon of motorsports excellence. Beginning in 2009, the Speedway celebrates its Centennial Era, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the facility in 2009 and the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2011. Tickets for the three events in 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the 93rd Indianapolis 500, 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and second Red Bull Indianapolis GP can be ordered online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time.