Make a race car snack
• To make a race car like ours, pictured here, have an adult help you slice an apple or orange and cut seedless grapes in half. Slide half of a grape onto a toothpick, poke it through the slice of fruit, near one end, then slide on the other grape half. Repeat to make two sets of tires.
• We want to see your race car snack! Be creative with other fruits, veggies, cheese, and other foods. Share a picture with us using the form below, tag us on Instagram or sending us a message on Facebook. You can also write to us at P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224
Fun facts about the 500
• The location of the annual Indianapolis 500 is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The speedway opened on June 5, 1909 with balloon races.
• The first official Indianapolis 500 was on May 30, 1911. The winner of that inaugural race was Ray Harroun. It took him 6 hours and 42 minutes, and his prize for winning was $14,250.
• The Indianapolis 500 has been held every year since 1911 except during World War I and World War II.
• The race track is 2.5 miles long. Drivers make 200 laps to complete the race.
• Race cars go faster than 200 miles per hour.
• The winner of each Indianapolis 500 race usually chugs a bottle of milk. This is a tradition that started in 1936, when the winner, Louis Meyer, wanted a glass of his favorite beverage — milk — after finishing the race.
• Look for the different colored flags when you watch the race on TV. The colors serve as different signals to the drivers. Green signals the start of the race. Just like a stop light on a highway, red means stop and yellow means caution. If a driver sees a white flag, that means only one more lap remains in the race. The black and white checkered flag signals the end of the race.
Sources: IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com; History.com, TIME, IndyCar.com
