The Indianapolis 500 will be run in front of a massive crowd Sunday.

History records an important connection between the race and Northwest Pennsylvania.

 

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is a place where motor sports dreams come true.

55-thousand artifacts and more than one hundred Indy cars.

But there’s one with a special tie to Northwest Pennsylvania.

This Marmon was the first winner of the Indianapolis 500 mile race. It’s driver, Ray Harroun came from Spartansburg, Pennsylvania.

Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indy 500 in this car from the 28th starting position.

Harroun never raced again but continued in racing as an engineer. As for the car, it still runs and was last driven around the speedway in 2016 to celebrate the 100th running of the 500.

The museum is on the grounds of the Indianapolis motor speedway and recently completed a $64 million renovation project.