Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana is a city located centrally in the rectangular-shaped U.S. state of Indiana and is its [[capital city|capital]. In 2020, the population of the city was 887,642 and its metropolitan statistical area had 2,111,040 residents.
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Lenape relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government, situated next to the White River.
Indianapolis is a major center for motorsports. Two auto racing sanctioning bodies are headquartered in the city (INDYCAR and United States Auto Club) along with more than 500 motorsports companies and racing teams, employing some 10,000 people in the region. Indianapolis, a.k.a. Indy, is often considered synonymous to auto racing. Completed in 1909 as an automotive test track, the oval-shaped Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world's largest sports venue by capacity, with 235,000 permanent seats. Since 1911, the 2.5-mile-long rectangular oval has hosted the Indianapolis 500, an American open-wheel automobile race held annually on Memorial Day weekend. Considered part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, the Indianapolis 500 is the world's largest single-day sporting event. The track also hosts the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and NASCAR's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and Pennzoil 150.