▁spect ators ▁in ▁attend ance ▁watched ▁the ▁races ▁then ▁walked ▁across ▁the ▁street ▁to ▁get ▁in ▁line ▁to ▁wait ▁for ▁the ▁gates ▁to ▁open ▁at ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁Motor ▁Speed way ▁for ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 ▁the ▁following ▁morning . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁few ▁years , ▁the ▁event ▁had ▁no ▁official ▁name . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁first ▁appearance ▁of ▁the ▁traditional ▁mon iker ▁appeared , ▁as ▁the ▁race ▁was ▁officially ▁advert ised ▁as ▁the ▁" Now ▁Fam ous ▁- ▁Night ▁Before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ". ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁races ▁were ▁cancel led , ▁then ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 - 1 9 5 3 ▁the ▁program ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁a ▁single ▁ 1 0 0 - lap ▁feature . ▁The ▁triple header ▁format ▁returned ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁After ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁A AA ▁with d rew ▁from ▁autom obile ▁racing . ▁▁ 1 9 5 6 - 1 9 7 8 ▁ ▁US AC ▁took ▁over ▁san ction ing ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁The ▁popular ▁triple header ▁format ▁at ▁ 1 6 th ▁Street ▁Speed way ▁was ▁maintained , ▁and ▁used ▁through ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁However , ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁season , ▁ 1 6 th ▁Street ▁Speed way ▁was ▁closed ▁and ▁later ▁demol ished . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁the ▁event ▁b