, ▁held ▁the ▁night ▁before ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁The ▁features ▁were ▁won ▁by ▁Ben ny ▁Emer ick ▁and ▁L ero y ▁W arr iner . ▁The ▁event ▁quickly ▁grew ▁in ▁popular ity ▁and ▁prest ige , ▁and ▁drew ▁large ▁fields ▁of ▁cars ▁and ▁large ▁crow ds . ▁ ▁After ▁double header ▁features ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 - 1 9 4 7 , ▁the ▁event ▁expanded ▁to ▁a ▁triple header ▁of ▁features ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁The ▁three ▁races ▁were ▁considered ▁entirely ▁separate ▁events , ▁each ▁with ▁their ▁own ▁practice ▁and ▁time ▁tri als , ▁and ▁occasionally ▁a ▁cons olation ▁race . ▁The ▁first ▁race ▁typically ▁began ▁around ▁ 2 ▁p . m . ▁in ▁the ▁afternoon , ▁the ▁second ▁race ▁began ▁around ▁ 7 ▁p . m . ▁in ▁the ▁evening , ▁and ▁the ▁third ▁race ▁( s ometimes ▁nick names ▁the ▁" ow l " ▁race ), ▁began ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁ 1 0 ▁p . m . ▁or ▁even ▁mid night . ▁The ▁racing ▁typically ▁continued ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁over night ▁hours , ▁ending ▁sometimes ▁after ▁ 2 ▁a . m . ▁After ▁the ▁first ▁feature , ▁the ▁grand stand s ▁were ▁em pt ied , ▁and ▁the ▁fans ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁exit ▁the ▁gates . ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁wait , ▁fans ▁could ▁buy ▁tick ets ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁feature , ▁and ▁re - enter . ▁The ▁process ▁repeated ▁after ▁the ▁second ▁feature . ▁Many