▁local ▁gar age ▁before ▁moving ▁into ▁the ▁track . ▁In ▁some ▁years , ▁the ▁track ▁might ▁even ▁be ▁available ▁for ▁practice ▁and ▁testing ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁mid - A pril . ▁For ▁instance , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁cars ▁began ▁to ▁arrive ▁on ▁April ▁ 6 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁practice ▁was ▁April ▁ 2 8 . ▁In ▁very ▁early ▁years , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁un common ▁for ▁the ▁track ▁to ▁be ▁closed ▁on ▁Sund ays ▁during ▁practice , ▁or ▁be ▁open ▁for ▁only ▁compet itors ▁with ▁the ▁gates ▁closed ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁energy ▁crisis , ▁the ▁schedule ▁was ▁reduced , ▁and ▁the ▁track ▁opened ▁instead ▁three ▁weeks ▁before ▁race ▁day . ▁The ▁change ▁was ▁well - rece ived , ▁and ▁the ▁new ▁schedule ▁was ▁made ▁permanent , ▁with ▁various ▁twe aks ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁a ▁second ▁race ▁at ▁Indian apolis ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁Ind y Car ▁Series ▁schedule , ▁conducted ▁on ▁the ▁track ' s ▁road ▁course . ▁The ▁new ▁event ▁is ▁held ▁two ▁weeks ▁before ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁Though ▁not ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁month ▁of ▁May , ▁since ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 1 0 s , ▁Found ers ▁Day ▁has ▁been ▁recognized ▁and ▁celebrated ▁at ▁the ▁Speed way ▁each ▁year ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 0 . ▁That ▁coinc ides ▁with ▁the ▁date ▁in