SPEEDWAY — It's a tradition in the Town of Speedway. Non-profit organizations park cars, work concession stands and clean up the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 500 and the other races and events there.
Not this year. No fans in the stands means those revenue steams, and others, have dried up for non-profits.
The Speedway Exchange Club's annual golf tournament is a major fund-raiser on the Thursday before the race. Not this year. "We are really seeking a broader audience," said the Exchange Club's Joshua Clay. "The Indy 500 gives us access to race fans from all over the world and all of their contributions typically help us as a small community."
Without that help, Speedway organizations are about $272,000 in the hole. So the town and the Exchange Club are working together on a solution.
"We are a town of only 12,000 people and so we are pushing a grass roots campaign to spread the word," said Clay."
That effort includes a Go Fund Me campaign to reach beyond town limits.
"We've given more than $1.2 million to the Children's Bureau here in Indianapolis and we can't do that this year. We give scholarships to schools. Even organizations like Speedway Trails will have to make operational decisions on how they spend their money," said Clay.
The town believes it will make up the difference as long as the word spreads and the grass roots effort keeps picking up steam. If you would like to help, click on this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/speedway-covid-community-relief-fund
