When Carl Fisher first conceived the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was his hope to provide an outdoor laboratory for what was then a burgeoning auto industry in Indianapolis. Ninety years later, Fisher's dream is a reality.

No other track in the world can lay claim to Indy's stature. No other city, in fact, can come close to occupying the spot that Indiana's capitol can. Within a 20-mile radius of the Brickyard virtually every form of motorsports, from Indy cars and dragsters, to midgets and sprint cars, race at one time or another.

Indianapolis Raceway Park is the Labor Day home of the NHRA's U.S. Nationals. The Indiana State Fairgrounds hosts USAC's Coors Light Silver Bullet Cars. IRP also hosts NASCAR's trucks and Busch cars. And, of course, IMS hosts the IRL, Winston Cup and this weekend's Formula One event.

When Anton "Tony" Hulman purchased the 2.5-mile track following World War II, he saved Fisher's dream and started the track's rebirth. Hulman saw the Indianapolis 500 emerge in the 1960s as one of America's premier sports events. But, it was his grandson, Anton "Tony" George, who established the place as motorsports' epicenter.

Between the Tonys, Indianapolis underwent a transformation. A city previously best known for its war memorial monument and a deserted downtown, embarked upon revitalization.

Edifices like the RCA Dome, Conseco Field House, Circle Center and the NCAA headquarters now dot the city skyline. So do high-rise hotels and a plethora of quality eateries.

It's tough to tell what came first, Indy's rebirth or the George family's efforts to upgrade the city into the hub of motorsports. The two have converged nicely. Where once only Indy Cars filled the city's hotel rooms, now the Pacers, Colts, NASCAR and Formula One do, too.

When Indianapolis decided to add NASCAR to its yearly schedule, many felt as if the track was turning its back on its heritage.

But, after Jeff Gordon's storybook victory in the Inaugural Brickyard 400, Hoosierland crowds were won over. The annual Brickyard stop has become one of the top races on NASCAR's slate.

Then came the decision to start a rival Indy Car series -- the Indy Racing League. It made for some trying times and a lot of criticism directed towards Tony George. But, with the return of many of CART's top drivers and teams to the annual Memorial Day weekend race, the "500" has played to sold-out crowds and become an stage for series bragging rights.

In 1999, Tony George started a courtship of Formula One with the hopes of returning the United States to its schedule. Since the failure of F1 in Arizona a number of years before, what is often considered the second most popular sport in the world had remained absent from the U.S.

The only way Americans could get a look at the technological marvels and world-class drivers was to travel north to Canada. But, the heritage of Indy and the elite status the facility enjoys provided the foundation from which Bernie Eccelstone and George could hammer out an agreement to bring F1 back to the states.

The price was high for Indy. Formula One is quite specific when it comes to what it wants at its facilities. Each demand from F1 was met with affirmative action. A 2.6-mile road course was constructed that integrated Indy's famed frontstretch and its yard of bricks.

The 559-acre property underwent a multi-million dollar face lift. F1 garages, mini suites and pedestrian ways were dwarfed by the final architectural landmark. With an eye towards its past, Indy created a towering glass, concrete and steel edifice to tower over the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Pagoda brings all the races together. It is the tie that binds Indy Cars, NASCAR and Formula One.

All three races -- the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and U.S. Grand Prix -- play to sold-out houses, putting annual attendance at the track over the one million mark! That's more spectators than the Super Bowl, World Cup final and any other sporting event combined.

Carl Fisher would be proud. So would Tony Hulman.