How to own an authentic Indianapolis Motor Speedway checkered flag

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — You can own a piece of history from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including checkered flags that have flown at the track.

It’s part of an auction including hundreds of pieces.

“In a 112-year facility. There’s all kinds of things that have been around for a long time,” said Doug Boles, president of IMS.

The auction is part of a spring cleaning that’s been going on since the fall.

Items that have been stored for years are now seeing the light of day, hopefully causing gleam in the eye for fans.

“I know how important it is to fans to have these memorabilia pieces, things that help you remember the Speedway and your events here,” Boles said.

In this latest set of offerings, there are several sets of flags. While they weren’t used by the flagman, they flew on top of the grandstands.

“It’s amazing how people, when they know it was used at the Speedway, especially if it has our logo on it somewhere, how they want that for their basement, their TV room, their man cave,” Boles said.

There’s been close to a dozen auctions since September. Previous auctions have had a little bit of everything including a wooden sign of Gasoline Alley, license plates off pace cars, and an IMS bus or van used to give tours around the track.

Boles said most items were removed before the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016 and moved to a less-accessible spot on the east side of the track. But now, it’s time to give them a more permanent home.

“We are all pretty happy to know that fans are going to be able to enjoy them,” he said.

If the current auction doesn’t have what you’re looking for, Boles promises this isn’t the last one.

“Oh, yeah, it’s a 112-year-old facility. There’s more out there,” he said with a laugh.

All the auctions are being done online through Earl’s Auction Co. in Indianapolis.

The auction closes on the latest lots at 7 p.m. Saturday. Money raised goes back to the track’s operations budget.