A Checkered Past: Indy 500 Program Covers

This 1981 cover featuring the top of the Borg-Warner trophy was the first to use an actual photograph.

The centennial of the Indianapolis 500 is only days away. So while you’re resting up for all that Snake Pit revelry, here’s a selection of official programs from over the years. The National Indy 500 Collector Club has every program with details going back to the Speedway’s pre- 500 races including the first race in 1909, which was a balloon race.

The programs parallel magazine trends, including book thickness and styles of cover design. There are the Art Deco illustrations of the 1930s, those illustrated montages from the 1980s, foldouts, and the requisite hologram cover. The program prices, which are prominently displayed on the covers through 2000, climb through the years from ten cents on up!

Upper left, program from the first 500 in 1911. Upper right, 2001 hologram-cover. At bottom is a foldout from 2009 by the renowned artist Thomas Kinkade.

Most of these are on eBay right now, where prices can go as high as $250.

1919
In celebration of the Allied victory in WWI, the
race was renamed the "Liberty Sweep Stakes."

1930

1931

1935

1936

1938

1946

1951

1956
From 1955 through 1975, this program cover ran
for all but two years.

1976

1979

1982

1988

1990

2003

2011
One of three covers for this year’s race.