印地赛车的历史

欢迎收听来自5minutehistory.com的《五分钟历史》播客，我们将用大约五分钟的时间从历史角度解读事物。如果您喜欢本节目并想支持我们，请考虑为我们买杯咖啡。前往5minutehistory.com/coffee查看具体方式。这是第82期节目——印第赛车的历史。印第赛车速度极快，真的非常快。

Welcome to the five Minute History podcast from 5minutehistory.com, where we take a historical look at things in about five minutes. If you enjoy the show and would like to support us, please consider buying us a coffee. Head on over to 5minutehistory.com forward slash coffee to see how. This is episode 82, the history of IndyCar. IndyCar is fast, really fast.

但它的故事不仅关乎速度，还关乎发明、竞争、激情，以及世界上最标志性的赛道之一。这是一项根植深厚、充满戏剧性发展历程的美国特色赛车运动，至今仍影响着车迷们所见的场景。故事始于二十世纪初，那时的汽车看起来像带轮子的浴缸，头盔与其说是保护装备不如说是美好愿望。1909年，一群商人在印第安纳州建造了印第安纳波利斯赛车场。

But its story isn't just about speed. It's about invention, rivalry, passion, and one of the most iconic racetracks in the world. It's a uniquely American motorsport with deep roots and a drama filled journey that still shapes what fans see today. The story begins in the early nineteen hundreds, back when cars looked like bathtubs on wheels and helmets were more wishful thinking than protection. In nineteen o nine, a group of businessmen built the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana.

它规模宏大、激动人心，但也危险重重。实际上，最初的赛道表面状况极差，导致车辆失控、轮胎爆裂。于是业主决定用超过300万块砖头铺砌赛道。这就是该赛道获得"砖厂"这个著名绰号的由来。直至今日，起终点线处仍保留着一排原始砖块，车手们在赢得印第500大赛后仍会亲吻这条砖线。

It was massive, it was exciting, and it was dangerous. In fact, the original surface was so bad that it caused cars to crash and tires to shred. So the owners decided to pave it with over 3,000,000 bricks. That's how the track got its famous nickname, the Brickyard. Even today, a single strip of those bricks remains at the start finish line, and drivers still kiss it after winning the Indy five hundred.

1911年，印第安纳波利斯500英里大赛首次举办。从一开始这就是场残酷的较量——200圈、500英里，对赛车的每个部件和车手的每根神经都是考验。经年累月，它已不仅是一场比赛，更成为一项国家传统。

That race, the Indianapolis five hundred, made its debut in 1911. From the start, it was brutal. 200 laps, 500 miles. It tested every piece of the car and every bit of the driver's nerve. Over the years, it became not just a race, but a national tradition.

在印第赛道夺冠意义非凡，至今仍是如此。二十世纪早期，美国开轮式赛车由AAA（美国汽车协会）运营。没错，就是如今提供道路救援的那个组织。但1955年勒芒发生致命事故后，AAA退出了赛车运动。

Winning at Indy meant something and still does. For much of the early twentieth century, American open wheel racing was run by the AAA, the American Automobile Association. Yes. The same organization that provides roadside assistance today. But after a deadly crash at Le Mans in 1955, AAA pulled out of motorsport.

接替它的是美国汽车俱乐部（USAC），他们接管了包括印第500在内的大型赛事 sanctioning。然而到了1970年代，车队日益不满，认为USAC固守陈规。人们对其安全性、推广力度和整体缺乏现代思维感到担忧。

In its place came the United States Auto Club or USAC. They took over sanctioning the big races, including the Indy five hundred. By the nineteen seventies, though, teams were growing frustrated. They felt the USAC was stuck in the past. There were concerns over safety, promotion, and a general lack of modern thinking.

于是在1979年，一批顶尖车队老板另起炉灶，成立了冠军汽车竞速车队（CART）。CART带来了新活力：大牌赞助商入驻、电视转播升级、车手阵容国际化。赛事涵盖街道赛道、公路赛道和椭圆赛道，竞争激烈刺激，赛车风驰电掣，美国开轮式赛车势头正劲。

So in 1979, a group of top team owners broke away and formed their own organization, Championship Auto Racing Teams or CART. CART brought fresh energy. Big sponsors came in. Television coverage improved. The driver roster went global.

但并非所有人都满意。印第安纳波利斯赛车场的经营者们正逐渐丧失对这项运动发展方向的话语权。

There were races on street circuits, road courses, and ovals. The competition was exciting. The cars were fast, and American open wheel racing had momentum. But not everyone was happy. The folks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway were losing influence over the direction of the sport.

因此1996年，赛道总裁托尼·乔治发起新系列赛以重掌控制权，名为印第赛车联盟（IRL）。此后印第500大赛仅作为IRL赛历组成部分，CART车队未获邀请。这次分裂造就了赛车史上最混乱的对立局面之一。

So in 1996, Tony George, president of the Speedway, launched a new series to take back control. It was called the Indy Racing League or IRL. The Indy five hundred would now only be part of the IRL calendar. Kart teams weren't invited. That split created one of the messiest rivalries in racing history.

CART保留了多数顶尖车队和车手，IRL则掌控着印第500大赛。车迷们困惑不已，赞助商被迫选边站队，电视收视率持续下滑。

Kart kept most of the top teams and drivers. The IRL kept the Indy five hundred. Fans were confused. Sponsors had to choose sides. Television ratings dropped.

当一级方程式赛车在全球范围内扩大观众群体时，美国开轮式赛车却在自我吞噬。这场分裂持续了十多年。卡丁车赛事最终崩溃并改名为Champ Car，但始终未能完全恢复元气。2008年2月，双方终于达成统一协议，现代印地赛车系列赛由此诞生。

While Formula one grew its global audience, American open wheel racing was eating itself alive. The split dragged on for over a decade. Kart eventually collapsed and rebranded as Champ Car, but it never fully recovered. In 02/2008, both sides finally agreed to reunify. The modern IndyCar series was born from that truce.

此后，印地赛车一直努力重建声誉。该系列赛融合了椭圆赛道、永久性公路赛道和城市街道赛道。这周可能是德克萨斯州的高速椭圆赛道，下周则可能是长滩或多伦多狭窄的街道赛道。这种多样性正是印地赛车激动人心的部分原因——车手必须全能。

Since then, IndyCar has worked hard to rebuild. The series combines a mix of oval tracks, permanent road courses, and city street circuits. One weekend might be a high speed oval in Texas, the next, a tight street course in Long Beach or Toronto. That variety is part of what makes IndyCar so exciting. Drivers have to be versatile.

赢得冠军意味着要精通多种赛车风格，而非单一类型。为平衡竞争并控制成本，印地赛车于2012年推出名为Dallara DW12的标准底盘。该名称纪念了前一年在车祸中丧生的受欢迎车手丹·威尔顿。这款车以安全性和竞技性为核心，至今仍是基础平台。2020年另一项重大安全创新Aeroscreen问世，这是强化驾驶舱护盾，能保护车手免受飞溅碎片和正面冲击。

Winning a championship means mastering different styles of racing, not just one. To help level the playing field and keep costs down, IndyCar introduced a standard chassis in 2012 called the Dallara d w 12. It was named after Dan Weldon, a popular driver who was killed in a crash the year before. The car prioritized safety and competition, and it's still the base platform used today. Another big safety innovation arrived in 2020, the Aeroscreen, which is a reinforced cockpit shield that helps protect drivers from flying debris and frontal impacts.

这是重大进步，在其首个赛季就证明了价值——可能使多名车手在高速碰撞中免遭重伤，包括爱荷华站惊险事故：一辆赛车腾空后直接撞击另一辆车的驾驶舱区域。尽管有这些变革，印第安纳波利斯500大赛仍是核心赛事，仍是所有车手梦寐以求的胜利。如今车速远超230英里/小时，压力令人窒息。

It was a major step forward, and it proved its worth in its very first season when it likely saved multiple drivers from serious injury in high speed crashes, including a dramatic incident at Iowa where a car went airborne and struck another directly in the cockpit area. Despite all these changes, the Indy five hundred remains the centerpiece. It's still the one race that every driver wants to win. Speeds now push well over 230 miles per hour. The pressure is intense.

策略、团队协作、时机把握都必须完美无缺。第199圈的微小失误就能毁掉整日努力。印地冠军榜堪称赛车名人堂——AJ福伊特、里克·米尔斯、阿尔·昂瑟和赫利奥·卡斯特罗内维斯均四度夺冠。卡斯特罗内维斯2021年加入这一精英俱乐部时，其激动人心的表现让观众起立欢呼，再次印证这项赛事的永恒魅力。

Strategy, teamwork, timing, it all must be perfect. A single mistake on Lap 199 can ruin a perfect day. The list of winners at Indianapolis reads like a racing hall of fame. AJ Foyt, Rick Mears, Al Unser, and Helio Kastroneves have all won it four times. Kastroneves joined that elite club in 2021 in a dramatic drive that had the crowd on its feet and reminded everyone why this race still matters.

但冠军赛季不仅关乎印地500。2025年锦标赛包含17场比赛，车手通过积分争夺总冠军。印地赛车与其他系列赛的不同之处在于参赛车辆实力接近——赛车规格相似，人才储备深厚。

The championship season, though, is more than just Indy. In 2025, the championship consisted of 17 races with drivers earning points toward the title. And what makes IndyCar different from some other series is how close the field is. The cars are similar. The talent pool is deep.

任何比赛日都可能爆冷，这正是印地赛车拥有忠实粉丝的原因。没有预设剧本，没有常年垄断的豪门，只有精彩赛事、胶着结局和从发车旗到方格旗间的无限可能。现今赛场既有斯科特·迪克森、威尔·鲍尔等传奇冠军，也有亚历克斯·帕罗、帕托·奥沃德、科尔顿·赫塔等新星。系列赛在保持美国根基的同时，持续吸引国际人才。

On any given day, almost anyone can win. That's one of the reasons IndyCar has such loyal fans. There's no script, no dominant team year after year, just great racing, tight finishes, and surprises from green flag to checkered. Today's grid features a mix of veteran champions like Scott Dixon and Will Power and rising stars like Alex Palue, Pato O'Ward, and Colton Herter. The series also continues to attract international talent while maintaining strong ties to its American roots.

展望未来，印地赛车正筹备引入混合动力技术，在保持竞赛纯粹性的同时追求可持续性。通过流媒体、社交媒体和互动报道扩大数字影响力，增长粉丝群体。印地赛车的发展之路绝非坦途，历经辉煌巅峰、深刻分裂与无数坎坷，但这项运动的灵魂始终未变。

Looking ahead, IndyCar is preparing to introduce hybrid technology, continuing its push for relevance and sustainability without losing the purity of the racing. It's also expanding its digital reach, growing its fan base through streaming, social media, and more interactive coverage. IndyCar's path has been far from smooth. It's had great highs, deep splits, and plenty of bumps along the way. But through it all, the heart of the sport has remained the same.

极致速度、车手胆识和全球最具标志性的赛事——从早期的砖厂赛道到现今240英里/小时的巅峰对决，印地赛车始终呈现独特竞速体验。它大胆无畏、充满变数，且依然生机勃勃。感谢收听《五分钟历史》播客，请访问5minutehistory.com。若喜欢本节目，请在各播客平台留下好评支持我们。

Incredible speed, driver bravery, and one of the most iconic races in the world. From the early days of the Brickyard to today's 240 mile per hour duels, IndyCar has always delivered a unique kind of racing. It's bold, it's unpredictable, and it's still very much alive. Thanks for listening to the five Minute History podcast from 5minutehistory.com. If you enjoy the show and would like to support us, please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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