Speedway gets new look ahead of race day

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) - Main Street in Speedway is just minutes from the track.

But folks in Speedway will tell you, the greatest spectacle in racing is so much more than just race day.

The entire town is doing pre-race planning.

One new coffee shop/restaurant inside the Dallara facility, Lino's Coffee, bills itself as a local taste of Italy.

Since Dallara and Lino's are both Italian companies, developers said it made sense to house them near the track.

Most of Lino's menu, like wine and cheese, panini, gelato and coffee, is flown in from Italy.

Even the restaurant’s bar is shaped like the oval track.

“We're scrambling to get our pedal to the medal for the green flag, to get open for the race,” Lino’s manager Julie LaFore said. “But, really, it's going to be about a year around celebration of Dallara, racing and to be home for, not only our residents here in Speedway, but to encourage people throughout the Indianapolis market to come out and experience something new.”

Lino’s is just one business that's new on Main Street and opening ahead of this year's 500.

Johnny Bueno's Pizza is another.

And businesses that have been here for years said all the changes to Speedway have been great for their bottom line.

“This month already, since Main Street's been redone, it's the busiest we've ever been,” Chris Hill, manager of Dawson's on Main, said. “So it's been a great thing. Main Street looks beautiful. Everything just got planted here recently, so everything's green. But business is as good as it's ever been.”

The redevelopment commission spent millions to renovate the entire area, with new landscaping, light poles, benches and a bike path.

And there's more to come.

Just south of Dallara is where Community Health Network is building a new 40,000 square foot medical facility.

Next door to Dallara is where Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing is building its new headquarters.