Excite 500
 |
|
| Venue | Texas Motor Speedway |
|---|---|
| Corporate sponsor | Rainguard Water Sealers |
| First race | 1997 |
| Distance | 598.676 km (372.000 mi) |
| Laps | 248 |
| Previous names |
Spring Race True Value 500 (1997–1998) Longhorn 500 (1999) Casino Magic 500 (2000–2001) Boomtown 500 (2002) Bombardier 500 (2003–2004) Bombardier Learjet 500 (2005–2006) Bombardier Learjet 550 (2007–2009) Firestone 550 (2010, 2012–2013) Firestone Twin 275s (2011) Firestone 600 (2014–2016) Rainguard Water Sealer 600 (2017–) Fall Race Lone Star 500 (1998) Mall.com 500 (1999) Excite 500 (2000) Chevy 500 (2001–2004) |
| Most wins (driver) | Hélio Castroneves (4) |
| Most wins (team) | Team Penske (8) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) |
Dallara (24) Honda (10) |
The Rainguard Water Sealers 600 is an IndyCar Series race held at Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth, Texas. The race is held on a Saturday night in early June. From 1997 until 2005, it served as the first race after the Indianapolis 500. It resumed this place in 2010 and in 2011. When it debuted in 1997, it was the first IndyCar race in the state of Texas since 1979.
The first Championship/Indy car races in the Dallas/Fort Worth area took place at Arlington Downs Raceway in nearby Arlington, Texas. AAA sanctioned five races from 1947–1950. USAC sanctioned ten Championship car events at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The race was discontinued when the track closed in 1981.
In 1997, the IndyCar Series debuted at the track on a Saturday night in early June. It marked the first-ever superspeedway night race for American open wheel racing. During the race, one of the electronic scoring wires malfunctioned in the pit area, which caused unexpected scoring errors. Billy Boat was scored as the leader, and took the checkered flag as the winner. Arie Luyendyk, who felt he had been robbed of the win, stormed victory lane, where he was lunged at by Boat's owner, A. J. Foyt. Quickly the fight broke up. The next morning, it was determined that Luyendyk actually was the official winner. Foyt refused to return the trophy, and the race has since become a famous part of Texas Motor Speedway lore. Luyendyk received a replacement, and the "official" trophy years later, presented to him by track president Eddie Gossage.
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