Indianapolis Motor Speedway has gotten a major facelift. The top floor of the Pagoda at the track has always been a special place during the Indy 500. Overlooking the start/finish line, it offers the best views at the venue and hosts VIP guests, partners, and sponsors each year. With the 109th running of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ on the horizon, the area’s upgrade into a modern, luxury hospitality suite is sparking plenty of conversations.

Gainbridge has been the presenting sponsor of the Indy 500 since 2019, but the ongoing deal is due to expire this year. By funding IMS’s renovation, could the digital financial services company be hinting at a possible sponsorship renewal beyond 2025? It certainly looks like it.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s top floor suite gets a new look

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has always been one of the most iconic venues in American motorsports. Home to the legendary Indy 500, ‘The Brickyard’ has a long and storied legacy after playing host to plenty of iconic races in the past. However, modern times require modern solutions, which is why Gainbridge redesigned the top floor, known as the Pagoda 10, with new furniture, a coffee and bar area, a DJ setup, a hostess table, and racing decorations like a Colton Herta helmet with Gainbridge branding.

Cassidy Towriss, who helped lead the project, shared her thoughts after the renovation was complete and said, “This is so in alignment with what Gainbridge does across the board in its sponsorships. Doing everything top of the line and elevating experience is something that I think the brand is becoming associated with more and more.” The facelift comes at a time when Gainbridge is in talks with Penske Entertainment about extending its Indy 500 sponsorship beyond 2025.

As things stand, Gainbridge pays over $1 million each year and gets exclusive access to the top floor of the Pagoda. “We know what’s possible and how iconic and amazing the Indy 500 and IMS is,” Towriss said. “To come in with a fresh and elevated idea of what to do with it was kind of just a no-brainer for everyone involved, and especially Penske Entertainment, because they had to trust us with that space, to have so much control over it.”

The renovations were made using only local vendors, with Group 1001’s Kate Henderson and Penske’s Tyrone Garrison leading the work. The upgraded suite will now host guests from the Indiana Pacers (another Gainbridge partner) as well as local officials, company employees, and other business leaders. Gainbridge is slowly but steadily gaining a foothold in the sports marketing industry, recently winning the 2025 Sports Business Award for Brand Activation of the Year for its work with Indiana Fever WNBA star Caitlin Clark and the Annika LPGA event.

However, the digital financial services company wants to stay true to its racing roots. Apart from the Indy 500, the company also sponsors NASCAR and the F1 Miami Grand Prix. Gainbridge CEO Dan Towriss also co-owns the new Cadillac F1 Team through TWG Motorsports. By funding the Pagoda 10 renovations, the company is setting the tone for the future of sports sponsorships. Could this give them a leg up when it comes to extending their deal for the Indy 500? Time will tell. But it won’t hurt their chances, that’s for sure.

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Kyle Larson wants to complete ‘The Double’ this time

Who doesn’t like to make history? Kyle Larson is widely considered to be one of the most versatile drivers in the modern era and has been dominating the NASCAR Cup Series this season with three wins in the opening 12 races. Now, he’s attempting to make the headlines once again, hoping to join the likes of John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and Kurt Busch by competing in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. However, only Tony Stewart has completed all 1100 miles of both races, and that is Larson’s goal for 2025.

Mother Nature spoiled his plans last year, with rain forcing him to miss out on the race in Charlotte, but he’s hopeful of better luck this time around. Sharing his thoughts on ‘the double’ attempt, Larson said, “It’s all fun stuff. My goal is to complete all of the laps. Tony Stewart finished sixth in the Indy 500 and third in the Cup race at Charlotte. I want to do better than that. Ultimately, you want to win one or both of them. I also understand how difficult that is.”

Apart from the physical demands, the logistics for such a feat will be particularly challenging. It will take Kyle Larson about an hour to fly from Indianapolis to Charlotte, after which he’ll helicopter over to Charlotte Motor Speedway. This means he’ll need to depart from Indianapolis Motor Speedway no later than 4:15 pm to arrive in time for the 600-mile crown jewel event. With the anticipation at an all-time high for ‘the double’, will ‘Yung Money’ finally manage to achieve that feat this time around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!