Working several years with the Town of Speedway involved discussions with representatives of the most famous racetrack in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), regarding potential improvements to their facility. In his role as a consultant with a leading area engineering firm, Mike Koyak effectively communicated the idea of establishing a nationally-recognized motorsports cluster to State of Indiana officials. The cluster would be centered upon the racing and automotive industries for the purpose of attracting public funding and/or private-sector investment to the Town of Speedway and IMS. The Purdue Center for Regional Development was contracted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to investigate the possibility.
A study was published in September 2012 entitled, “Race to the Future: The Statewide Impact of Motorsports in Indiana.” This study led to the passing of state legislation that increased funding opportunities for the IMS and for the racing industry statewide. The IMS utilized this new opportunity to make major investments in facility upgrades that were necessary to keep the venue economically viable into the foreseeable future. Mike Koyak was a consultant representative for planning the IMS improvements.
