Iconic IMS restaurant that fed Indy 500 drivers and teams shuts down

There are many wonderful places where the IndyCar drivers stay and dine during the Indy 500 weekend. Although most teams are now based out of Indiana, and have stays and meals prepared to the dietary needs of the drivers, it wasn't the case back in the day. Earlier, the iconic restaurant called the “MCL Cafeteria” fed the drivers and the IndyCar team personnel.

However, the cafe recently shut down following its last working day on April 20, 2025. The cafe was just 2.5 miles away from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was a place cherished by the IndyCar drivers, especially those who raced in the late 20th century.

The MCL Cafeteria can be compared to the Ristorante Montana across the Ferrari test track in Fiorano, where the Scuderia F1 drivers dined. Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel all have pictures with the lady who runs the Ristorante Montana, and these images, along with F1 memorabilia, decorate the walls.

The MCL Cafeteria also had a similar vibe with the Indy 500 driver's images hung on the walls of the cafe. As the cafe closed its doors, a sign on the door welcomed and thanked the customers for dining with them. It read:

“Our Speedway MCL location will be permanently closing after April 20, 2025. We thank you in the Speedway community for years of support and patronage. We hope to see you at one of our other local MCL locations.”

The restaurant catered to the needs of the Indy 500 drivers and teams. Tony Hulman, the former owner of IndyCar and IMS, regularly dined at the cafe. Scott Gauger, a member of the Meyer Shank Racing team, was also spotted at the cafe.

Veteran IndyCar announcer Jake Query tweeted about the final operational day of the MCL Cafeteria. His tweet read:

“After decades as a west side institution, the Speedway MCL is open for its final day. Had to meet @IndyOreo for lunch. Fun fact: We both worked at MCL in younger years.”

The Cafe served specials for the Indy 500 and was a go-to spot for the drivers. The thing that stood out about the cafe was that it served home-cooked comfort food.

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway gets ready for the Indy 500 open test

Josef Newgarden poses with the trophy in victory lane after winning the NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

The next IndyCar race weekend is still two weeks away. However, the teams and drivers now prepare for the open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The test will take place from Wednesday, April 23, to Thursday, April 24.

The two-day test will be divided into various sessions, including a veteran session, rookie orientation, open sessions, and qualifying simulation sessions. All 34 confirmed entries will be present at the 2.5-mile oval, which includes the 27 full-time entries and the 7 one-off entries for the Indy 500.

The drivers will be taking the hybrid power units to the track for the first time. Kyle Larson, Takuma Sato, and Josef Newgarden will be the ones to look out for.